*Colm O’Meara & Conner Hegarty in action for Clare. Photograph: Martin Connolly
Clare’s minor hurlers have been knocked out at the quarter-final stage of the All-Ireland championship.
Galway 1-24
Clare 1-22
Venue: O’Moore Park, Portlaoise
Needing a winning margin of six points to progress following their play-off defeat to Kilkenny, Clare were under pressure to hit as many scores as possible, their tally of 1-22 was their highest scoring return of the championship.
Trailing for the majority of the contest, Clare took the lead with fifteen minutes remaining but late scores from Sean O’Hanlon and Paddy Cummins secured the win for Galway.
A penalty from Sean McDonough would separate the sides at half-time with the scoreline reading 1-11 0-11.
Fergal Lynch’s charges hit over another eleven points in the second half with captain Cian Galvin raising the green flag on sixty minutes.
Shane Meehan finished the hour with thirteen points to his name, one of his many efforts plus another from Sean Ronan sent the Banner three clear as the game entered the final quarter.
However, Galway would limit their opponents to just 1-02 for the remainder of the tie, themselves notching a tally of ten points in this period. The Tribesmen were aided by the dismissal of Sixmilebridge’s Storm Devanney.
Galway now advance to the last four where they will meet Wexford. Clare’s campaign is now over following their fourth championship loss of the year.
Scorers for Galway: Sean McDonagh 1-9 (1-0pen, 5fs, 265), Sean O’Hanlon 0-4, Alex Connaire 0-3, Greg Thomas 0-2, Gavin Lee, Colm Cunningham, Enda Collins, Tiernan Killeen, Liam Leen and Paddy Cummins 0-1 each.
Scorers for Clare: Shane Meehan 0-13 (9fs), Cian Galvin 1-1 (1f) Oisín O’Donnell, Seán Ronan 0-2 each, Tony Butler, Colm O’Meara, Diarmuid Cahill and Conner Hegarty 0-1 each.
GALWAY: Michael Egan; Eanna Davoren, Eoin Lawless, Adam Nolan; Enda Collins, Ian McGlynn, Christy Brennan; Liam Leen, Alex Connaire; Colm Cunningham, Sean McDonagh, Tiernan Killeen; Gavin Lee, Shane Morgan, Greg Thomas.
Subs: Luke Prendergast for Davoren (37), Sean O’Hanlon for Killeen (43), Colm Molloy for Lee (52), Paddy Cummins for Morgan (55), Oisín Slevin for Leen (60).
CLARE: Aaron Shanahan; Tony Butler, Adam Hogan, Storm Devanney; Jarlath Collins, Cian Galvin, Colm O’Meara; Conner Hegarty, Oisín Clune; Oisín O’Donnell, Diarmuid Cahill, Cormac Murphy; Shane Meehan, Dylan Downes, Killian O’Connor.
Subs: Seán Ronan for Murphy (43), Shane Punch for Downes (50), Keith Smyth for Cahill (52)
REFEREE: Cathal McAllister (Cork).
