Anthony Burns hits 2-3 as Galway cruise past Clare

This game was purely about necessity and Galway needed it more.

SHARPSHOOTER: Anthony Burns of Galway shoots to score his side's first goal despite the efforts of Darragh Lohan of Clare. Pic: John Sheridan/Sportsfile

Galway 2-21 Clare 0-20 

This freezing night in Salthill was always likely to be determined by the cold reality of February hurling. 

This game was never going to be determined by quality or strategy or scintillating flare. It was purely about necessity. Galway needed it more.

They were at home having been hammered in their opening league game here and lining out with a stronger team. Loughrea county final winner Anthony Burns was awesome and finished with 2-3 from play. 

Evan Niland hit nine points from ten shots. Wexford await at the start of March.

For All-Ireland champions Clare, Aidan McCarthy led the way with 11 points from 12. Tony Kelly came on in the final 15 minutes and scored. It was a testing day for some new faces. They will welcome Wexford to Cusack Park in two weeks.

There was a minute silence before throw-in for All-Ireland winner Michael Coleman who died in an accident on Friday evening clearing up storm damage near his home. Galway captain Conor Whelan laid a number eight jersey on the Pearse Stadium field and the entire squad stood together behind it.

Clare made a raft of late changes, one of them injury-enforced as Conor Leen pulled up in the warm-up. Despite a patched-together outfit and a poor surface, both sides contributed to a terrific start.

With 20 minutes played, Clare led 0-9 to 0-7. By half-time, Galway were up 2-15 to 0-11. Ryan Taylor’s immense effort, soloing through the centre and striking first-time, instigated a ferocious Galway response.

Anthony Burns swung over a beauty, Whelan followed it up with a wonderful dummy and his first point of the night. The full-forward was denied a goal by Eamonn Foudy’s foot minutes later. 

Niland’s flawless placed-ball striking continued from the resulting 65 and Burns roared past Ian McNamara with a sweet flick to deliver a well-deserved goal.

Whelan teed up Burns for his second before the turnaround. Suddenly Micheál Donoghue’s men were cruising. 

Darren Morrissey broke up the wing to collect a puckout in wide open space and snap a simple score. 

Full-backs at either end failed to finish the half, Daithi Burke limping off early on while Darragh Lohan went down after an off-the-ball incident before the turnaround.

To their credit, Clare did not go away and hit three of the first four scores in the second half. A contest in February was never likely to maintain the pace it exhibited initially, a flurry of bad wides thinning the entertainment.

Two McCarthy frees and a Kelly point brought the curtain down on the tie. There was no reaction from either side at the final whistle. Early days.

Scorers for Galway: E. Niland 0-9 (0-7 frees, 0-1 65); A. Burns 2-3; C. Whelan, T. Monaghan 0-2 each; D. Loftus, D. Morrissey, P. Mannion, J. Flynn (free), S. Linnane 0-1 each.

Scorers for Clare: A. McCarthy 0-11 (0-8 frees); D. Reidy, R. Taylor; P. Crotty 0-2 each; C. Galvin, J. O’Neill, T. Kelly 0-1 each.

Galway: D. Fahy; D. Loftus, D. Burke, D. Morrissey; P. Mannion, G. Lee, C. Trayers; C. Fahy, T. Monaghan; J. Fleming, T. Killeen, B. Concannon; E. Niland, C. Whelan, A. Burns.

Subs: F. Burke for Burke (13 - Inj); K. Cooney for Concannon, J. Flynn for Nilan (both 47); S. Linnane for Fleming (52), E. Lawless for Trayers (66).

Clare: E. Foudy; I. McNamara, D. Lohan, A. Hogan; C. Galvin, R. Hayes, J. O’Neill; R. Taylor, P. Donnellan; C. Malone, P. Crotty, S. Rynne; A. McCarthy, K. Smyth, D. Reidy.

Subs: R. Hayes for Lohan (35 – Inj); A. Shanagher for Smyth (49); C. O’Meara for Rynne (52); T. Kelly for Donnellan (55); D. Conroy for Malone (60).

Referee: M. Kennedy (Tipperary).