Allianz Football League Division Two

GALWAY 3-13 CLARE 1-11

By Cian O’Connell at Pearse Stadium

Galway’s quietly effective start to the Allianz League continued at Pearse Stadium with Kevin Walsh’s improving team eking out another solid and satisfactory win.

Dominant for vast chunks of the first half, Galway, missing the injured Damien Comer, absorbed a gutsy Clare effort in the third quarter before confidently closing out the deal.

Clare, without talisman Gary Brennan, struggled to deal with the locals, who struck two fine first half goals from Eamonn Brannigan and Shane Walsh.

After the restart Keelan Sexton did rattle the Galway net, but Gareth Bradshaw, highly effective throughout for the home team, responded with a third Tribe major.

With Paul Conroy splendid at centrefield Galway’s pacy attack caused Clare plenty of problems early on as the promising Michael Daly impressed.

Brannigan burst through for a delightful sixth minute goal, while Walsh added a second on the half hour mark.

At the interval Galway led by 2-8 to 0-5, while points from Johnny Heaney and Barry McHugh extended Galway’s advantage further when the action recommenced.

An Eoin Cleary free was followed by a 44th minute Sexton goal and Clare eventually narrowed the gap down to six.

But 13 minutes from the end Bradshaw reacted quickly when Joe Hayes saved from Heaney to bundle the loose ball over the line for the insurance goal.

There was plenty to admire in this enterprising display from Galway, who have registered two wins and a draw from three matches. That will encourage Walsh ahead of next Sunday’s important trip to Navan for a clash with Meath.

**Scorers for Galway: **Barry McHugh 0-5 (4fs), Gareth Bradshaw 1-2, Shane Walsh 1-1, Eamonn Brannigan 1-0, Gary O’Donnell, Johnny Heaney, Micheal Lundy, Michael Daly, and Paul Conroy 0-1 each.

Scorers for Clare: Eoin Cleary 0-4 (3fs), Keelan Sexton 1-0, Jamie Malone 0-3, David Tubridy 0-2 (1f), Liam Markham and Ciaran Russell 0-1 each.

GALWAY:  Rory Lavelle; Declan Kyne, David Walsh, Luke Burke; Gary O’Donnell, Gareth Bradshaw, Johnny Heaney; Paul Conroy, Fiontan O’Curraoin; Tom Flynn, Michael Daly, Eamonn Brannigan; Shane Walsh, Barry McHugh, Micheal Lundy.

Subs: Gary Sice for Tom Flynn (59 mins), Liam Silke for Johnny Heaney (65 mins), Sean Armstrong for Eamonn Brannigan (66 mins), Cathal Sweeney for Michael Daly (70 mins).

CLARE: Joe Hayes; Martin McMahon, Kevin Harnett, John Hayes; Liam Markham, Gordon Kelly, Dean Ryan; Cathal O’Connor, Ciaran Russell; Cian O’Dea, Keelan Sexton, Shane Brennan; Eoin Cleary, David Tubridy, Jamie Malone.

Subs: Seanie Malone for Shane Brennan (53 mins), David Egan for Cian O’Dea (59 mins), Eoghan Collins for Liam Markham (62 mins), Gearoid O’Brien for Ciaran Russell (69 mins), Kieran Malone for Dean Ryan (69 mins)

REFEREE: Fergal Kelly (Longford).