Galway beat Clare in Oscar Traynor battle

Galway 3 Clare 1

CLARE’S Oscar Traynor outfit travelled to Terryland Park in Galway last Thursday knowing that they had to beat the home side to have any chance of remaining in the race for this year’s Inter League Junior Cup title.
A goal ahead early in the final quarter, things looked good for the visitors, last year’s beaten finalists but it wasn’t to be and this defeat means that Clare are out of this year’s Oscar Traynor Cup title race.
Having lost to Limerick in their first match at the County Grounds in Doora, Clare needed to beat Galway to remain in the competition and the importance of victory was evident in their play from the outset.
When Clare officials sit down to review this tie, they will point to some decisions by the home county officials as being amongst the reasons for their defeat. They had two penalty claims waved away in the opening half while a dubious free kick led to Galway’s equaliser 13 minutes from the end.
Clare started brightly and Mikey Mahony’s goal-bound header from a Richie Lillis free kick in the first minute was deflected out for a corner. Lillis took the corner which was scrambled away by the Galway defence. Lunga Balman had an effort well saved by Kieran Kilkelly in the Galway goal just before the 10th minute. Galway’s best effort in the early stages was from a free kick that was headed to safety by Matty Nugent. Lillis saw a long-range effort narrowly miss the target. Moments later, a good passing move from Clare by David McCarthy and Con Collins in midfield created another chance for Mahony that brought another good save from Kilkelly. More good play from Clare midway through the half got Gary Collins through on goal but just as he was about to shoot, the linesman flagged for a handball in the build-up.
Galway had a long-range effort from 2009 Junior International Player of the Year, Séamie Crowe, narrowly miss the target on 25 minutes. One of the first big talking points of the first half occurred on 27 minutes when Balman got some space in the box. He appeared to be pulled and dragged by the Galway defence and eventually taken down but no penalty was given, despite protests from Clare.
An effort from outside the box by McCarthy brought a fine save out of Kilkelly, again on 30 minutes. Galway’s best chance of the half came two minutes later when a good run down the left wing and shot by Benny Lawless forced John Healy into making a great save. The rebound fell to Barry Moran but his tame first-time effort fell into the hands of Healy. From Healy’s clearance, Clare broke quickly from the back and a well-delivered cross from Simon Cuddy was brilliantly controlled by McCarthy who slid inside the last defender and struck an unstoppable effort to the Galway net.
Clare were now well on top and a good run from Balman on 35 minutes forced the Galway defence into another heavy challenge but claims for a penalty were again waived away. On 38 minutes, Cuddy made another good run down the right wing and crossed for Mahony who broke inside the box but as he was about to shoot, a Galway defender appeared to impede him but again the match official took a different view and waved play on.
Galway finished the half strongly ,with efforts from Crowe and Simon Murray going over the crossbar.
Galway brought on Athenry’s Mark Moran at half-time and this brought the number of players on the Galway team from the Connacht Junior Cup champions of 2010, Athenry, to seven. While Clare were the better team in the first half, it was Galway who had the better of the chances in the second half. In the first minute, Murray picked up a ball when he appeared to be offside but with no flag, he ran through on the Clare goal and Healy was called on to make a brilliant save. Mahony made a great run and looked like he had beaten the offside trap on 61 minutes but just as he was about to shoot, the flag went up. On 65 minutes, Clare brought on Trevor Maxwell for Balman, who picked up an injury. Another effort from Crowe after being put through on goal by Alan O’Donovan brought another brilliant save out of Healy in the Clare goal on 70 minutes.
A decisive moment in the match occurred on 76 minutes. A foul on the left wing resulted in an advantage to Galway and led to a free on the edge of the box. O’Donovan took full advantage to score direct from the free kick and put Galway back on level terms, a position they deserved to be in given their second-half performance.
Clare now had to push forward in search of another goal as a draw would not be enough to remain in the competition. Derek Fahy was introduced for McNaboe in an effort to add some extra pace to the attack. An effort from McCarthy went wide of the right post on 82 minutes. Galway broke from the back on 84 minutes, with Clare pushing forward and good control from O’Donovan on the edge of the box created an opening. Unfortunately for Clare, his effort took a deflection on its way towards goal and Healy had no chance.
Clare threw on youths star Niall Whelan to try and salvage a result but it was not to be and Galway wrapped up the win in the 93rd minute with a goal from Simon Murray after another offside decision went against Clare.
Clare’s chances weren’t helped on the evening by the absence of a number of their squad due to injury and illness.

Clare: John Healy (Avenue Utd); Richie Lillis (Bridge Utd), Matty Nugent (Avenue Utd), David Russell (Avenue Utd), Simon Cuddy (Avenue Utd), Mikey Mahony (Avenue Utd), David McCarthy (Avenue Utd), Con Collins (Avenue Utd), Gary McNaboe (Lifford), Lunga Balman (Lifford), Gary Collins (Newmarket Celtic).
Subs: Trevor Maxwell (Bridge Utd) for Balman (inj); Derek Fahy (Bridge Utd) for McNaboe; Niall Whelan (Tulla Utd) for Mahony.

Galway: Kieran Kilkelly; Stephen Rabbitte, Dave McDonagh, Vinny O’Connor, Gerard McGrath; Séamie Crowe, Alan O’Donovan, Keith Ward, Simon Murray, Barry Moran,Benny Lawless.
Subs: Simon Walsh for Ward; Mark Moran for McGrath; Darren Kirby for Barry Moran.