Advertisement
Comment

5 Talking Points - Clare v Galway, All-Ireland SHC quarter-final

Clare’s decisive second quarter burst, Galway’s form frustrating for fans and Clare’s youngsters have winning know how.

CLARE 1-23 GALWAY 2-14

1. Clare’s second quarter burst proves key

Yesterday’s second quarter-final zipped along at a fair pace at the start with the teams looking extremely well-matched early on. Galway formed a couple of mini-advantages on the score board early on but Clare drew level and were tied at 0-6 apiece by the 15th minute.

Then they accelerated clear before the interval, dominating the second quarter to the extent that they essentially put the game to bed. In that time frame Clare outscored Galway by 1-6 to 0-2 and Galway’s two points in that period were both frees from Joe Canning as they were frustrated in open play.

Conor McGrath and Padraic Collins cut loose for Clare and although Galway fought back in the second-half, they could never haul back their opponents to bridge that gap.

Clare’s Conor McGrath

2. Galway’s 2012 attacking bright spots fail to shine in 2013

Galway’s search for form was the focus of much debate this season and their attacking fortunes were symptomatic of their problems. Yesterday they used nine forwards during the game, the third consecutive match that they gave game time to that number of attackers.

Joe Canning’s seven-point total yesterday meant he has raised over 50% of their white flags during this year’s championship while over the course of their three games this summer, no Galway forward managed to raise more than four white flags.

Galway struck two goals in every game but their points total wounded their prospects of being victorious. Yesterday was symptomatic of that as Galway met a Clare team whose range of point-scoring options were greater. Players like David Burke and Niall Burke who starred last year never scaled those heights this season.

Galway’s David Burke and Clare’s Tony Kelly.

3. Clare improve their shots to scores ratio

Galway’s problems were a marked contrast with Clare’s prowess in front of goals yesterday. Clare have not always converted chances efficiently this season with their wins in the relegation final against Cork, the Munster quarter-final against Waterford and the All-Ireland qualifier against Wexford marked by poor marksmanship. And it also cost them in their Munster semi-final loss against Cork.

Yesterday they were more clinical and it was central to their success. Ten different players were on the scoresheet and what was more impressive by Clare was how different players picked up the scoring slack yesterday.

Padraic Collins was immense again, Conor McGrath put in his best display over 70 minutes in this summer’s championship while Colin Ryan complemented his measured freetaking with some excellent contributions from open play.

Clare’s Colin Ryan and Galway’s Joseph Cooney.

4. Quarter-final is a graveyard for Galway again

Life as a Galway hurling supporter has been a maddening experience for several years but the quality of their displays last summer suggested that they had banished their enigmatic streak. But 2013 has been a return to type with a poor league campaign preceding a sluggish win over Laois and an emphatic loss to Dublin.

Yesterday they exited the championship race at the quarter-final stage for the sixth time in the last eight years. Five of those defeats have arrived in Thurles and Semple Stadium has become a depressing graveyard for their Liam McCarthy Cup ambitions.

Galway never hit full speed this year or managed to settle on a team selection they were happy or familiar with. They have regressed since last year and the challenge to progress next year will be a tough one.

Galway’s Fergal Moore

5. Clare’s youngsters have winning know-how

There was a stage in the second-half yesterday when Clare perhaps could have panicked. A game they had bossed was suddenly back up for grabs when Niall Healy fired to the net and Joseph Cooney struck a point to cut the gap to two with seven minutes remaining.

However Clare settled themselves to rattle over the next three points of the game and in total outscored Galway by 0-5 to 0-1 from there until the final whistle. It was a display of impressive composure and essentially was evidence of the confidence levels that course through this Clare team after a string of underage triumphs in recent years.

Clare’s recent Munster U21 semi-final against Waterford was a case in point. They didn’t play particularly well that night in Walsh Park, but they improved their display sufficiently in the second-half to hit the key scores and fashion a victory.

Seven of the Clare players that featured yesterday in Thurles are part of the current U21 setup with another two players on the 26-man panel. Clare’s players know how to win games and setbacks during matches do not deter them.

Clare’s Davy Fitzgerald

5 Talking Points – Cork v Kilkenny, All-Ireland SHC quarter-final

Murph’s Sideline Cut: Galway out in time for the Races

Your Voice
Readers Comments
2
    Submit a report
    Please help us understand how this comment violates our community guidelines.
    Thank you for the feedback
    Your feedback has been sent to our team for review.