Something for everyone at a sunny Cusack Park as Clare just about negotiated their passage into the Church & General National Hurling League semi-finals while Galway had the satisfaction of a good performance and a win over the All-Ireland champions.

For the crowd of around 15,000, there was the added excitement of computing the oscillating scoring averages as Galway on a couple of occasions attained the four-point margin that would have qualified them ahead of Clare.

Most tantalisingly, when Kevin Broderick scored his second goal with two minutes left on the clock, the Connacht side were on course at 2-15 to 0-17. But Clare, apparently sensing the danger, pulled back two points through Niall Gilligan and Jamesie O'Connor and survived with that deficit until the final whistle.

In excellent conditions, the standard of hurling was good at the scoring end of the ground but somewhat loose at the back. Clare manager Ger Loughnane was critical of his defence for the goals conceded, but a couple of players admitted that they had been aware of the significance of the margin during the second half.

Galway's manager, Cyril Farrell, said it had been a good match. "Hammer and tongs," he said, "and a good win for us." He also said that he felt the team was in better shape than last year because of a greater consistency.

"We made the decision to have a panel of 25 and give everyone a game at some stage. Unfortunately Rory Gantley (injured early in the match), who got his chance today, may have fractured his ankle, but in general this panel of 25 will be finalised for three months time. I'm very happy with the performance."

Darragh Coen was Galway's scoring hero with an impressive total of 12 points, 11 of which were racked up before he registered his first wide and featured both some excellent dead-ball shooting and a couple of exquisite efforts from play.

Even the unusual sight of one of the first-choice defence being replaced, when Coen's marker Frank Lohan was taken off at halftime for Brian Quinn, failed to dampen the Galwayman's enthusiasm.

Coen said afterwards that he reckoned Broderick's second goal had settled the issue. "The lads were saying time was up and I thought the four points would be enough."

Broderick, who came on as a substitute for Gantley, also starred in attack, albeit not on a sustained basis. But the quality of his positioning and finish, considering the limited supply of ball he received, meant that he ended up with two goals.

The first came in the 25th minute after a free-scoring match had left Galway leading 0-8 to 0-6. Liam Burke laid off a perceptive pass when advancing from centrefield and gave Broderick space to penetrate the defence and leave Davy Fitzgerald stranded in the Clare goal.

Not for the last time, the All-Ireland champions took the wakeup call and tacked on a couple of points. By the interval Galway had the desired four-point margin, but nothing more, 1-9 to 0-8.

Clare, however, started the second half at a rattle and within three minutes Alan Markham, a first-half substitute for Fergal Hegarty, and David Forde with two had narrowed the margin to only one.

In the frantic exchanges of the second half, with the score wavering between a couple of points' lead for Galway and level-pegging, there were some good displays among the Clare forwards. Niall Gilligan completed a three-point haul, and Barry Murphy buzzed around at full forward and also landed three points.

It was, however, Conor Clancy at centre forward who starred for the home side, winning a load of ball, particularly in the air, and using it well. "He would have caught crows today," said selector Tony Considine. "He was man of the match."

Galway had their own high-performers. Aside from Broderick and Coen, Alan Kerins recovered from a quiet first half to give an effective display, moving from wing forward to full forward and back again. He played deep at full forward and won a share of ball from Brian Lohan.

"You'd learn a bit from him, alright," was Kerins' cautious assessment of marking the great man. In the 58th minute, the Galwayman intercepted Fitzgerald's clearance after the Clare goalkeeper had made a confident catch. Kerins made the necessary incision and placed Broderick, now at full forward, who took the goal as clinically as he had his first.

"Maybe we'd have been better off not knowing," said Jamesie O'Connor in a relieved Clare dressing room - a reference to the team's four-point comfort zone. "I'm not saying it would have made a difference, but it was on our minds. From our point of view the play-offs are welcome. We're not out in the championship until June 21st, it won't do us any harm."

Galway: R Burke; G Kennedy, B Feeney (capt), L Hodgins; V Maher, N Shaughnessy, P Hardiman; C Moore (0-1), L Burke (0-1); A Kerins, R Gantley, F Forde; D Coen (0-12, eight frees, one 65), J Rabbitte (0-1), O Fahy. Subs: K Broderick (2-0) for Gantley (11 mins); M Coleman for Shaughnessy (34 mins); J Campbell for Forde (48 mins).

Clare: D Fitzgerald; M O'Halloran, B Lohan, F Lohan; L Doyle, S McMahon (0-1, a free), A Daly (capt); O Baker, C Lynch (0-2); J O'Connor (0-6, five frees), C Clancy, F Hegarty; N Gilligan (0-3), B Murphy (0-3), D Forde (0-3). Subs: A Markham (0-1) for Hegarty (24 mins); B Quinn for F Lohan (half-time); PJ O'Connell for Baker (52 mins).

Referee: D Murphy (Wexford).