Galway 0-18
Clare 0-11
Kevin Egan reports from Bord na Móna O’Connor Park in Tullamore
THE ALL-IRELAND minor football championship semi-final line-up has been completed and as expected, Connacht champions Galway have joined Kerry, Monaghan and Meath – the other three provincial winners – in the last four.
Their clash with Clare at Bord na Móna O’Connor Park was supposed to be the least treacherous fixture for any of the four champions, but it proved quite the opposite as Clare tore into Galway right from the start, using the breeze well and winning the battle for dirty ball in the early stages.
Neither side found their scoring rhythm early on and nearly eight minutes had expired when Thomas Kelly got the Banner men off the mark, while Galway missed some early opportunities, twice hitting the post through Daniel Cox.
With Cian McDonough pulling the strings from centre-forward and the midfield partnership of Chibby Okoye and Emmet McMahon winning the battle for primary possession, Clare grew into the game and led by 0-7 to no score after 25 minutes, the bulk of their scoring coming from frees.
They could have been even further in front, had Joey Droney not fired the ball wide from 15 metres out after skinning his marker and driving through on goal.
Crucially, despite their lack of form, the Galway forwards dug their heels in and won three frees before half-time, all converted by wing back Ryan Monaghan.
That left the deficit more manageable at 0-8 to 0-3 at the break and once they turned around to play with the wind at their backs, they were a transformed side.
Conor Raftery got his team going with an inspirational score from range, and substitute Oisín Gormley immediately justified his introduction with the first of his three excellent points from play.
While star forwards Daniel Cox and Matthew Cooley never really got going, Galway’s penetrating runs from deep positions started to poke holes in the Clare defence, while a general increase in work rate resulted in a completely different landscape for the Clare forwards at the other end of the field.
Centre back Tony Gill drove forward to kick a stunning levelling score after 43 minutes and while Clare continued to battle as hard as they could, Galway’s momentum was growing with every attack.
The Tribesmen now controlled midfield, their half backs drove forward with real pace and intensity – twice Cathal Sweeney was fouled in situations where a black card could easily have been warranted – and as their substitutes started to make more and more of an impact, they powered clear to set up a semi-final clash with Meath in a fortnight’s time.
Galway scorers: Ryan Monaghan 0-6f, Oisín Gormley 0-3, Conor Raftery& Eoghan Tinney 0-2 each, Aidan Halloran, Tony Gill, Daniel Cox, Tomo Culhane & Niall Cunningham 0-1 each.
Clare scorers: Shane Meehan 0-4f, Thomas Kelly & Keelan Guyler 0-2 each, Joey Droney, Emmet McMahon (f) & Tadhg Lillis 0-1 each.
Galway:
1. Donie Halloran (Cortoon Shamrocks)
2. Ethan Walsh (Cortoon Shamrocks)
3. Sean Black (Clifden)
4. Cian Deane (Moycullen)
5. Ryan Monaghan (Oughterard)
6. Tony Gill (Corofin)
7. Cathal Sweeney (Salthill-Knocknacarra)
8. Conor Raftery (captain, Glenamaddy & Northern Gaels)
9. James McLoughlin (Moycullen)
10. Liam Judge (Caherlistrane)
11. Aidan Halloran (Salthill-Knocknacarra)
12. Éanna McCormack (An Ceathrú Rua)
13. Eoghan Tinney (Salthill-Knocknacarra)
14. Daniel Cox (Moycullen)
15. Matthew Cooley (Corofin)
Subs:
16. Conor Halbard (Corofin), for Black, 24 mins
17. Oisín Gormley (Bearna) for McCormack, half time
18. Tomo Culhane (Clane) for Cooley, 59 mins
19. Niall Cunningham (St. Gabriel’s) for A Halloran, 60 mins
20. Seán Horkan (St. Gabriel’s) for McLoughlin 60 mins
Clare:
1. Michael Garrihy (St. Breckan’s)
2. Jack Reidy (Shannon Gaels)
3. Darragh Connelly (Ennistymon)
4. John Murphy (Ennistymon)
5. Gavin D’Auria (Éire Óg)
6. Cillian Rouine (Ennistymon)
7. Adam O’Connor (Kilmurry Ibrickane)
8. Chibby Okoye (Banner)
9. Emmet McMahon (Kildysart)
10. Thomas Kelly (Shannon Gaels)
11. Cian McDonough (St. Joseph’s Doora Barefield)
12. Conor Carrig (Wolfe Tones)
13. Keelan Guyler (Inagh-Kilnamona)
14. Shane Meehan (Banner)
15. Joey Droney (Michael Cusacks)
Subs:
16. Gearóid O’Grady (Kilmihil) for O’Connor, 33 mins, black card
17. Tadhg Lillis (Doonbeg) for Carrig, 41 mins
18. Pádraic O’Donoghue (Cooraclare) for D’Auria, 50 mins
19. Kevin Keane (Corofin) for Guyler, 57 mins
20. Robin Mounsey (Ruan) for Droney, 59 mins
21. Damian Lynch (Kilmurry-Ibrickane) for Cian McDonough, 60 mins
Referee: Padraig O’Sullivan (Kerry)