
2 minute read
Cats out to beat boys in blue
Lyng’s men ready for Dubs challenge
While TJ nished with a tally of 2-10, it was Tullaroan’s Mossy Keoghan who returned to the starting line-up and bagged a hattrick of goals in an eye-catching display. e Kilkenny management team won’t have been pleased with the scoring tally given up to e Sa rons and will undoubtably have been working on tightening up things over the past week or so.
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When the Cats met Dublin in the Allianz league in March, Derek Lyng’s men ran out comfortable winners at tomorrow’s venue, with Galmoy’s Billy Drennan starring. An 11-point win over the blues in a game where Kilkenny never really got out of second gear. Again, Donal Burke top scored for his side with 11 points while Alex Considine was a constant threat to the Cats defence. In recent weeks it has been reported that Young Ireland’s Mikey Carey has rejoined Derek Lyng’s squad, having opted out after last season’s All-Ireland defeat to Limerick, with the talented wingback deciding to travel across Asia and Australia. If Carey has decided to ‘stay put’ for the rest of the hurling season, this could well be a great bonus for the Marble County.
Captain Eoin Cody has been looking sharp recently and will hope to continue his good form against Dublin. His ability to link play with others in the Kilkenny attack will be crucial as the summer continues. Cody’s understanding with clubmates TJ Reid and Adrian Mullen gives an extra dimension to the teams forward play.
Derek Lyng may decide to shu e his pack again tomorrow, but I’d imagine the likes of Mossy Keoghan will be chomping at the bit to go again, following his 3-3 against Antrim. Graigue Ballycallan’s Billy Ryan will also be hoping to get another run-out against Dublin and his skill and pace are great assets to the team.
and keeps his man quiet.
e Cats are aiming to defend their Leinster title and to do that, they will most likely face-o against Henry’s Galway, but Derek Lyng will have reminded his charges to get the job done over the next two weekends to ensure his charges in black and amber arrive in Croke Park with momentum and in a good run of form.
Currently, Kilkenny sit just behind Galway on scoring di erence, level on ve points after the opening trio of group games. It’s as close as you can get – e Tribesmen have conceded just one point less than the Noresiders.

Westmeath were rst up for the Cats, and they had a 22-point winning margin against Joe Fortune’s side. TJ Reid made his intercounty return and his rst appearance since helping his Shamrocks Ballyhale side to another All-Ireland club title in January and top scored with 9 points in the facile victory in UPMC Nowlan Park. His clubmate Adrian Mullen was in ne scoring form too, hitting 0-6 while omastown’s John Donnelly notched 4 points in the win. e second game saw an intriguing tie with Henry’s Westerners, and this battle of the ‘big two’ didn’t disappoint with those in attendance witnessing a cracking game which ended all square, again TJ hitting 0-9 and shaking a little bit more rust o with another accurate display.
Like tomorrow’s opponents, Kilkenny made the journey north to Belfast to face Antrim and this game was a high scoring a air with 8 goals and 51 points registered over the 70-odd minutes.
One player that has looked very much at home in the black and amber is another Shamrocks Ballyhale man, Darragh Corcoran. e talented youngster has been deployed both at mid eld and in defence and its at wing-back that he has looked most comfortable and more importantly dangerous. Corcoran has tightened up the half- back line but also proved to be a great attacking weapon for the Cats and has notched some scores as well.
Kilkenny will be acutely aware of the challenge that tomorrow’s opponents pose, but there should be enough quality in black and amber to secure a third victory in this year’s Leinster Championship and head to Wexford a week later with everything in their own hands.


