42
kilkennyobserver.ie
The Kilkenny Observer Friday 10 June 2022
Hurling matters
Sport BY NIALL SHERRY SPORTS EDITOR SPORTSEDITORKILKENNYOBSERVER.IE
Salthill defeat in the past, as Bob comes home
AIB Leinster GAA Senior Hurling Championship Final Croke Park Saturday June 4th Galway 0-17 Kilkenny 0-22
The Bob O’Keefe Cup is back on Noreside for a third year in a row, after Kilkenny defeated Galway by 5 points to claim a 74th Leinster title in Croke Park. It certainly wasn’t a classic, but the result was always going to be more important than the performance, given how the Cats came out on the wrong end of the round robin clash in Salthill last month. This provincial final appeared to be a real arm wrestle, a test of strength and defensive solidity, as opposed to a free-flowing game of hurling, where classy forwards stole the show. Given the action that had preceded this provincial decider, it was always going to be a big ask to replicate the Antrim and Kerry game. Galway won the toss and opted to play against the wind in the opening period. Kilkenny would hit two wides from out the pitch, the second one from TJ Reid, which many would have put their house on the Shamrocks man nailing. The first score of the game would come from those in maroon, with Conor Whelan slotting a beautiful point over from near the sideline in the second minute. Brian Cody’s men soon levelled matters after TJ found Richie Leahy with a lovely pass and the Rower Inistioge man split the posts from a central position. Paddy Deegan then used the wind to his advantage as he struck a mighty score off his left side from distance to edge his team ahead. Mossy Keoghan was then fouled by Jack Grealish and TJ opened his account for the day. The Tribesmen then fashioned their first goal scoring chance of the game. Sarsfields Joseph Cooney somehow managed to break through the Cats defence, but in doing so he lost his Hurl and had to kick his effort, Glenmore’s Eoin Murphy batted Cooney’s effort away to keep his net intact. This miss was then punished by Kilkenny, as they worked the sliotar to Adrian Mullen, who rifled over a fine point. Shefflin’s men then worked another goal chance. On this occasion, Josephy Cooney moved the ball to Brian
Concannon, but the Kilmordaly man’s shot was dealt with brilliantly by Eoin Murphy. Both sides exchanged frees, with Adrian Mullen receiving a yellow card for a high tackle on his opponent. You could sense the physical edge, like two gladiators seeking to be the last man standing. The battle between Huw Lawlor and Conor Whelan was one of the most exciting on show, no quarter was being given by either party. Whelan then got the better of the O’Loughlin’s man in the next duel. The Talented Kinvara forward isolated the Cats full-back before twisting left, then right and then executing a lovely score. Ballyhale’s Adrian Mullen then got his second score of the game with a nice long-range effort to make it Kilkenny 0-6 to Galway’s 0-3 with about 12 minutes played. Billy Ryan then found some space, but the pass to him was over hit. The GraigueBallycallan man did Tommy Walsh was on top well to collect the sliotar in defence before taking a nice point. Referee James Owens then booked the Village’s Cian Kenny for a foul, Cooner Cooney scored from the free awarded. O’Loughlin’s Paddy Deegan then showed once again his ability to strike from distance as he judged the accompanying wind to perfection to land his second sighter of the day. St Thomas’s Conor Cooney then struck over an unbelievable sideline cut to reduce the Connacht side’s arrears to 3 points. Tom Monaghan who had caused the Kilkenny defence all sorts of problems when the sides last met, then stepped on the gas and punched a hole in the Cats rearguard, before been halted illegally. Conor sides wasted some half decent Cooney converted the placed scoring opportunities. Just ball. two points separated these Galway keeper Eanna rivals, and things began to get Murphy then managed to a little heated. scramble away Eoin Cody’s Joseph Cooney came in high flick-on, after a high ball into and caught Kilkenny captain the westerners defence had Richie Reid with a shoulder caused alarm. Play became to the chest, which flattened a little scrappy then, as both the Shamrocks man, but it
Cats pounce to claim Leinster!
was Cianan Fahy’s apparent stamp on Reid that enraged his teammates and those who had spotted it from the stands. Cooney got a yellow from referee Owens, but Fahy walked away clean as a whistle. When things calmed down a little and Richie
Reid was restored to full health, play resumed. TJ then hit a free which was drifting away as it reached the posts. The umpires were unsure, so they called for assistance from Hawk-Eye. Much to the delight of the travelling Galway support, the big screen informed
one and all that ‘Hawkeye data is unavailable’. Ironic cheers came from those in attendance from the west. To compound matters, the ‘stamper’ Fahy then got past Tommy Walsh and popped the ball over the bar, to leave just the narrowest of margins between the finalists.
