Blitz by Galway catches Clare cold

HARD TO describe the freakishness of much of what went on in Athenry yesterday.

For instance, before the throw in it was acknowledged by a jury of hurling experts gathered in the press box that poor Joe Rabbitte was going to have a difficult day being coursed by Brian Lohan. Regarding the immediate future, there was consensus. Lohan will ate him. On the recent past there was controversy. The advice of several ancients was sought on when precisely poor Joe Rabbitte had last had a good game.

Five minutes later Joe Rabbitte had scored 1-1. Heads down in the press box. Strange world.

By the 19th minute Galway had rattled the Clare net for the fourth time and each of the Galway full forward line had scored at least one goal. Spectators were still swarming in as journalists departed to joined cult religions based on sightings of rare comets.

By the 21st minute Galway had rattled in a fifth goal. People were still coming through the gates, looked bewildered and somehow cheated when they glanced across at the scoreboard. We began urging Clare players to personally hand latecomers their money back or to concede another hatful of goals.

By half time we were wondering just how crippling the psychological damage to Clare would be. When a team with a peerless defence like Clare's gets torn asunder in such humiliating circumstances the subsequent introspection can be paralysing. Instead Galway were restricted to one point in the second half. We drew straws in the press box for the right to use the phrase: This was a game of two halves.

Essentially, this was a game of two halves. If Galway discover the way to locate the form they produced in the first half hour yesterday they will conquer the world. With Rabbitte, and to a lesser extent Coleman, catching and distributing, and with the other four forwards streaking about like mercury running down a hill, they were unstoppable.

Rabbitte copperfastened his own morale before he began creating for others. He beat Brian Lohan ends up (and they said it couldn't be done) for his opening point after two minutes. As we waited for lightning to strike him dead he Rabbitte took a pass from Coleman, effected a turn in heavy traffic and somehow got away a shot which bounced into the Clare net.

Five minutes later Lohan was beaten again by Rabbitte, the Galway man failing to secure clean possession but setting up a skirmish on the 21 yard line from which Ollie Fahy emerged with the ball. Fahy's first shot was hooked but he pulled on the dropped ball. Two goals.

Just to reassure us that we were still in the real world Clare launched an immediate counterattack which culminated with Ronan O'Hara having only the goalkeeper to beat. Those of us who bent to find our biros missed Galway goalkeeper Pat Costello - pulling off a point blank save.

Galway's third goal came when a high ball was dropped by Rabbitte into the path of Liam Burke. Mike O'Halloran was drawn on to the loose ball. Fahy hung back wolfishly. Burke found him.

Bang!

Darragh Coen added the fourth after a splendid move saw poor Brendan McNamara produce a brilliant save from a Kevin Borderick shot. Coen snapped up the rebound. Goal five fell to Broderick himself, Rabbitte catching and feeding as the wing forward steamed past. Broderick had the time to place the ball into the net.

For those glorious 21 minutes Galway could do no wrong.

Joe Cooney and Liam Burke at midfield were winning almost everything. The supply of ball from the wing backs was sublimely thoughtful. The forwards processed the best options in the space of nanoseconds. Through all this Clare weren't especially bad, they were just ordinary. Galway went to the break leading by 5-4 to 0-6.

Whatever course of therapy Clare underwent at the break, they emerged in the second half as a team no longer prepared to have sand kicked in their faces. Christy Chaplin replaced Liam Doyle just before the break and, as the afternoon went on, Chaplin grew into his role, turning in a fine performance. There were improved performances all round from the Clare half backs, and Jamesie O'Connor, who was switched to midfield.

The introduction of Niall Gilligan early in the half added some spice to the proceedings however. Gilligan scored two points as Clare pressed without being incisive and then in the final quarter he pulled high over his head to double a Barry Murphy pass and score a glorious goal.