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Allianz HL D1A: Galway edge out Clare in Salthill

Padraic Mannion, Galway, and David Fitzgerald, Clare, in Allianz Hurling League action at Pearse Stadium.

Padraic Mannion, Galway, and David Fitzgerald, Clare, in Allianz Hurling League action at Pearse Stadium.

Allianz Hurling League Division 1A

Galway 0-25 Clare 1-20

By Cian O’Connell at Pearse Stadium

Ultimately Galway did enough to secure a victory in Salthill.

Prompted by the Mannion brothers, Conor Cooney, and Conor Whelan, Galway edged out Clare, who were spirited throughout.

Clare were efficient, particularly in the second half, but Henry Shefflin’s charges were sufficiently crafty to eke out a win.

While the stakes weren’t exactly piled high there was still plenty of neat scores registered during the opening period.

Eventually Galway departed at the break armed with a 0-14 to 0-12 advantage following a decent burst before the interval.

Inevitably Conor Whelan was involved edging Galway 0-11 to 0-10 ahead with Tom Monaghan, Cathal Mannion, and Conor Cooney (free) also clipping scores.

Ryan Taylor, prominent for Clare, and Shane Meehan responded as Galway went in at the turnaround armed with a two point advantage.

Henry Shefflin’s charges nailed 0-14 from 22 attempts, while Clare struck 0-12 from 20 in the first half.

After the restart Cathal Mannion and Conor Cooney (two) added further points for Galway, who moved 0-17 to 0-12 clear.

David Fitzgerald rifled over a point for Clare before Tony Kelly netted a penalty following a foul on Ian Galvin.

Suddenly only the minimum divided the teams, but Galway enjoyed a burst that yielded scores from Cooney (2), Whelan, Cathal Mannion.

Again Clare reduced the deficit with a flurry of scores ensuring that Galway were 0-21 to 1-17 ahead with seven minutes remaining.

Cooney struck frees either side of a splendid Ronan Glennon effort from play as Galway stayed in front.

Clare landed three of the last four points, but Galway held on to earn the spoils. Next month’s Leinster Championship opener against Wexford on April 16 dominates the agenda for Galway, Clare face Tipperary a week later in Munster. Those critical games are edging closer.

Scorers for Galway: Conor Cooney 0-12 (7fs, 265s), Cathal Mannion 0-5, Tom Monaghan and Conor Whelan 0-2 each, Padraic Mannion, Cianan Fahy, Ronan Glennon, and Evan Niland 0-1 each.

Scorers for Clare: Tony Kelly 1-9 (1-0 pen, 6fs, 265s), Ryan Taylor 0-5, David Fitzgerald 0-4, Cathal Malone and Shane Meehan 0-1 each.

Galway: Eanna Murphy; Jack Grealish, Daithí Burke, Darren Morrissey; Tiernan Killeen, Gearoid McInerney, Padraic Mannion; Joseph Cooney, Ronan Glennon; Tom Monaghan, Conor Cooney, Cianan Fahy; Brian Concannon, Conor Whelan, Cathal Mannion.

Subs: Fintan Burke for Killeen (46), Shane Ryan for Morrissey (58), Gavin Lee for Concannon (60), David Burke for Glennon (66), Evan Niland for Fahy (66).

Clare: Eibhear Quilligan; Mike Gough, Aaron Fitzgerald, Paul Flanagan; Jack Browne, John Conlon, David McInerney; Shane Golden, Jason McCarthy; Cathal Malone, David Fitzgerald, Ryan Taylor; Shane Meehan, Tony Kelly, Patrick Crotty.

Subs: Peter Duggan for Crotty (12-14), Ian Galvin for Crotty (HT), Peter Duggan for Golden (51), Robin Mounsey for Galvin (58), Rory Hayes for McInerney (63).

Referee: James Owens (Wexford).