Sunday, June 4

Electric Ireland All-Ireland Minor Hurling Final

Clare v Galway, FBD Semple Stadium, 1pm (TG4)

Ref: Michael Kennedy (Tipperary)

(E.T. & Winner on the Day)

Rarely has a team cleaved such a clear path through their opponents on their way to an All-Ireland Final as this Galway minor hurling team has.

They’ve won their six matches to date by an average of 16 points, and have arguably gotten better with each game as attested to by 12 and 14 point wins over very capable Kilkenny and Cork teams in the Leinster Final and All-Ireland semi-final.

This is the first year the young Tribesmen have competed in the Leinster championship, and they’ve grasped the opportunity with real conviction.

Whatever happens in Sunday’s Final against Clare, team manager Fergal Healy is satisfied their development as players will have been hugely enriched by the experience of playing seven championship matches.

"It is our seventh game, which is probably the most important thing in all of this,” he says. “This is a development age for all these guys. No more than the Leinster final, when you're in the final, you want to win it. That's going to be the aim for Sunday.

"The forecast is promised good. We've been on to them about hydrating and staying in out of the sun. A lot of these guys are TY's and they're finished school. It's about managing themselves. They spend most of their time away from us. You're just trying to direct them in the right way to prepare for the week.

"Ultimately, it's going to come down to them as individuals as well. In Galway, we have that question about why aren't we getting more lads through.

"It's something that the likes of these extra games should help them. The same as the U20s. We're all getting round robin games now. Hopefully, those games will bring these guys on a little bit quicker, a little bit sooner and get them ready for senior.

"We said it to them [as they finished training], they have to enjoy the week, they have to enjoy the game, and don't be too focused on the result - focus on the performance and the result will look after itself.

"Ultimately, for these guys, it's about development and this is only the start of the rung."

Any analysis of this Galway team must start with their star forward, Aaron Niland. He’s scored a whopping 4-67 on the way to this Final and looks like a player destined for great things if he continues to apply himself.

He’s far from the only threat in a lethal Galway attack, others like Jason Rabbitte and Brian Callanan are also very clinical finishers.

Healy is satisfied with his team’s preparations for this final, but is wary of the challenge that will be posed by a Clare team that were very impressive victors in the Munster championship and then All-Ireland semi-final against Kilkenny.

"We've seen them a good few times," said Healy.

"They dealt with Cork fairly comfortably in the Munster final. They were impressive enough against Kilkenny in the semi-final. They are a really strong, physical team. They play with a lot of energy. It's going to be a tough test for us.

"We've had two weeks since the semi-final and enjoyed the two weeks. We've had a bit of a break. It was intense enough for a few weeks.

"It gave us a bit of time there to work on a few things and get a few tougher sessions done last week. This week, it's about winding down and fine-tuning for Sunday.”

Galway might be favourites, but this Clare team have proven on the way to the final that they possess great character as well as hurling ability.

They’re a very honest, hard-working side, and at the tip of the spear have classy forwards like Eoin Begley, Marc O’Brien, and James Hegarty who can do serious damage.

They’ve also improved throughout the campaign, as evidenced by the fact they were beaten in Munster by a strong Limerick side but then turned the tables on the Shannosiders in the provincial semi-final.

“The beauty of the Munster championship we played in was the fact that you were nearly afforded a slip-up which we had against Limerick,” says Clare manager Brian O’Connell.

“We just felt we didn't really play that day. But you learn a lot more about yourself when you lose.

“Even just a couple of things that got thrown at us...we went down to Dungarvan on a Tuesday night and the match was called off just beforehand so we had to go down there on the Friday again. All of those little things build up a bit of resilience in the lads.

“They've learned a lot in a short space of time and are a really, really good bunch. This is going to be massive for them, win, lose or draw, just in terms of their hurling career and how they develop as players.”

O’Connell is well aware that Galway represent the biggest test his young team will have faced so far this year, but it’s they’re relishing.

“We're under no illusions, we've obviously watched them a good bit,” says O’Connell. “We stayed back the day of our semi-final because they were on afterwards against Cork. So we've seen a good bit of them and they're really, really well coached and are all accomplished hurlers.

“We know that it'll be no easy task but it's something we really want to put ourselves up against. In the minor age-group there's no real consistency in terms of a team from one year to the next, but in terms of history Galway have obviously massive pedigree in the minor competition so, yeah, we just want to go up against the best.

“If we were to go and win an All-Ireland it would be earned the right way if you've played against Cork, Tipperary, Limerick, Waterford, Kilkenny, and Galway. It's a really good path if you're to go on and win it.”

Galway’s path to the final

Galway 2-18 Antrim 1-10

Galway 4-28 Laois 0-11

Galway 1-23 Kilkenny 0-13

Galway 3-22 Dublin 0-13

Galway 2-20 Kilkenny 0-14

Galway 3-18 Cork 1-10

Clare’s path to the final

Clare 2-15 Tipperary 0-14

Limerick 2-20 Clare 0-22

Clare 0-20 Waterford 1-165

Clare 0-17 Cork 0-12

Clare 2-21 Limerick 2-15

Clare 1-19 Cork 0-15

Clare 0-23 Kilkenny 0-15