Galway make master moves

Galway 1-15

A mere six days ago, Clare had suffered a heavy and demoralising loss to Cork in the Munster senior hurling championship semi-final, then 24 hours later, the worst possible draw in the All-Ireland first-round qualifier series.

As a consequence, the question of most concern to a worried Clare hurling public was basic.

Could the team lift itself sufficiently to face what was sure to be a major challenge from Galway? A little rider too on that question, would their dejected fans turn out to offer their support?

Well, long before the scheduled 4:15 start, the second question was answered, thousands of sun-splashed Clare fans queuing in a carnival atmosphere outside Cusack Park, prompting yet another delayed start to another big GAA game.

Within four minutes of the throw-in, answer to the other, opening point from Clare centre-forward Tony Griffin, who went on to have a sterling game, followed by a goal from full-forward Barry Murphy, who was to make an even bigger impression. Clare were back in business.

For the next fifteen minutes they maintained that level of intensity, maintained that dominance.

Two magnificent saves from Galway’s magnificent keeper Liam Donoghue denied Niall Gilligan two goals, one grab from over the cross-bar denied the same player a point, but still Clare kept their noses in front, 1-5 to 0-7 ahead after 26 minutes.

The new Galway management team of Conor Hayes, Pierce Piggott and Gerry Dempsey assessed the problem areas on the pitch, rang the changes, and Galway began to make their own considerable impression.

“If you’d told me beforehand that we’d be switching our full-back and centre-back and our full-forward and centre-forward, I’d have said no way, we’d be holding strong in those lines“, said a relived Hayes afterwards, “yet that’s what we had to do. It worked out for us too.”

Oh how it worked out for them. Though he couldn’t do so entirely, Murphy was so on fire, Tony Og Regan did lower the flame of the Clare full-forward, while team captain Liam Hodgins went on to have a stormer at centre-back.

Mark Kerins too did better on the forty, while in another inspired Galway sideline move, Ollie Fahy replaced the struggling Cathal Moore on the edge of the square.

It all worked, worked so well that by the break, Galway had gone into the lead, 0-10 to 1-6, had managed to extend that by one thirteen minutes into the second period.

Once again however Clare rose to the challenge. Parity in the 55th minute, goal down in the 22nd, finished by Fahy after a super multi-player Galway move, goal back three minutes later, Murphy’s initial shot well saved by Donoghue, Griffin pouncing on the rebound.

Eventually however they succumbed, Rory Gantley’s late free mirroring a similar Colin Lynch game-winning point last year when Clare knocked Galway out in the qualifiers.

Poetic justice would say some, rough justice would say anyone with even a smidgen of sporting spirit who witnessed the magnificent Clare effort.

Even Gantley, the man who fired that final point, a man from the Clare/Galway border parish of Beagh, was moved to comment.

“I feel sorry for Clare, fierce sorry for them. After hammering Tipperary, they now become the first big team to go out of the championship, and they deserve better than that.

"You have to feel awful sorry for them, missing two of their biggest players (captain Seanie McMahon and midfielder Colin Lynch, both suspended) and they put up some battle today.

“They’ve had it over us since 95, there was 95, 99, 2002, so it was time to get one back. We knew it was a big test coming down here today, were we man enough to stand up to it. We were, I’m sorry for Clare, but I’m glad we got through.”

The pain of defeat was obvious afterwards in every slow, slumped sinew of Clare manager Cyril Lyons, but obvious also was the pride he felt in his charges.

“The worst possible result. If we had been beaten by ten points it would be easier, but it came to a puck of a ball. I was hoping there would be extra time.

“The one thing that has never been in any doubt about this team is that they are great fighters, and that was what we asked of them again today.

"They did that, manfully, maybe a bit of tiredness crept into their game at the finish, they didn’t get the run of play they got in the first half and I think we needed that, get a few scores back-to-back to drive it on. We weren’t able to do that.

“Y ou have to give them enormous credit for the way they came out today and fought. Wouldn’t have played as well as other days, but fought tremendously well.

"What more can you say?” Six days, not enough time to recover? “Well sure when you look at it, the next round isn’t on for a month, it’s a bit of a folly really.”

It was more than a folly, it was a disgrace, should never be repeated.

Scorers for Galway: R. Gantley 0-6 (all frees); O. Fahy 1-1; D. Tierney 0-2; K. Broderick 0-2; A. Kerins 0-2; M. Kerins, D. Joyce, 0-1 each.

Clare: N. Gilligan 0-6 (0-4 frees, 0-1 65); T. Griffin 1-3; B. Murphy 1-1; J. Reddan 0-1.

GALWAY: L. Donoghue; D. Joyce, L. Hodgins, O. Canning; F. Healy, T. Og Regan, D. O’Brien; J. Conway, R. Murray; R. Gantley, C. Moore, D. Tierney; D. Hayes, M. Kerins, K. Broderick.

Subs: O. Fahy (Moore 23); A. Kerins (Murray 50); A. Cullinane Conroy 67). Blood sub: A. Kerins (Broderick 39/41).

CLARE: D. Fitzgerald; B. Quinn, B. Lohan, F. Lohan; C. Harrison, C. Plunkett, G. Quinn; G. Considine, D. McMahon; A. Markham, T. Griffin, T. Carmody; N. Gilligan, B. Murphy, J. O’Connor.

Subs: J. Reddan (Considine 35); D. O’Connell (O’Connor 49); A. Quinn (Carmody 67). Blood sub: G. O’Grady (G. Quinn 8/9 and 40/42).

Referee: A. MacSuibhne (Dublin).