Clare 0-18
Galway 1-15
A LAST-GASP 60 metre free from Colin Ryan secured a dramatic share of the spoils in Cusack Park this afternoon between neighbours Clare and Galway who both advance to the quarter-finals.
A point ensured that 14 man Clare topped the Division 1A table and will now face Laois while Galway play Limerick in the last eight.
Galway arguably should have cemented victory when producing four glorious second half goal opportunities but crucially only took one through Cathal Mannion in the 52nd minute.
That goal appeared to be enough to shade the contest only for the home side to empty their All-Ireland winning bench to good effect, with Conor McGrath (3) and Ryan (2) reeling in their opponents before the finish.
All that after a scrappy opening half, dogged by frees and a plethora of cards including a straight red for Clare’s Shane Golden in the 30th minute. Wind assisted Galway pulled 0-5 to 0-2 clear by the end of the opening quarter, thanks in the main to a brace each from Niall Burke and Conor Cooney.
However, with Tony Kelly arrowing over seven frees in the opening period, the home side ensured that they would only trail by the minimum at half-time at 0-9 to 0-8.
This fragmented physical pattern was maintained on the restart, despite Hurler and Young Hurler of the Year Kelly grabbing the opening three points to edge the Banner ahead.
The game finally opened up after Mannion’s goal but McGrath and Ryan’s introduction would prove decisive, with the latter firing over the last two points to finish level.
Scorers for Clare: Tony Kelly 0-12 (11f), Conor McGrath 0-3, Colin Ryan 0-2, David Reidy 0-1.
Scorers for Galway: Conor Cooney 0-6 (5f), Cathal Mannion 1-2, Niall Burke 0-3, Johnny Coen 0-1, Padraig Brehony 0-1, Damien Hayes 0-1, Jonathan Glynn 0-1.
Clare: Patrick Kelly; Domhnall O’Donovan, Cian Dillon, Jack Browne; Brendan Bugler, Conor Ryan, Paul Flanagan; Patrick O’Connor, Colm Galvin; Shane Golden, Tony Kelly, Peter Duggan; Cathal McInerney, Shane O’Donnell, David Reidy.
Subs: John Conlon for McInerney (HT), Conor McGrath for Reidy (51), Patrick Donnellan for Bugler (53), Colin Ryan for Duggan (63), David McInerney for O’Donovan (65)
Galway: Colm Callanan; Fergal Moore, Ronan Moore, David Collins; Aidan Harte, Iarla Tannian, Daithi Burke; Johnny Coen, Padraig Brehony; Niall Burke, Conor Cooney, David Burke; Niall Healy, Jonathan Glynn, Cathal Mannion.
Subs: Damien Hayes for Healy (43), Andy Smith for David Burke (49), Joseph Cooney for Mannion (60), Jason Flynn for N. Burke (66), Paul Killeen for Harte (70)
Referee: Diarmuid Kirwan (Cork)