It was hard to pick a bad performance out of any the starting 15, look a very good team on todayâs evidence anyhow.
Niland puts on a Canning clinic as Galway crush Clare
The form young Niland displayed was simply irresistible, almost unmarkable as the younger brother of senior star Evan landed a magnificent 0-16
Galway GAA crest
SAT, 21 MAY, 2022 - 16:08
DEREK DORMER
Electric Ireland MHC quarter-final: Galway 0-25 Clare 0-9.
COMING into this opening round of the All-Ireland series two questions dominated: How would Clare recover from that heartbreaking Munster Final penalty shootout defeat - and would the lack of a competitive outing hinder Galway?
No doubting that the answers had a huge bearing on the outcome and so it transpired as a fierce fresh Galway outfit put on a clinical display with a sensational tour de force from full forward Aaron Niland.
A blistering start where they raced into a 0-9 to 0-1 lead was certainly impressive but Clare seemed lethargic only ten days after that Munster Final epic. Poor wides, misplaced passes and struggling on restarts all contributing to their downfall.
That being said the form young Niland displayed was simply irresistible, almost unmarkable as the younger brother of senior star Evan landed a magnificent 0-16.
Two scores, in particular, will live long in the memory of the large crowd in Kenny Park in Athenry. In the 12th minute Niland, under the watchful eye of coach Joe Canning, converted a sideline cut from the acutest of angles 30m out on the far right touchline.
However, Niland topped this with a sensational piece of play midway through the second half. Picking up possession with the neatest of first touches 45m from goal, he embarked on a solo run jinking past players with consummate ease before striking off the hurley on the run to applause from the whole stadium.
On this showing, Galway will be extremely hard to stop while Clare must now regroup for what will probably be a winner-take-all showdown with Laois in two weeksâ time.
Scorers for Galway: A Niland (0-16, 10 frees), R Burke (0-4), O OâGorman, C Dolphin, P MacCĂ rthaigh, C Lawless, C Gilligan (0-1 each).
Scorers for Clare: O Whelan (0-4, 3f) D Stritch, M Collins, J OâNeill, J Organ, S Scanlon (0-1 each).
GALWAY: D Fahy; L McInerney, S Murphy, D Counihan; B OâDonovan, O OâGorman, J Lonergan; C Travers, P MacCĂ rthaigh; O Burke, R Burke, C Lawless; R OâDonnell, A Niland, C Dolphin.
Subs: S Walsh for R Burke (50), J Wallace for Lonergan (53), C Killeen for Trayers (57), C Gilligan for O Burke (58), S Power for OâDonnell (60).
CLARE: M Sheedy; E Gunning, F Treacy, J Cahill; S McMahon, J Hegarty, R McNamara; P Ă Sè, M OâHalloran; M Collins, J OâNeill, J Organ; Scanlon, O Whelan, D Stritch.
Subs: C Neylon for Ă Sè (HT), D Keane Hayes for Stritch (43), E Lahiff for Collins (48), F OâBraoin for McNamara (51), F Hayes for Whelan (55).
Referee: R Fitzsimons (Offaly)
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It will be interesting to see how they go. My understanding is that there is a change of approach this year with a bigger focus on developing players rather than developing a team to win minor, but that is a very impressive result.
Iv mentioned it here before but Iâm told there was a u19 club football game a few weeks back in which a fella in with the minor footballers wasnât allowed tog but a lad with the minor hurlers was allowed play and had a fine game. Its no great surprise to me that the minor footballers then get well beat by Mayo and Leitrim, while the minor hurlers start with a good win against Clare.
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Whyâd Sheflin decline to speak to Sky before the game?
I dont know which is the bigger mystery. How Galway produce standout minor side after minor side or how they vanish off the face of the hurling earth afterwards. Even by U20 they lose massive ground to all counties.
TrueâŚback in the 90s we were producing stylish lightish players by the dozen and then theyâd be gone without a trace. There was an urban tale of bermuda triangle in the SE corner of the dance floor in Ringos nightclub in Loughrea. The collars would mysteriously go up and theyâd be drawn into the black hole and vanish forever.
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If only we could keep them in loughrea.
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Typical Galway. Couldnât even orchestrate a draw against Dublin which would have knocked out Kilkenny.
King Henry asked his men to bring him Cody. Alive.
And thats exactly what they did
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There were so many minor medals in Ringos on a Sat night youâd a better chance of a shift if you didnât have a medal.
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The ringos triangle?
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Iâve no doubts in me mind that Heather Cooney is better than Conor.
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Harsh. He had a good game today overall, plenty heavy hits and dirty ball won.
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Agree. He was very effective.
Heâs a liability on dead balls. You could tell before he even took the run-up to the penalty that he didnât back himself.
He made two super interceptions for sure but he was well off it otherwise*
*Iâm a harsh cunt so this critique can easily be ignored
Hard to take much out of this game.
Whelan showing signs of form, Fahy impressing with work rate, Monaghan quietish, Concannon improving. Hopefully the injuries to Burke and Mannion arenât serious.
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Grealish and Morrissey really impressed me today. Theyâll get a real test in Croker in 2 weeks but theyâre coming on more and more with gametime.
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Comforbale win against a side whoâs given us endless trouble last few years. Not much intensity, ref no help to anyone. Job done today weâll need to bring it the next day
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Recovered from the rough outing against Cody. Strangely he marshalled Rory Oâconnor very well below in Wexford and yet Mikey Butler got an awful time from Oâconnor this evening. Ups and downs.
Morrissey is the real deal.
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He really is