Niall Deasy (pictured) was the hero for Ballyea at Semple Stadium in Thurles on Saturday as his impressive haul of 1-11 helped the Clare champions to a 1-19 to 2-14 win over St. Thomas' of Galway in the AIB GAA All Ireland Senior Club Hurling Championship semi-final.

Deasy was among 5 Clare senior hurling panellists to feature in the two-point win which should have been greater had it not been for a memorable comeback by St Thomas' in the final quarter of the game.

Having led by 0-10 to 0-3 at half-time, Ballyea extended their lead to 12 points in the 41st minute with Deasy's goal. However, a spirited fight back by the Galway champions brought them to within of a point going into second half injury time until Tony Kelly secured the two-point win.

Ballyea have become the first Clare club since St Joseph’s Doora-Barefield in 2000 to reach the Club Final.

Ballyea scorers: Niall Deasy 1-11 (0-9f), Tony Kelly 0-3, Gearoid O’Connell, PJ Connolly 0-2 each, Cathal Doohan 0-1.

St Thomas scorers: Darragh Burke 0-8 (0-6f, 0-1 ’65), Conor Cooney (1-0f), Anthony Kelly 1-0 each, Kenneth Burke 0-2, Shane Cooney, James Regan, Donal Cooney, Eanna Burke 0-1 each.

Ballyea

1. Kevin Sheehan
2. Joe Neylon
3. Jack Browne
4. Brian Carrig
5. Gearoid O’Connell
6. Paul Flanagan
7. James Murphy
8. Tony Kelly
9. Stan Lineen
10. Niall Deasy
11. Gary Brennan
12. Cathal Doohan
13. Pat Joe Connolly
15. Pearse Lillis
18. Damien Burke

Subs
17. Martin O’Leary for Burke (33)

St Thomas
1. Patrick Skehill
2. Fintan Burke
3. Cathal Burke
4. Eanna Burke
5. Donal Cooney
6. Shane Cooney
7. James Regan
8. David Burke
9. Bernard Burke
10. Conor Cooney
11. Darragh Burke
12. David Sherry
13. Brendan Farrell
14. Sean Skehill
15. Kenneth Burke

Subs
17. Anthony Kelly for Sherry (22)
23. Mark Caulfield for Farrell (44)