4-7 FOR JOE, BUT TRIBE STILL LOSE.

Byline: JACKIE CAHILL

Galway 5-15 Clare 3-23 (AET)

JOE CANNING hit 4-7 and still ended up a loser at Semple Stadium on Saturday as Clare advanced to a first ever AllIreland U21 hurling final.

The Banner County will meet Kilkenny at Croke Park on September 13 after winning an enthralling semi-final battle with Galway at Semple Stadium.

Extra-time was required to separate the sides who produced one of the finest hurling games of any era in Thurles.

Canning's individual display was decorated by two penalty goals, a 20m free, a stunning goal from play and two trademark sideline cuts but it still wasn't enough.

Clare had their own scoring stars in Darach Honan, with 2-4, and Colin Ryan who hit eight points.

Manager John Minogue's substitutions worked too, as the Conors McGrath and Tierney hit 1-3 between them after coming on.

At the end of normal time, Galway had 3-13 on the board as Clare hit 2-16 in an hour of hurling which was littered with goal chances at both ends.

In the final minute alone, the sides traded points as the pendulum in a seesaw battle swung one way and the other.

Clare were crowned Munster U21 champions last month for the first time and boss John Minogue said: "It could have been easy to win the Munster and forget about going on but a lot of them play good hurling with their clubs, they're good individuals and seem to gel as a team.

"We have good strong characters in the team, you take the likes of Nicky O'Connell, Enda Barrett, Eamon Glynn at full-back, Cian Dillon coming back after being out for six or seven weeks with a broken foot. He did very well and 'Doc' (Ciaran O'Doherty), our captain, he sets the tone how he plays."

Honan and Galway's Aod[sz]n Harte traded goals in the first period of extra time, Canning bulged the net in the second but Clare held firm and late scores from sub Conor McGrath, Honan and senior star Colin Ryan sealed the deal.

Minogue added: "There was a huge despondency in Clare with the last eight or nine months.

"This bunch has shortened the winter. It could have been a winter of discontent." Galway manager Anthony Cunningham admitted that he was "heartbroken" and called on the county's underage teams to join the seniors in Leinster.

"It's something the hurling board should look at," he said. CLARE: D Touhy; J Gunning, E Glynn, C O'Doherty; D O'Donovan, N O'Connell (0-1f), P O'Connor; E Barrett, C Chaplin; J Conlon (0-3), C O'Donovan (0-1), S Collins (0-2); D Honan (2-4), C Morey (0-1), C Ryan (0-8, 4f, 2 65s). SUBS: C Dillon for Gunning (20), C McGrath (1-1) for O'Connor (h/t), C Tierney (02) for Morey (45), P Kelly for Collins (79). GALWAY: J Skehill; S Quinn, C Daly, M Dolphin; D Connolly, B Regan, C Forde; D Burke (0-1), S Og Linnane; K Keehan, A Harte (1-2), E Forde (0-3); A Dolan (01), J Canning (4-7, 2-0 pens, 1-3f, 0-2 sl, 0-1 65), N Quinn (0-1). SUBS: K Killilea for Dolan (40), B Daly for Linnane (48), G Burke for Teehan (53), J Ryan for S Quinn (69), Linnane for Forde (79). REFEREE: C McAllister (Cork).

CAPTION(S):

DELIGHT Clare celebrate at the final whistle NO ROOM TO BREATHE Clare's Cathal Chaplin and Niall Quinn of Galway