Clare made a game of it in the second half but Kerry claimed a comfortable if unconvincing 1-15 to 0-12 victory in Ennis.

A crowd of 5,037 turned out on a rainy evening to witness Peter Keane’s championship bow as Kingdom manager and it’s clear that the reigning Munster champions – who will face Cork in the final in three weeks – have a lot of work to do. Having said that, Kerry never looked like losing this.

James O’Donoghue’s goal to the bottom left corner two minutes from the break helped the winners take a commanding nine-point advantage into the break, 1-9 to 0-3, the Kingdom looking fitter and sharper in every department during a one-sided opening period.

David Moran’s point following a clever dummy and a classy Paul Geaney finish had the visitors ahead by 0-2 to no score after ten minutes, the Banner County having fisted an effort onto the home crossbar. When Sean O’Shea’s shot hit the butt of the post, David Clifford was on hand to slot the third Kerry point but the Kingdom suffered a blow midway through the opening period when Moran was surprisingly black-carded.

David Tubridy, a late addition to the starting XV, opened Clare’s account from a free on 18 minutes, but the holders replied with a routine Clifford free and two from O’Shea to lead by five with seven minutes left before the break.

Diarmuid O’Connor tapped over the seventh Kerry point at the end of an excellent move, with captain O’Donoghue to the fore, and Clifford’s exquisite finish pushed the gap out to seven on 31 minutes.

Eoin Cleary pulled back a superb point but O’Donoghue netted with aplomb after a great Clifford assist and added a point, Tubridy closing the first-half scoring with an excellent strike for the losers.

A brace of O’Shea frees stretched the gap when the action resumed but Cleary replied (free) following a foul on the outstanding Gary Brennan, before O’Shea slotted his third of the second half, again from a free. Thirteen minutes into the second half, Adrian Spillane pointed to make it quadruple scores, 1-13 to 0-4, Cathal O’Connor blasting one over for the Banner.

Cleary notched a couple of consolation points from frees, Micheal Burns posting the 14th Kerry point in between.

Jamie Malone supplied the next Clare point, Tubridy slotted their third in succession and the Kingdom went down to 14 men five minutes from the end of normal time when Mark Griffin, the man who had replaced the black-carded Moran, picked up a second yellow.

With Brennan lording it in midfield, Malone hit the tenth Clare point. After a twelve-minute stoppage due to a nasty collision of heads involving Clare corner back Kevin Hartnett (who was stretchered off) and O’Shea, eleven minutes of injury time were added, with Malone stroking over the fifth straight Clare point, reducing the arrears to six.

Kerry substitute Tommy Walsh was black-carded as Kerry finished he game with 13 men on the pitch but the visitors kept their composure and Jason Foley came forward to fist a point, only for Cleary to immediately reply. Kerry held on but it was far from pretty as they completely lost their way in the closing stages.

The Munster final beckons for the Kingdom, while Colm Collins' men are Qualifier bound.

Kerry - S Ryan; J Foley (0-1), T Morley, T O’Sullivan; G Crowley, J Sherwood, S Enright; D Moran (0-1), A Spillane (0-1); D O’Connor (0-1), S O’Shea (0-6), S O’Brien; D Clifford (0-3), P Geaney (0-1), J O’Donoghue (1-0). Subs: M Griffin for D Moran (BC), G White for J Sherwood, M Burns (0-1) for S O’Brien, R Wharton for G Crowley, T Walsh for J O’Donoghue, J Lyne for S O’Shea.

Clare - S Ryan; G Kelly, C Brennan, K Harnett; S Collins, A Fitzgerald, C O’hAinifein; C O’Connor (0-1), S O’Donoghue; J Malone (0-3), G Brennan, E Cleary (0-5); C O’Dea, D Bohannon, D Tubridy (0-3). Subs: G Cooney for D Bohannon, D Ryan for C O’hAinifein (BC), K Malone for S O’Donoghue, E Collins for S Collins, C Murray for C Brennan, A Sweeney for K Harnett.

Referee - J Molloy.

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