February 16, 2011
By Staff Reporter
The appointed referee failed to appear. Eventually, the secretary, Larry McCarthy, was commandeered to take charge of the whistle, and the Corkman handled the job competently and with great composure. Maybe the GAA can add his name to the small pool of referees.
In the opening quarter, both sides appeared to be evenly matched. Mike O’Halloran opened Clare’s account in the first minute, but Alan King did likewise for Galway. Then Shane Hynes pushed Galway in front with a peach of a point from midfield and close to the sideline. Liam Briody immediately leveled up, which was followed by a fine effort from Gerry O’Halloran. Then Cathal Brennan had a disputatious effort eventually recorded as a score, giving Clare a 0-4 to 0-2 lead midway through the first period. Brian McMahon extended the lead after Galway’s Barry Murnell was penalized for overcarrying, with a good scoring opportunity being wasted. He made amends when keeper Steven O’Hara was forced to parry a pile driver at the expense of a 65, which Shane Hynes pointed. Clare responded with a Liam Kilkenny point. However Galway came right back with a point, staying on Clare’s heels. Then a late flurry by the Tribesmen saw them first draw level and then edge ahead by a point to close out the first half, 0-7 to 0-6.
The exchanges at the beginning of the second half were fairly even. Brian McMahon lofted over a 65, but this was quickly followed by another Clare score, from Liam Kilkenny. Then Alan King and Brian McMahon exchanged scores to push Clare back in front, 0-10 to 0-8. However, with a point from Shane Hynes and a goal from Dave Dunne, Galway were two points ahead 10 minutes into the second half.
But Brian McMahon was not prepared to let Galway build on their lead, immediately leveling up with a brace of point. At the halfway stage Liam Briody put the Banner boys ahead by a point, a lead they never lost. Liam Kilkenny extended the lead just before a Galway goalmouth scramble. The Galway bench were quite animated in their appeal for a penalty, but the referee was a lot closer to the play and waved play on.
At the other end Clare were awarded a penalty which Gerry O’Halloran dispatched to the net. This particular play consumed several minutes of play time as numerous players seemed to have difficulty moving back the requisite distance. Then apr