NHL/Division 1A: Galway can do no wrong against Clare at this time of year. A late Ollie Fahy goal preserved a perfect league winning sequence that stretches way back to 1994, when Joe Rabbitte and Ollie Baker, key influences on their respective sides yesterday, were mere youngsters.
As always when these neighbours meet, the sound of injudicious timber cracked warmly around Ballinasloe and on more than one occasion the athletes had to be separated, forcing Willie Barrett to flash yellow eight times. Overall, though, this was a terrific hurling match.
On eight occasions the teams shared the lead and going into the last 10 minutes, the scoreboard read 0-17 to 1-13 after Galway's Richie Murray ambled into a clearing to fire his third point of the afternoon.
The closing period of play suggested that it was the visitors who were primed to win. Jamesie O'Connor, resourceful and inspirational as the occasion demanded, drove over a free before feeding fresh arrival Alan Markham for another brisk score that gave Clare daylight with four minutes left.
Then Tony Carmody, boisterous and troublesome around Galway's goal-mouth, looked to be on for his second goal after Seanie McMahon lobbed forward a deep ball. Greg Kennedy's all-or-nothing dive kept Galway alive, despite McMahon's conversion of the 65.
Straight away, Galway broke along the left flank. Eugene Cloonan, hitherto confined to the role of placed-ball sniper, burst clear and squared a fine pass to David Tierney.
The midfielder half-connected with his strike and Fahy, a low-key and invaluable provider throughout, pulled first-time to beat Davy Fitzgerald.
It was a disappointing end to the game for Fitzgerald, who in the first half made a pair of outrageously good saves from Fahy and David Healy, but then had a penalty stopped by Rory Gantley after 42 minutes.
Clare looked like earning something from their efforts when Cathal Moore batted Baker's sideline-cut for a 65, but McMahon, with the home crowd resigned to the inevitability of an equaliser, directed his shot narrowly wide.
Still, Cyril Lyons will be pleased with the spread of scores among his forwards and particularly with the impact of Tony Griffin - who saw off two Galway men - and Carmody on a day when Niall Gilligan was quiet.
Brian Lohan looked hassled for a couple of minutes in the first quarter before regaining his customary mastery of his own square along with younger brother Frank, who didn't put a foot wrong. McMahon and Baker look better for St Joseph's rare winter off and Conor Plunkett showed well in Anthony Daly's old jersey.
Healy's disconsolate reaction to his early withdrawal, after a series of minor dust-ups with Brian Quinn, gave the impression that the Galway boys are going to have to earn championship places.
With the Gantleys back, Noel Lane's pickings are rich and his quick replacement of young John Culkin will remind his charges that he is no sentimentalist.
Tierney's presence on the wing gives Galway an extremely quick and athletic if worryingly light presence around the break of the ball.
Rabbitte remains the irreplaceable fulcrum of their attack and it will be interesting to see if Galway have the discipline to keep springing him from the sideline, which appears to be working.
While Clare 2002 do not yet have the compelling personality of the 1995-'99 model, they are spurred on by the same recognisable intensity.
Clare will be schooled for business come summer, while Galway are still happily setting up stall.
GALWAY: P Cummins; G Kennedy, C Moore, O Canning; B Higgins, L Hodgins, J Culkin; R Gantley (0-3, 2 65s), R Murray (0-3); D Tierney (0-1), O Fahy (1-1), K Broderick (0-1); D Hayes, E Cloonan (0-8, frees), D Healy. Subs: S Morgan for J Culkin (26 mins), J Rabbitte for F Healy (32), D O'Brien for S Morgan (44), F Forde for D Hayes (51).
CLARE: D Fitzgerald; B Quinn, B Lohan, F Lohan; D Hoey, S McMahon (0-2, free, 65), C Plunkett; C Lynch, J Considine; T Griffin (0-2), O Baker (0-1), J O'Connor (0-5, 3 frees); N Gilligan (0-1), T Camody (1-3), D Forde (0-1). Subs: J Reddan for J Considine (47), A Markham (0-1) for C Lynch (63).
Referee: Willie Barrett (Tipperary).
Galway ... 1-17
Clare ... 1-16
