By Jackie Cahill

Clare star Colm Galvin wants to sign off his U21 intercounty career with more Bord Gáis Energy Munster and All-Ireland glory.

Galvin is in his final season as an U21 hurler with Clare, knowing that every game in the grade could be his last.

The Clonlara dynamo, 21, has won Bord Gáis Energy Munster and All-Ireland U21 titles in 2012 and 2013 - and is targeting a hat-trick.

And Clare's march to a sixth provincial decider in seven seasons helped to erase the heartbreak of the senior team's championship exit against Clare - a defeat that ended the Banner County's reign as All-Ireland kingpins.

Four days after suffering a crushing Wexford Park loss, Galvin and a number of his teammates bounced back with a Bord Gáis Energy Munster U21 semi-final victory over Tipperary at Cusack Park.

And Galvin admitted: "It was a great thing to be able to flush it out of your system.

"To be able to go out and redeem yourself was very important for us.

"You would feel sorry for the lads who don't have that opportunity.

"There is one more bite of the cherry. Look we can take nothing away from Wexford, they were very good on the day. They deserved their win."

Clare were taken all the way to extra-time by a vibrant Tipp side in Ennis before progress to another Bord Gáis Energy Munster U21 final was assured.

And Galvin acknowledged: "They (Tipp) were very sharp. We had a championship game under our belt and we didn't.

"They took us nearly to the cleaners. We got to grips with them 10 minutes after half-time.

"We started putting the scores over, our forwards started to play well. Bobby Duggan and Aaron Cunningham really started to get going. When we got into extra-time then we started to really push on."

Shane O'Donnell, All-Ireland senior final replay hat-trick hero from 2013, came off the bench to score a goal in extra-time.

And Galvin was naturally pleased to see the Eire Og hitman back in the fold.

Galvin said: "That was a huge lift. He has been out for 10 weeks now. "You see him in training and he is doing everything he can to get back. The same with (Cathal) Tots O'Connell, he has been out for 13 weeks and he is pushing to get back.

"To see Shane come on and get the goal was great for him, being out for so long and being frustrated by being on the sideline. It was a great lift to have him back."

Cork provide the final opposition tomorrow evening and Galvin has pinpointed senior star Alan Cadogan and Anthony Spillane, both renowned goal-getters, as the big threats.
Galvin reflected: "To go down and beat (Waterford) them like that is a fair feat.

"The forwards they have in there, Cadogan and Spillane are causing havoc. Everyone at this age knows each other and we're expecting a massive battle." Tweet

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