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Honan helps Clare to go extra distance

ALL-IRELAND UNDER-21 HC SEMI-FINAL Clare 3-23 Galway 5-15 Aet: Clare 3-13, Galway 2-16 after 60 mins: IT’S RARE a player hits…

Mon Aug 24 2009 - 01:00

ALL-IRELAND UNDER-21 HC SEMI-FINAL Clare 3-23 Galway 5-15 Aet: Clare 3-13, Galway 2-16 after 60 mins:IT'S RARE a player hits 4-7 and ends up on the losing side in a competitive hurling match. But then again, last Saturday's Bord Gáis Energy All-Ireland under-21 semi-final was no ordinary game.

Galway’s extraordinary forward Joe Canning landed that magnificent haul but it wasn’t enough to deny Clare a final place against Kilkenny Park on September 13th.

In an extraordinary rollercoaster ride at Semple Stadium, extra-time was required to separate the two sides.

Clare finished the stronger to advance as Canning and Galway were left to rue an overall lack of scoring support in attack, Aodán Harte and Eoin Forde the honourable exceptions.

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Clare’s Darach Honan’s 2-4 haul was central to Clare’s victory. He was a constant thorn in Galway’s side, aided by senior star Colin Ryan’s eight points. Crucially, Clare had important scoring contributions from substitutes Conor McGrath, with 1-1, and Conor Tierney’s two points.

In normal time, Galway hit 3-13 and felt they had shaken off Clare in stoppage time when Eoin Forde shot over a lead score. But Clare hit straight back through Tierney to bring their tally to 2-16 and force the game into extra-time.

The pendulum swung back and forth as Honan, Harte and Canning bagged glorious goals but Clare had that final kick and unanswered points from McGrath, Honan and senior star Ryan saw them home.

Clare manager John Minogue said: “It could have been easy to win the Munster and forget about going on but a lot of them play good hurling with their clubs, they’re good individuals and seem to gel as a team. We have good strong characters in the team; you take the likes of Nicky O’Connell, Enda Barrett, Eamon Glynn at full back, Cian Dillon coming back after being out for six or seven weeks with a broken foot. He did very well and “Doc” (Ciarán O’Doherty), our captain, he sets the tone the way he plays.”

Galway manager Anthony Cunningham admitted he was “heartbroken” with the result and called on the county’s underage teams to join the seniors in Leinster. Cunningham insisted: “It’s something the hurling board should look at. I’m not taking away from Clare but I think if we had a couple of games under our belts, it would have helped our lads.”

CLARE: D Touhy; J Gunning, E Glynn, C O'Doherty; D O'Donovan, N O'Connell (0-1, free), P O'Connor; E Barrett, C Chaplin; J Conlon (0-3), C O'Donovan (0-1), S Collins (0-2); D Honan (2-4), C Morey (0-1), C Ryan (0-8, four frees, two 65s). Subs: C Dillon for Gunning (20 mins), C McGrath (1-1)for O'Connor (half-time), C Tierney (0-2)for Morey (45 mins), P Kelly for Collins (79 mins).

GALWAY: J Skehill; S Quinn, C Daly, M Dolphin; D Connolly, B Regan, C Forde; D Burke (0-1), S Óg Linnane; K Keehan, A Harte (1-2), E Forde (0-3); A Dolan (0-1), J Canning (4-7, 2-0 pens, 1-3 frees, 0-2 sideline, one 65), N Quinn (0-1). Subs: K Killilea for Dolan (40 mins), B Daly for Linnane (48 mins), G Burke for Teehan (53 mins), J Ryan for S Quinn (69 mins), Linnane for Forde (79 mins).

Referee: C McAllister(Cork).