Clare versus Galway!

Joseph is playing alright here. Pity he can't do it for the Seniors.

Galway goals came at the right time. Joe has silenced the doubters, different class to everyone else on the pitch bar Colin Ryan maybe.

Still not over for the Banner but they hit some crazy wides in the first half. If they can stop some of the ball going in Canning's direction, it will make their task a lot easier.

Honan is class too.

What a goal!

Best hurling match in a long long time. End to end stuff, it swung one way, then a piece of magic from a Honan or a Canning swung it the other way. It was a classic.

I appear to have underestimated a certain number fourteen too (and it wasn't Caiman Morey). But sometimes Joe does pass when he'd be as well to keep going himself. The pass that won Galway's second penalty was genius though.

Honan is the next Sparrow. John Conlon and Colin Ryan too, the Clare forwards are so fast! In the end, the best went through but it wasn't easy.

Galway wasted too many goal chances, Quinn missed 2 I remember. Clare got 2 points at the start of the first half of extra time that shouldn't have been given, 1 was wide and the other was a square ball. What did we lose by, 2 points.

clash-of-da-ash wrote:Galway wasted too many goal chances, Quinn missed 2 I remember. Clare got 2 points at the start of the first half of extra time that shouldn't have been given, 1 was wide and the other was a square ball. What did we lose by, 2 points.

The boys played a stormer for their first and(as it turned out) only chship match of the year.
They did indeed waste a lot of goal chances(Quinn most at fault here) but then again Skehill was, after Joe, our best player which tells its own story as well. Overall I thought Clare were the more balanced side throughout the pitch. There's a serious buzz about them and although I thought we might and perhaps should have taken them today, I'll be rooting for the banner in the final. Theres a team here upon which Clare could build a serious future with names like Teirney,Dillon(two subs who came on today), Conlon,Barrett, the O Donovan's, young Ryan(Who was good to-day but not near as good as he can be)O Doherty, and most of all Darach Honan who seems to possess pretty everything that is needed to be a truly great hurler. Nearly lost count of the amount of switches Galway made on him alone in Thurles. The spirit of Clares team is immense as well and talking to a few Clon lads they reckon its the best they've felt since 05!
Other than Joe and Skehill I'd be looking at Burke at MF and Connolly(when played in the corner) as ones who'd hopefully make the grade next year. Martin Dolphin needs some time yet and as does Silvies young lad and Eoin Forde who only came alive in the last 5 mins of normal time only to fall asleep again in extra time.
If I was a neutral no doubt I'd have been shouting for Clare today and I'll certainly be shouting for them in the final . Todays game was quite simply what hurling is all about.

One last word for an old friend
Heal properly or you're not doing anyone any favours.
If its an injury that hampers you then you have to give it the time it needs.
If its an injury that doesn't hamper you in any way....then why mention it at all?

Turn, acceleration...I think they are needed, a muscle off a bone seems a little more than minor to me.