All square as Henry returns home

Late point snatches draw for Tribesmen

right, a classy score to reduce the de cit to the bare minimum with 6 minutes played. e 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.

e Gort man scanned for options before delivering a long ball into the Cats defence. As players rose to claim the ball, it appeared to de ect o the hurl of Tommy Walsh into the path of the on-running Brian Concannon.

e Killimordaly man powered forward before unleashing a erce shot beyond the diving Eoin Murphy.

It was a great nish, but having taken some 9 steps before shooting, the goal should have been stroked o . Small margins. at 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 omastown 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 red over from some 65’ metres out.

ere had only been two frees awarded in the rst 11 minutes – a sign of the frantic nature of the game, and Johnny Murphy’s determination to try and let the game ow.

Sars elds 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. She in’s men were taking control in many areas across the pitch. is dominance was rewarded by two further scores, both from dangerman Concannon who was having a great day at the o ce. Cathal Mannion found the No.14 and the powerful full-forward split the posts. e home side responded with a nice point from wing-back David Blanch eld, after he was superbly picked out by John Donnelly who was again getting through a mountain of work for the Cats. e nal two scores of a pulsating 1st half came from Evan Niland. e Clarinbridge man struck over his rst free of the game, before following up with a nice e ort from play to level matters and leave the half time scoreline, Kilkenny 0-16, Galway 1-13.

Concannon almost struck another major for the westerners, only to be denied by a brilliant save from Glemore’s Eoin Murphy who somehow managed to de ect the goal bound e ort over the bar.

Galway then outscored their opponents three points to one over the next four minutes. Points from Cooney’s Kevin and Conor along with a well struck e ort from Mullagh’s Ronan Glennon put the Tribesmen rmly in charge, with only a nice TJ point from play in response. TJ would also hit the next Cats score, this time a booming free from his own ‘45 splitting the Galway posts.

Adrian Mullen who was having a very quiet game by his standards then set up a ne scoring chance for his clubmate, Darragh Corcoran who hit a lovely score. John Donnelly was then fouled again and like before, TJ made no mistake from the placed ball. Donnelly then turned provider, this time for Adrian Mullen who pointed from way out on the left to level matters with just over 28 minutes played.

Brian Concannon then struck his fourth point of the day before Eoin Cody did likewise in registering his team’s 14th point of the day. Mikey Butler then collected an Eoin Murphy restart, took a few steps before ri ing over a magni cent score from halfway to edge his side ahead. omastown’s Donnelly was then fouled again on his own ‘65 and TJ stepped up and red over another sensational free to push the Kilkenny lead to two.