National Hurling League Division 1A: Clare 0-22 – Galway 1-24
Despite a promising start in Cusack Park, a dominant second half display from Henry Shefflin’s Tribesmen saw Clare fall to their second defeat of Division 1A.
Aidan McCarthy opened the scoring from a placed ball when the contest was no less than half a minute old & in the usual fashion, the Inagh-Kilnamona native would split the posts with ever free coming his way in the opening period.
Elsewhere David Reidy, Cathal Malone, Peter Duggan & Ryan Taylor all found their range to see the Banner leading by 0-08 to 0-01 after just fifteen minutes.
A change of tack was in order at this juncture for the Tribesmen, such was the dominance of the Clare defence with Conor Cleary & Paul Flannagan in particular consistently clearing their lines.
The Galway forward line’s decision to fall deeper in search of possession quickly provided its dividends as they hit ten of the next fourteen scores with Brian Concannon, Conor Cooney, Joseph Cooney, Daithà Burke, Evan Niland and Tom Monaghan all splitting the posts.
Crucially Clare never let their advantage slip amidst their opponents purple patch as Clarecastle’s Cian Galvin playing at wing-back delivered his first score in a Clare Senior jersey in addition to a late Aidan McCarthy wonder point before the break to see out the half in front at 0-12 to 0-11.
The second half was only four minutes old when Galway had turned the tables with quickfire scores coming from the sticks of Evan Niland & Conor Cooney putting the Connacht men in the ascendancy at 0-14 to 0-13.
David Fitzgerald replied with his first contribution of the day on the next attack to level the sides, however it was freely scoring full-back, Daithà Burke who would emerge with his second point of the day to restore Galway’s new found lead.
Firing on all cylinders, heading into the home stretch, Galway delivered a hammer blew on 59 minutes when Conor Whelan ran through the heart of the Clare defence to rattle the back of Eamon Foudy’s net , to see Galway almost out of sight leading by 1-21 to 0-18.
Clare’s response was swift and effective with only the post standing in the way of a green flag for David Reidy, before quickfire points from David Fitzgerald, Seadna Morey and an Ian Galvin brace left just one puck of the ball between the sides with five minutes remaining at 1-22 to 0-22.
Unfortunately for the Banner men, this was as close as they would come to gaining a share of the spoils as late scores from Evan Niland & Conor Cooney saw Galway deservedly hang on for the win on a full time score of 1-24 to 0-22.
Brian Lohan’s charges will be hoping to finish their National Hurling League campaign on a high when Cork visit Cusack Park for a Rebel showdown in the final round on Sunday, March 19th.