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The Kilkenny Observer Friday 5 May 2023
kilkennyobserver.ie
Hurling matters - Review
Sport BY NIALL SHERRY SPORTS EDITOR SPORTSEDITORKILKENNYOBSERVER.IE
Leinster Senior Hurling Championship UPMC Nowlan Park Kilkenny 0-28 Galway 1-25 It was honours even when Derek Lyng’s Kilkenny clashed with Henry Shefflin’s Galway in UPMC Nowlan Park last Sunday. The game lived up to its hype with both sides hardly pausing for breath over the 70 plus minutes of pulsating action. The Westerners had championship debutant Declan McLaughlin to thank for leaving the Marble City with a point after the forward’s late late scoring intervention. It had looked like the home side would claim maximum points when TJ slotted over a 68th minute free to leave 3 points between the rivals. The Tribesmen dug deep and registered scores from Evan Niland and substitutes Liam Collins and that man McLaughlin to punish the Cats and some wasteful finishing late on from the home side. There was one late change to Derek Lyng’s side with Erins Own’s Conor Fogarty replacing Shamrocks Paddy Mullen in midfield. The visitors lined out as selected with Henry Shefflin exchanging pleasantries with his opposite number before throw-in at the venue, he knows oh so well. From the moment Limerick whistler Johnny Murphy threw the sliotar in, it was frantic from both sides with the game swinging from end-to-end. A fast start from the teams saw two points fired over in the first 60 seconds. Galway struck first; with the impressive Brian Concannon pointing from out on the left before the restart saw Eoin Murphy find Billy Ryan who passed to captain Eoin Cody who levelled matters after 40-odd seconds of play. The next two scores came from the hosts. Some great pressure applied to the Galway defence by John Donnelly and Eoin Cody resulted in the latter slotting over his second point of the game. Next up was TJ Reid. The veteran Shamrocks Ballyhale legend was fouled and punished the opposition by rifling over the resulting free. Three minutes gone, Kilkenny were up by two points, 0-3 to 0-1. Henry’s men struck back immediately. Netminder Eanna Murphy found Cianan Fahy unmarked from the puck out and the Ardrahan man split the posts from distance to help settle the travelling supporter’s nerves. Some lovely play close to the sideline saw Bennettsbridge’s David Blanchfield advance before passing to Timmy Clifford and the Dicksboro man sent over a fine point from out on the right. The frantic start continued. A long ball out of the Galway defence saw Conor Whelan beat Tommy Walsh before pointing from way out on the
All square as Henry returns home Late point snatches draw for Tribesmen The last line Eoin Murphy
right, a classy score to reduce the deficit to the bare minimum with 6 minutes played. The next action saw the only goal of the game scored, and there was more than a touch of fortune about it. Adrian Mullen was challenged by Joseph Cooney, possibly illegally, but the sliotar broke to the supporting Jack Grealish who took possession. The Gort man scanned for options before delivering a long ball into the Cats defence. As players rose to claim the ball, it appeared to deflect off the hurl of Tommy Walsh into the path of the on-running Brian Concannon. The Killimordaly man powered forward before unleashing a fierce shot beyond the diving Eoin Murphy.
It was a great finish, but having taken some 9 steps before shooting, the goal should have been stroked off. Small margins. That put the visitors up by 2 points with seven minutes played. Kilkenny hit back with the next two scores. John Donnelly was expertly picked out from a restart by Eoin Murphy and the Thomastown player split the posts for a nice point. Mikey Butler then found Eoin Cody from a sideline cut and the twice crowned young hurler of the year fired over from some 65’ metres out. There had only been two frees awarded in the first 11 minutes – a sign of the frantic nature of the game, and Johnny Murphy’s determination
to try and let the game flow. Sarsfields Joesph Cooney then sent over a long-range point for the men in maroon to edge his team ahead, before Conor Whelan notched his second score of the day after nice work by Padraic Mannion. Graigue Ballycallan’s Billy Ryan was then halted illegally by Gearoid McInerney and this gave TJ the opportunity to reduce the gap to one point. Shefflin’s men were taking control in many areas across the pitch. This dominance was rewarded by two further scores, both from dangerman Concannon who was having a great day at the
