Clare 2-18
Galway 2-9

Clare recovered from the concession of two early goals to see off Galway's challenge on Saturday and move into the All-Ireland Intermediate Hurling Championship final against Kilkenny.

Played at Cusack Park in Ennis, the hosts were rocked by goals from Brian Murphy and Kevin Keehan inside the first 90 seconds which had Galway in the driving-seat from the outset.

The Banner men bounced back to strike a major of their own in the fourth minute when Padraig Hickey was afforded the time and space to blast to the back of the Tribesmen's net, before the frees of Niall Gilligan helped to narrow the deficit down to 2-7 to 1-7 come the halfway stage.

Gilligan grabbed the first point of the resumption, but Galway put the difference back at four via a Joe O'Leary '65' and a Keehan free.

However, Keehan's 38th minute point proved to be the visitors' last as the Clare defence upped the ante and shackled the Galway attack to supply Gilligan, Hickey and Tony Carmody with the ammunition to shoot themselves into a mouth-watering decider against the Cats on August 27.

Clare: A Fahy; M Earley, P Kelly, A Brigdale; K Moynihan, M Hawes, J Fennessy; R Keane (0-1), S Golden (0-1); M Duggan (0-1), T Carmody (0-2), K Dilleen (0-1); D O'Rourke, N Gilligan (0-8, 0-4 frees, 0-2 65s), P Hickey (1-4). Subs: J O'Connor (1-0) for O'Rourke (39 mins).

Galway: K O'Grady; A Leech, D McClearn, P Holland; J O'Leary (0-1, 65), D Hayes, B Mahoney; K Brady, N Callanan; F Healy, K Kilkenny, E Concannon; C Kavanagh, K Keehan (1-6, 0-4 frees), B Murphy (1-2). Subs: J Cooney for Concannon (22 mins), B Hanley for Kavanagh (27 mins), K Burke for Callanan (33 mins), M Corcoran for Hanley (49 mins), R Gantley for Kilkenny (56 mins).

Ref: T Carroll (Offaly) Tweet

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