Clancy clinches Galway victory

Galway 0-9 Kildare 0-8: A very late score by Matthew Clancy earned Galway their first win since the league began, at Newbridge yesterday, and their prospects of surviving in Division One B have improved dramatically.

Clancy's point in additional time put Galway ahead for only the second time in a game largely dominated by Kildare.

Galway fielded a slightly weakened side due to the absence of Michael Meehan and their attack suffered as a consequence especially during the opening half. Galway failed to raise a flag again in the opening half after top-scorer Padraic Joyce levelled in the third minute.

Killian Brennan had opened the scoring with a point and they took the lead again when Ronan Sweeney replied to Joyce's opening salvo.

The Kildare forwards struggled but despite shooting their fair share of wides then extended their lead through Padraig O'Neill, and Johnny Doyle converted a 45 to give them a 0-4 to 0-1 lead at half-time.

The absence of the Salthill-Knocknacarra players from the Galway team has hampered the side all season and it looked as if it was telling again. Kildare should have been much further ahead at the break given the amount of possession they enjoyed but they were to encounter a much-changed team in the second half.

The westerners could muster just one score in more than 35 minutes of action in the first half but they levelled within five minutes of the restart with three scores.

A Galway attack was rewarded with a free close to the sideline and Cormac Bane converted. Then Joyce slotted over another score after a Galway attack was illegally halted by a Kildare defender. A foul on Derek Savage produced another free and this too was converted by Padraic Joyce.

Galway's ability to convert their frees was a feature of their win. They went ahead when Matthew Clancy pointed from play but Kildare rallied to produce a series of scores which put them in the driving seat. Tadhg Fennin tied up the game with a free and points from play followed from Sweeney and under-21 player O'Neill. O'Neill hit two in a row to give Kildare a three-point lead but the scores quickly dried up.

Galway drew ever closer with two points and Kildare missed two opportunities to make the game safe. Joyce's accurate free-taking was one of the features of the game and his third free levelled the tie just before the end.

Kildare may have merited as least a draw but Clancy's well-taken final point sent Galway home happy.

GALWAY: K Kilroy; D Meehan, K Fitzgerald, R Fahey; M Comer, D Blake, D Burke; N Coleman, P Geraghty; M Clancy (0-2), P Joyce (0-5, four frees), A Burke; N Coyne, D Savage (0-1), C Bane (0-1). Subs: P Clancy for Coyne, R Gibbons for Blake, B Cullinane for Geraghty, F Walsh for A Burke.

KILDARE: E Murphy; A McLoughlin, K O'Neill, M Hogarty; P Mullarkey, G Ryan, D Lyons; M Foley, K Brennan (0-1); K Ennis, J Divilly, J Doyle (0-1, 45); T Fennin (0-1, free), R Sweeney (0-2), P O'Neill (0-3). Subs: A Rainbow for Foley, T O'Neill for Fennin.

Referee: B Crowe (Cavan).