14 man Clare seal play off date

By Seamus Hayes

Clare 0-18 Galway 1-15

The strength of the Clare senior hurling panel was highlighted at cusack Park in round 5 of the Allianz hurling league where the home side secured a share of the spoils despite playing 40 minutes with fourteen players on a day when they started with a side which showed seven changes from the team which produced such an outstanding performance in hammering Waterford a week earlier.

Before an attendance of 9,299, substitute Colin Ryan hit the levelling point from a 60m free in the second minute of injury time to tie the scores for the seventh and final time.

The game produced plenty of talking points but in the end a draw was a fair outcome. The biggest talking point was the decision of referee Cathal McAllister not to award Galway a penalty nine minutes into the second half when Galway forward Carthal Mannion was clearly held. Moments later, at the other end of the field, Clare’s Shane O’Donnell was clearly fouled but, again, the Cork official waved play on.

Clare’s determination to get a result is reflected in the decision of management to introduce All-Ireland heroes John Conlon, Conor McGrath, Pat Donnellan, Colin Ryan and David McInerney during the second half. Galway showed equal determination to succeed when they introduced Portumna’s Damian Hayes and Andy Smith during that second half but a hamstring injury kept Joe Canning out of the action.

From an early stage, a close contest was obvious. Two pointed frees from Tony Kelly gave Clare an early lead but Galway, playing with the aid of the breeze in the first half, hit back with five unanswered points to lead by three as the mid point of the half approached.

Clare hit the next four to go one ahead and from here to the halftime whistle it was score for score with the visitors going to the break one ahead, 0-9 to 0-8.

Five minutes before half time Clare were reduced to fourteen when Shane Golden was shown a straight red card following a clash with Iarla Tannian who was fortunate to escape without a caution.

Clare returned for the second half with John Conlon in the attack in place of Cathal McInerney. They hit the first three points to take a two point lead before Galway had their first score of the half, a Conor Cooney pointed free.

Galway officials and supporters were clearly annoyed when referee Cathal McAllister waved play on when Cathal Mannion was clearly held in the ninth minute.

At the turn of the final quarter Mannion got inside Domhnaill O’Donovan and fired home the game’s only goal which put the visitors two points clear, 1-11 to 0-12.

From here to the finish it was score for score but Galway did miss a great opportunity six minutes from time when Niall Burke got clear but with only goalie Patrick Kelly to beat, the Clare netminder superbly turned the Galway man’s effort over the bar.

With substitutes Conor McGrath and Colin Ryan impressing, Clare had the better of matters in the closing stages and deservingly earned a share of the spoils, a result which sees them finish in top spot. They will play Laois in a quarter final game next weekend..

Clare;

Pa Kelly; Domhnaill O’Donovan, Cian Dillon, Jack Browne; Brendan Bugler, Conor Ryan, Paul Flanagan; Pat O’Connor, Colm Galvin; Shane Golden, Tony Kelly (0-12), 11 frees, Peter Duggan; Cathal McInerney, Shane O’Donnell, David Reidy (0-1);

Subs

—John Conlon for McInerney (half time) Conor McGrath (0-3) for Reidy (52 minutes); Pat Donnellan for Bugler (54 minutes); Colin Ryan (0-2), 1 free for Duggan (63 minutes); David McInerney for O’Donovan (65 minutes);

Galway;–

Colm Callanan; Fergal Moore, Ronan Burke, Johnnie Coen (0-1); David Collins, Iarla Tannian, Daithi Burke; David Burke, Padraig Brehony (0-1); Aidan Harte, Niall Healy, Jonathon Glynn (0-1); Cathal Mannion (1-2), Conor Cooney (0-6), 5 frees, Niall Burke (0-3);

Subs

—Damian Hayes (0-1) for Healy (43 minutes); Andy Smith for David Burke (49 minutes); Joseph Cooney for Mannion (60 minutes) Jason Flynn for Burke (66 minutes); Paul Killeen for Harte (69 minutes)

Referee—Cathal McAllister, Cork