Galway 2-13
Venue: FBD Semple Stadium, Thurles
Paul Rodgers hit Clare’s scores in that time (one free) as Galway hit some fine scores in that salvo through Jack Shaughnessy, Ronan Cahalan, Tadhg Mac Carthaigh and a brace from Gus Lohan who was causing bother for his father Frank’s home county in the first few moments.
Slow to get going, Clare slowly chugged past the dirty diesel and after both number fourteens on the pitch traded points around the 12 minute mark, the Banner struck for a well taken goal through Rory Ralph who received a delicate stick pass from Ben Talty on the overlap before running clear and roofing the ball to the net to goal.
From here, Clare really started to motor well with Ian O’Brien picking off two classy points from play in the following minutes to push Clare two points clear at 1-5 to 0-6 at the end of the first quarter.
Indeed, in the next five minutes, Clare’s running game cut open huge gaps in the Galway half-back line and there should have been a second goal in that time with Liam Murphy and Ralph again getting sights of goal; but they conspired to take the wrong option on both occasion with the whites of Galway goalie Cathan Mannion in clear view.
Still, Clare were dominating the middle of the pitch and the restarts and managed to push out to three points clear with Liam Murphy, Paul Rodgers, and another pair of beauties from Ian O’Brien giving them great momentum with their full forward line clicking into gear.
The gap was reduced to one point temporarily as Galway began to get more of a foothold around the middle in the last five minutes but a sublime sideline cut from Paul Rodgers lifted the supporters in Thurles no end as the Banner looked like they would take a lead in at the break.
However, in the final throes of the first period, Galway struck a goal against the run of play with Tadhg Mac Carthaigh playing a big part with a strong run and a beautiful stick pass to Ronan Cahalan who ghosted in behind the cover and slotted a well placed shot to the bottom corner.
That was a game changer for Galway and with Roche and Rodgers trading late frees in added time, it was the Tribesmen in front by the narrowest of margins at 1-12 to 1-11.
Despite trailing, there was a pretty substantial breeze in Clare’s favour in the second half so there would have been no sense of disappointment in the dressing room at the break and they would have accepted a one point deficit if offered before throw-in.
Again though, a slow start from the throw-in gave Galway a big boost as Cillian Roche was hauled down after winning a high ball into the square and, after a brief consultation with the umpires, it was arms out from the referee.
Leon Talty produced a brilliant save from the resulting penalty and he was unlucky that the first responder to the rebound was Tadhg Mac Carthaigh who picked it up quickly and flicked the ball to the net from close range.
However, Clare needn’t have worried as they quickly became the dominant team in the second half with that early Galway major, the first of only two scores that the Tribesmen would register in the second period.
It took more time than the Clare supporters in situ would have preferred, but after an attritional third quarter where Galway withstood the attacking threat of their opponents, the Banner lads struck for home in the final 15 minutes with Liam Murphy the main threat.
The O’Callaghan’s Mills man buried home Clare’s second goal in the 50th minute, burning his marker inside the 21 before turning onto his left and rifling a shot past the wrong-footed Cathal Mannion in the Galway goal. Clare in front for the first time in the second half.
Thereafter, Clare went to town as Galway were forced to push up and come out of their shape, leaving acres of space for Murphy and Rodgers inside who made hay with the pair sharing the next six points equally in the following eight minutes to push Clare into a seven point lead with two minutes remaining.
Galway came in search of goals in the remaining time to try and force a grandstand finish and they came close on two occasions in added time, hitting the crossbar before a Cillian Roche shot from close range was well saved by the cat-like reactions of Leon Talty in the nets. It was Clare’s day now.
John Barry had the last input with a late free to beef out the winning margin for Clare who have now qualified for the last four of the All-Ireland championship – the fourth successive year for Clare’s minor hurlers to achieve that feat – and they will have strong momentum and belief that they can make it a second final in four years in the coming weeks where they will face either Kilkenny or Cork in the last four.
Scorers: Clare: Paul Rodgers (0-11, 0-6f, 0-1 sl-cut), Liam Murphy 1-3, Ian O’Brien 0-4, Rory Ralph 1-0, Dara Kennedy, Ben Talty 0-1 each, John Barry 0-1f.
Scorers: Galway: Cillian Roche (0-4, 0-3f), Tadhg Mac Carthaigh, Ronan Cahalan 1-2 each, Gus Lohan 0-2, Jack Shaughnessy 0-2f, Mikey Maher 0-1.
Clare:
1. Leon Talty (St Joseph’s Doora Barefield)
2. Niall Doyle (Éire Óg)
3. Jack O’Halloran (Sixmilebridge)
4. Zak Phelan (Sixmilebridge)
5. Evan Crimmins (Newmarket on Fergus)
6. Dara Kennedy (Ballyea)
7. Colm Daly (St Joseph’s Doora Barefield)
8. Graham Ball (St Joseph’s Doora Barefield)
9. Evan Cleary (Ballyea)
10. Rory Ralph (Clarecastle)
11. James O’Donnell (Broadford)
12. Ben Talty (St Joseph’s Doora Barefield)
13. Ian O’Brien (Cratloe)
14. Paul Rodgers (Scariff)
15. Liam Murphy (O’Callaghan’s Mills)
Subs:
24. Eoin O’Connor (Ballyea) for Murphy (28, blood – reversed 30)
22. John Barry (Inagh Kilnamona) for Ralph (46)
19. Sean Connellan (Kilmaley) for O’Donnell (51)
24. Eoin O’Connor for B Talty (57)
17. Darragh Murrihy (Inagh Kilnamona) for Daly (57)
23. Jake Gibbons (Whitegate) for Rodgers (60)
18. Cormac Gunning (Broadford) for Kennedy (62, temp)
Galway:
1. Cathal Mannion (Athenry)
2. Lee Murphy (Loughrea)
3. Mikey Maher (Loughrea)
4. Aodhán McDonagh (Athenry)
5. Robert Burke (Kilconieron)
6. Shay Brady (Athenry)
7. Dara Zimmerer (Craughwell)
8. Seán Moran (Castlegar)
9. Cian Hannon (Athenry)
10. Gus Lohan (Oranmore Maree)
11. Jack Shaughnessy (Loughrea)
12. Ronan Cahalan (Killimordaly)
13. Tadhg Mac Cárthaigh (Sarsfields)
14. Cillian Roche (Skehana Mountbellew Moylough)
15. Ethan Coleman (Loughrea)
Subs:
17. Stephen Keane (Kilconieron) for Lohan (46)
18. Jody Canning (Portumna) for Hannon (48)
20. Senan Coen (Mullagh) for Maher (52)
21. Shay Glennon (Mullagh) for Brady (54)
19. Cian O’Loughlin (Beagh) for Coleman (61)
Referee: Nicholas Barry (Waterford)
