by John Fallon at Fenway Park

Clare 50
Galway 33

A superb display by Peter Duggan helped Clare captured the AIG Fenway Hurling Classic at Fenway Park.

He finished with a tally of 27 points as Clare, having defeated Tipperary by 50-45 in the semi-final, found that another half century of points was enough to claim the crown.

Galway rallied after half-time to set up the prospect of a tight finish but Duggan's goal touch ensured Clare had enough to pull away and win the title.

Galway, with Joe Canning sitting out the tournament having undergone a procedure for a minor knee problem, trailed by 30-9 at the interval in a tense final.

Conor Cooney and Jack Browne traded goals during a sometimes fiery opening half which kept referee Diarmuid Kirwan busy, but Duggan kept up his high scoring from the semi-final and by the break had hit 18 points to add to the 25 he recorded in the win over Tipperary.

All three five-pointers came from penalties in the opening half and with John Conlon adding two three-pointers and Daragh Corry also finding the range, Clare led by 20-3 after 14 minutes.

Shane Moloney and Paul Flaherty pulled back goals for Galway but Clare finished the half with a flourish as Duggan blasted home a couple of penalties to take a 21 points lead into the interval.

The victorious Dublin mens and womens teams displayed their All-Ireland trophies during the break while Galway hurling captain David Burke, who also sat out the games, paraded the Liam MacCarthy Cup.

Galway got a great start to the second-half with Conor Coney blasting home a penalty after just 15 seconds after Johnny Glynn was fouled and then Jason Flynn found the net from a tight angle inside the opening minute.

Cooney got a second goal from a penalty two minutes into the half after Clare goalkeeper Donal Tuohey was penalised for kicking the ball as he tried to clear his lines and that cut the margin to 30-22.

Duggan responded with a three-pointer for the Bannemen, before Eanna Burke and Cathal O'Connell traded similar scores to leave nine between them going into the final quarter.

Flynn reduced the margin but O'Connell responded immediately to leave it 39-30 with nine minutes left on the clock.

A five-pointer from David McInerney was followed by two more three-pointers from Duggan as Clare ran out deserved winners.

Clare: Peter Duggan (27), John Conlon (6), Cathal O'Connell (6),David McInerney (5), Jack Browne (3), Daragh Corry (3).

Galway: Conor Cooney (13), Jason Flynn (6), Eanna Burke (5), Conor Whelan (3), Paul Flaherty (3), Shane Moloney (3).

Clare: Donal Tuohy, Jack Browne, Oisin O'Brien, Patrick O'Connor, David McInerney, Cathal Malone, Gearoid O'Connell, Tony Kelly, Shane O'Donnell, Peter Duggan. Ryan Taylor. Subs: David Fitzgerald, Podge Collins, Cathal O'Connell, John Conlon, Conor McGrath, Bobby Duggan, Andrew Fahy, Eoin Quirke, David Reidy, Rory Hayes, Ian Galvin, Daragh Corry, Patrick Kelly.

Galway: Colm Callanan, Adrian Tuohey, John Hanbury, Johnny Coen, Daithi Burke, Eanna Burke, Cathal Mannion, Joseph Cooney, Jason Flynn, Conor Whelan, Conor Cooney. Subs: Padraic Mannion, Brian Molloy, Martin Dolphin, Cyril Donnellan, Davy Glennon, Gearoid McInerney, Johnny Glynn, Matt Donohue, Niall Burke, Padraig Breheny, Paul Flaherty, Ronan Burke, Sean Loftus, Shane Moloney.

Referee: Diarmuid Kirwan (Cork)

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