Electric Ireland Minor Hurling Championship Quarter-Final

GALWAY 2-19 CLARE 1-12

By Denis Hurley at Pairc Ui Chaoimh

Jack Canning – nephew of Ollie and Joe – scored 1-3 as Galway dominated throughout in seeing off Clare in the All-Ireland MHC quarter-final in Páirc Uí Chaoimh on Saturday.

Canning’s goal in the 23rd minute came with the Tribesmen leading by 0-6 to 0-5, having been ahead all through, and their advantage was never less than three points thereafter.

Galway had eight scorers in all, with Conor Walsh impressing from frees while Seán Bleahane and Donal Mannion impressed too.

Clare endured a difficult day in front of the posts, though they looked to have found their feet when Gary Cooney pointed in the 15th and 16th minutes to bring them to within two, 0-4 to 0-2. Galway were always able to stay in front though and Canning netted on 23 minutes after good work by Martin McManus and Ben Moran.

Aidan McCarthy and Riain Considine replied for Clare but Canning had the last score of the half as Galway led by 1-7 to 0-7 and he extended the lead further on the resumption with a fine score from the right.

Keith White led the Clare second-half challenge but Bleahane, Walsh and Conor Fahey helped Galway to ease clear. White’s third pulled it back to five points, 1-12 to 0-10, but four in a row by Gaway, with Mannion, Canning, substitute Shane Ryan and Ben Moran on target, removed any doubts about the outcome.

When replacement Enda Fahey got their second goal with his first touch on 54, it made it 2-17 to 0-11 and though Cooney did net for Clare late on, it was only a consolation.

Scorers for Galway: Jack Canning 1-3, Conor Walsh 0-5 (4fs), Seán Bleahane 0-3, Enda Fahey 1-0, Donal Mannion 0-2, John Fleming, Conor Fahey, Ben Moran, Martin McManus, Shane Ryan, Conor Elwood 0-1 each.

**Scorers for Clare: **Gary Cooney 1-3, Keith White 0-3, Diarmuid Ryan, Aidan McCarthy, Gearóid Cahill, Cathal Darcy, Breffni Horner, Riain Considine 0-1 each.

**GALWAY: **Darach Fahy; Darren Morrissey, Daniel Loftus, Caimin Killeen; Ronan Glennon, Conor Caulfield, Mark Gill; John Fleming, Conor Fahey; Martin McManus, Conor Walsh, Ben Moran; Jack Canning, Donal Mannion, Seán Bleahane.

**Subs: **Conor Elwood for Walsh (5-7, blood), Shane Ryan for Fleming (38), Enda Fahey for Bleahane (53), Sam McArdle for Gill (56), Conor Molloy for Mannion (57), Conor Elwood for Canning (59).

**CLARE: **Eamon Foudy; Cian McInerney, Ross Hayes, Bradley Higgins; Cian Minogue, Diarmuid Ryan, Aidan McCarthy; Cathal Darcy, Killian McDermott; Keith White, Tiarnan Agnew, Gearóid Cahill; Gary Cooney, Breffni Horner, Riain Considine.

**Subs: **Colin Haugh for McDermott (half-time), Tom O’Rourke for Considine (45), Eoghan Wallace for Cahill (49), Lee Brack for Darcy, Eoin Fitzgerald for White (both 58).

REFEREE: John O’Brien (Laois).