HURLING: Niland on song as Galway dispense of Clare challenge

All-Ireland Minor Hurling Championship
Galway 0-25
Clare 0-9

CLARE fell to a disappointing defeat in their opening round robin game of the All Ireland Minor Hurling Championship.
Despite facing a Galway side who were playing their first Championship encounter of 2022, Brian O’Connell’s men shipped the opening eight points of the game, something which they never truly recovered from, writes Ivan Smyth.
In the end Clare shot nine points and 15 wides on a disappointing day where little of anything went right for the Munster runners up. Their agonising Munster final defeat may have led to a hangover of sorts but they will need to improve if they are to keep their Championship dreams alive for this year.
Their final round robin game against Laois is in two weeks time A win is needed to help secure an All Ireland semi final spot with the side’s confidence sure to have taken a hit after this bitterly disappointing display.
With Joe Canning part of the Galway minor backroom team, he will no doubt be impressed by the mercurial Aaron Niland, brother of senior hurler Evan Niland. The Clarinbridge man gave an exhibition of scoring throughout as he finished with 16 points to his name as the Clare defence simply had no answer to his direct running and accuracy in front of the posts.
Niland fired six early points for Galway, including an audacious sideline cut to help Fergal Healy’s Galway side lead by eight points to no score after 13 minutes. Rory Burke was lively up front in the opening exchanges as he fired over two early points of his own.
Clare looked overwhelmed and were frequently stripped of possession in the tackle as Galway’s defence gave them little room to hurl. Brian O’Connell’s side struck four early wides which seemed to sap their confidence.
In the opening stages, Clare withdrew players out the field with Darragh Counihan acting as the Galway free man in defence. He frequently broke up the play while his passing out from defence helped instigate Galway attacks.
Oisin Whelan got Clare off the board after 15 minutes and they hit five of the next eight scores to give themselves a chance of overturning their deficit. Diarmuid Stritch, Jack O’Neill, Michal Collins and Whelan (two) all found the target as Clare trailed 0-11 to 0-6 approaching half time.
A five point deficit would have been far from disastrous for Clare given how they were struggling across the field. However, two more Niland frees and an Oscar O’Gorman effort help Galway lead by eight at half time, 0-14 to 0-6. A James Organ point 15 seconds in to the second half looked set to yield a more competitive second half.
However, it didn’t pan out that way for Clare as they only hit two further points and eight wides in the concluding half of action. Niland continued to punish any Clare indiscretions as Conor Dolphin and Paddy Mac Cárthaigh also found the target.
Clare hit five wides before Sam Scanlon stopped the rot with an effort on the 45th minute. Niland fired over three more frees as Whelan hit a placed ball of his own.
The game petered out as both sides emptying their respective benches. Galway sub Conor Gilligan rounded out the scoring with this result meaning Clare have lost their last five Minor Championship games against Galway, with their last success coming in the 1997 All Ireland final.
Clare are capable of a much greater performance than what they showed in Kenny Park with Brian O’Connell’s side needing a much improved display against Laois if they are to keep their Championship aspirations alive.

Galway: Donagh Fahy (Ardrahan), Sean Murphy (Clarinbridge), Ben O’Donovan (Gort), Luke McInerney (Loughrea), Darragh Counihan (Clarinbridge), Oscar O’Gorman (Kilconieron), Jack Lonergan (Turloughmore), Cillian Trayers (Turloughmore), Paddy Mac Cárthaigh (Sarsfields), Conor Lawless (Athenry), Orin Burke (Padraig Pearses), Aaron Niland (Clarinbridge), Ryan O’Donnell (Oranmore/Maree), Rory Burke (Oranmore/Maree), Conor Dolphin (Mullagh).
Subs: Sean Walsh (Moycullen) for R. Burke (50), Joey Wallace for Lonergan (52), Cullen Killeen (Loughrea) for Trayers (56), Conor Gilligan (Craughwell) for O’Donnell (58), Sean Power (Ballinasloe) for O’Donovan (60).
Scorers: Aaron Niland 0-16 (10f, 1 sideline cut), Rory Burke (0-4), Oscar O’Gorman, Paddy Mac Cárthaigh, Conor Lawless, Conor Dolphin and Conor Gilligan (0-1 each).

Clare: Mark Sheedy (Sixmilebridge), John Cahill (Captain) (Clooney-Quin), Fionan Treacy (Éire Óg), Eoghan Gunning (Broadford), Sean McMahon (Smith O’Briens), James Hegarty (Inagh-Kilnamona), Riain McNamara (Cratloe), Piaras Ó Sé (Ruan), Matthew O’Halloran (Sixmilebridge), Jack O’Neill (Clooney-Quin), Michael Collins (Clonlara), James Organ (Corofin), Diarmuid Stritch (Clonlara), Oisin Whelan (Clarecastle), Sam Scanlon (Clooney-Quin)
Subs: Cian Neylon (Kilmaley) for Ó Sé (h-t), Dylan Keane Hayes (Kilmaley) for Stritch (44), Eoin Lahiff (Doora-Barefield), for Collins (46), Fiachra O’Braoin (Sixmilebridge) for McNamara (50), Fionn Hayes (Sixmilebridge) for Whelan (55).
Scorers: Oisin Whelan (0-4, 3f), Michael Collins, Jack O’Neill, James Organ, Sam Scanlon, Diarmuid Stritch (0-1 each).

Referee: Richie Fitzsimons (Offaly).