Galway 1-24
Clare 0-22
Páraic McMahon reports from Cusack Park, Ennis
GALWAY RECORDED THEIR second win of the 2023 Allianz National Hurling League with a commanding second half display seeing them overcome neighbours Clare.
Fielding their strongest side of their campaign to date, Henry Shefflin’s Galway produced a dominant showing for three quarters of this tie and it was sufficient to defeat Brian Lohan’s Clare in the competition for the second year in a row.
Such an outcome wasn’t likely when Clare built up an 0-8 to 0-1 advantage with fourteen minutes on the clock. It may have been false hope that a repeat of the trouncing they inflicted on Wexford would be replicated but instead Clare eased up on the gas and paid the price.
By half-time, Galway had reduced the deficit to a single point and once they nudged ahead in the 41st minute, they would only relinquish this on two occasions with David Fitzgerald and Robin Mounsey drawing the hosts level.
Conor Whelan’s goal in the 58th minute further momentum behind the Tribesmen. An Éanna Murphy puck out fell beautifully onto the path of the Kinvara man, he rose the sliotar on the first attempt, showed his acceleration skills to leave the Clare defence in his wake and smartly nestled the ball low into the net past Eamonn Foudy.
Whelan’s green flag carved out a seven point gap but Clare hit the next four points in a row to give hope to a potential comeback. That was killed off with Tom Monaghan and Conor Cooney pointing to see Shefflin’s side seal a deserved fIve-point victory.
At their sharpest in the opening quarter, Clare had a scoring burst of three points and then five points without reply as Galway took their time acclimatising to proceedings. Clare moved and showed for the ball well but as the tie wore on, they lost their shape and allowed Galway’s half-back line to really exert their influence.
Galway’s grip on the game grew as they punished the mistakes of their neighbours. Crucially, they boasted a much stronger attacking threat even though both sides had the same amount of different scorers. The Tribesmen yielded 1-17 from their starting forwards compared with Clare’s 0-16.
It was the strongest side Shefflin has named for Galway this year and their second half display was their best hurling exhibited all year with Daithí Burke, Tom Monaghan, Conor Cooney, Kevin Cooney and Joseph Cooney most influential.
Defensively Clare were put under pressure but had strong showings from Conor Cleary and John Conlon in this sector while they did receive a needed boost off the bench from Seadna Morey, Ian Galvin and Robin Mounsey.
Scorers Galway: Evan Niland 0-9 (0-4f, 0-1 ’65), Conor Cooney 0-5, Conor Whelan 1-0, Kevin Cooney 0-2, Daithí Burke 0-2, Tom Monaghan 0-2, Ronan Glennon 0-1, Brian Concannon 0-1, Joseph Cooney 0-1, Jack Fitzpatrick 0-1.
Scorers Clare: Aidan McCarthy (0-7 (0-6f), David Fitzgerald 0-4, David Reidy 0-3, Ian Galvin 0-2, Ryan Taylor 0-1, Cathal Malone 0-1, Peter Duggan 0-1, Cian Galvin 0-1, Robin Mounsey 0-1, Seadna Morey 0-1.
Galway
1. Éanna Murphy (Tommy Larkins)
4. TJ Brennan (Clarinbridge), 3. Daithi Burke (Turloughmore), 2. Jack Grealish (Gort)
5. Pádraic Mannion (Ahascragh-Fohenagh), 6. Gearoid McInerney (Oranmore-Maree), 7. Joseph Cooney (Sarsfields)
10. Tom Monaghan (Craughwell), 9. Ronan Glennon (Mullagh)
12. Conor Cooney (St Thomas), 8. Cianan Fahy (Ardrahan), 14. Brian Concannon (Killimordaly)
13. Evan Niland (Clarinbridge), 11. Conor Whelan (Kinvara), 15. Kevin Cooney (Sarsfields)
Subs
- 17. Jack Fitzpatrick (Killimordaly) for Glennon (52)
- 19. Tiernan Killeen (Loughrea) for Burke (56)
- 20. David Burke (St Thomas) for Fahy (67)
- 26. Declan McLoughlin for Concannon (70)
Clare
1. Eamonn Foudy (Inagh/Kilnamona)
2. Adam Hogan (Feakle), 3. Conor Cleary (Kilmaley), 4. Paul Flanagan (Ballyea)
5. Diarmuid Ryan (Cratloe), 6. John Conlon (Clonlara), 7. Cian Galvin (Clarecastle)
9. Cathal Malone (Sixmilebridge), 13. Ryan Taylor (Clooney/Quin)
10. Peter Duggan (Clooney/Quin), 8. David Fitzgerald (Inagh/Kilnamona), 12. Tony Kelly (Ballyea)
15. David Reidy (Éire Óg), 14. Aidan McCarthy (Inagh/Kilnamona), 11. David Conroy (St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield)
Subs
- 17. Brandon O’Connell (Ballyea) for Ryan (53)
- 19. Robin Mounsey (Ruan) for Conroy (45)
- 22. Seadna Morey (Sixmilebridge) for Duggan (53)
- 20. Ian Galvin (Clonlara) for McCarthy (62)
- 26. Aron Shanagher (Wolfe Tones) for Reidy (67)
Referee: Colm Lyons (Cork)
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