Conor Cleary wins the ball from Conor Whelan. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill
CLARE’S senior hurlers fell to their second defeat of this year’s National Hurling League and with that look unlikely to qualify for the knockout stages of the competition.
Galway 1-24
Clare 0-22
Venue: Cusack Park, Ennis
Played in front of an attendance of 6,190 in Cusack Park on Sunday afternoon, the tie wasn’t at championship intensity but it was a decent league showing and an accurate barometer of where things stand.
For sure, Clare weren’t as bad as they were against Limerick nor were they as impressive as their hammering over Wexford. They were somewhere in the middle and therein tells the story of where the Banner are really at, below Limerick but certainly above Wexford and alongside the competing pack of Kilkenny, Tipperary, Galway, Cork and Waterford.
Easily, they could have been smiling at having picked up a third win in five rounds, they led 0-08 0-01 with fourteen minutes played and were in a healthy position but they never built on this, their mistake count increased and Galway like any credible team punished them at most opportunities.
Aidan McCarthy with a brace of frees, the lively David Reidy, Ryan Taylor and Cathal Malone pointed to put Clare in the driving seat, their movement and availability to show for the ball aided with this.
A purple patch was always going to occur for the men in maroon and it did, they chipped away at the deficit with an unanswered tally of 0-05 while Tom Monaghan’s white flag on thirty six minutes ensured just the smallest of margins separated the sides at the interval.
Shape appeared to become disfigured for Clare, the half-forward line’s influence waned greatly while on the restart the defence began to struggle as Galway managed to find holes to exploit.
Conor Cooney put the visitors in front for the first time on thirty nine minutes, Clare responded through David Fitzgerald but as was going to become evident in the second half Galway were able to match everything their neighbours threw at them.
Conor Whelan’s green flag on fifty three minutes created a gap of seven points which was a fair reflection of proceedings but credit to the hosts, they were not prepared to give up the ghost just yet. David Fitzgerald was among the figures leading the rally with the fresh legs of Robin Mounsey, Seadna Morey and Ian Galvin also playing their part.
Three points was the closest Clare got in the dying moments but Galway’s firepower helped them to collect a five point victory.
Tom Monaghan in the middle of the park was very industrious for Henry Shefflin’s side, Conor Cooney proved to be a handful for more than one Clare defender while Daithí Burke and Gearoid McInerney offered a commanding presence in the heart of the defence. Scoring options were plentiful with Kevin Cooney having a big part to play to see the Tribesman close out the game.
Getting the best out of Clare’s big names will be one of the tasks facing Brian Lohan and his management from this side. Tony Kelly made a superb turnover in the opening half and linked up the play well at times but didn’t have the influence he so often tends to have, simply put when the Ballyea man is on fire so are Clare and that’s essential so far as championship aspirations are concerned, it’s a big responsibility to have on his shoulders but Kelly has shown he’s more than able to carry the burden.
Eamonn Foudy did his case no harm for the second game in a row while corner back Adam Hogan despite one error in the second half which led to the concession of a point had a largely satisfactory showing filled with a tremendous tackling technique.
Conor Cleary and John Conlon were most consistent over the hour for Clare with David Reidy and Ryan Taylor having their moments. Clare’s attack and failure to create a goal-scoring opportunity against a strong defence may be a slight worry but six goal rout of Wexford ensures there is reason not to get too pessimistic in this regard.
April continues to be when Clare are in the groove, this defeat gives an accurate picture of where they are at, it’s not so much ‘a lot done and more to do’ but rather ‘some good, some bad’ and not being a million miles away from it. As supporters left the rain of Ennis, they did so without getting a glimpse of real championship bite but a quick inhale and the nostrils can sense it because championship is edging closer.
Scorers Galway: Evan Niland (0-09 4f 1’65), Conor Cooney (0-05), Conor Whelan (1-00), Kevin Cooney (0-02), Daithí Burke (0-02), Tom Monaghan (0-02), Ronan Glennon (0-01), Brian Concannon (0-01), Joseph Cooney (0-01), Jack Fitzpatrick (0-01)
Scorers Clare: Aidan McCarthy (0-07 6f), David Fitzgerald (0-04), David Reidy (0-03), Ian Galvin (0-02), Ryan Taylor (0-01), Cathal Malone (0-01), Peter Duggan (0-01), Cian Galvin (0-01), Robin Mounsey (0-01), Seadna Morey (0-01)
Galway:
1: Éanna Murphy (Tommy Larkins)
4: TJ Brennan (Clarinbridge)
3: David 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)
