The Clans got off to the better start with two Drew Duffy frees, followed by an Adrian Mc Glynn point from play. Derek Mulligan got the Joes on the scoreboard after nine minutes with the first of his six points from play. But the Clans continued to show their first quarter dominance when Robert Sansom had to pull off a fine save a minute later, before Adrian Mc Glynn added to his tally with a well struck 50 yard free. Some superb defending by Kevin Woods to hold out Mark Mc Geown was then rather harshly penalised and Mc Geown tapped over the resultant 14 yard free himself. Conal O Hanlon set up Derek Mulligan for the next point of the game for the Joes, before Sansom again had to be called on to save a shot on goal, this one coming from full forward Colm Finnegan.  The Joes would get the next score in a length of the field move started by Kevin Woods in front of his own goals and finished by Derek Mulligan in the full forward line. Clans midfielder Adrian Mc Glynn would again push the home side advantage out to three points, when he got his third point of the day, this one from play in the 20th minute. This was very quickly followed up by a Thomas Staunton point from play. But the Joes would again come back to reduce the deficit, this time with two points from frees, one each for Alan Mc Kenna and Conal O Hanlon. However, again the Clans would create a goal chance and when Sansom pulled off his third save of the half, Colm Finnegan was on hand on this occasion to pick up the pieces and fist over a point. It was the Joes who would get the final score of the half, when recently introduced Alan Quigley would set up Sean Mc Quillan for a fisted point. The lead for the Clans was only two points at the break, in no small part due to three saves from Robert Sansom and three fine points from play for Derek Mulligan.
Half Time Score: St Josephs 0-6, Clan na Gael 0-8

As in the first, Drew Duffy got the opening score of the second half for the Clans. But when Conal O Hanlon struck back to back points from play the Clans lead was reduced to the bare minimum for the first time since the opening minutes of the game. Colm Finnegan would score a point from play before O Hanlon was again twice involved in two scoring opportunities in the 12th minute. The first, an Alan Mc Kenna point from play, the second, an Alan Lynch shot on goal, which was well saved. In the tit for tat nature that was the game, the Clans again struck back, this time with two pointed frees from Drew Duffy and Andrew Mc Glynn. The Joes would cancel these out with the next two points, an Alan Mc Kenna free and a Derek Mulligan point from play. A point from play for Clans substitute Mark Newell would be cancelled out by another Mulligan point, to leave the bare minimum in the game again with only five minutes of normal time remaining. It was at this stage that large gaps in the Joes defence were exploited to the max with a Mark Mc Geown goal. The Joes were not done yet and Mulligans sixth point from play would mean there was still only a score between the teams and time left. But although Mulligan created a goal chance for himself in the dying minutes, this was saved and the Clans lead had been pushed out to six points at this stage, as they finished stronger with three points from play, against a Joes team who finished with 14 men. With Sean Mc Quillan having to be carried off with a serious injury after the Joes had made all five of their substitutions. The final score may have flattered the Clans, but it is hard to argue that they were not worthy of the win on the day.
Full Time Score: St Josephs 0-13, Clan na Gael 1-16.

St Josephs: Robert Sansom, Philip Kinahan, Kevin Woods, Mark Neary, Sean Mc Quillan (0-1), Anthony Keenan, David Mernagh, Tomas Smyth, John Murtagh, Alan Lynch, Conal O Hanlon (0-3), Cian Smyth, Derek Mulligan (0-6), Alan Mc Kenna (0-3), Brendan O Donoghue.
Substitutions: Alan Quigley for Brendan O Donoghue (inj), Peter Mulligan for Cian Smyth, John Mc Guinness for Alan Lynch, Peter Brennan for Tomas Smyth, Andrew Cluskey for Kevin Woods.

Clan na Gael: Gavin Neary; Stephen Fitzpatrick, Padraig Staunton, Keith Cunningham; Paul Crewe (0-1), Paul Gore, Paul Gartland; Ray McCabe, Adrian McGlynn (0-4); Ciaran Fox, Thomas Staunton (0-1), Brendan Begley (0-1); Drew Duffy (0-4), Colin Finnegan (0-2), Mark McGeown (1-2).

Substitutions: Billy Smith for C Fox, Mark Newell (0-1) for D Duffy.

Referee: Kevin Carroll

[Report: Michael Kinahan]