Cats win as TJ & smashHorgan 600 in championship scoring stats

a tight angle. Another point followed within 60 seconds. is time it was a peach of a score from David Blanch eld. e Bennettsbridge man is improving with every outing and is beginning to make one of the wingback jerseys his own.

Less than a minute later the sides were brie y level, O’Loughlin’s Paddy Deegan striking over a ne point.

Donal Burke showed that it isn’t just the placed ball that makes him a talent when he red over a ne point from play. Two further scores from Micheál Donoghue’s men followed.

Erins Isle’s Conor Donohoe came forward from his defensive position to extend the visitors lead before St Oliver Plunkett’s Cian Boland hit the third score on the bounce to restore their 3-point lead. Boland’s point was the pick of the bunch, Sutcli e plucked the sliotar out of the air and red a cross- eld pass to the Boland who wrong-footed his man before striking over from distance. e next two scores would be the history-making ones. Kilkenny were awarded a free close to the left sideline and TJ struck it beautifully between the posts. Reid was now level with Patrick Horgan in all-time championship scoring stats. Just 2 minutes later an easier placed ball opportunity saw TJ brie y become the highest scoring player in the history of the Championship with 30-509. Words will not do this man justice. In typical TJ fashion he got a third on the bounce as Kilkenny took the lead for the rst time in since the opening minute.

TJ Reid then struck back for the home side, this time a placed ball from his own ‘65 before Kilmacud Crokes Mark Grogan popped one over from close range. Tom Phelan then pointed for the black and amber when again, a major may have been possible.

Captain Eoin Cody was relatively quiet but then ri ed over a lovely point before Graigue Ballycallan’s Billy Ryan did likewise as the Cats moved into a 3-point lead. Derek Lyng’s charges had de nitely raised the tempo and their hunger and this was evident when they turned over the Dubs and TJ slotted over the free. Mid elder Mark Grogan red over his second of the game for the rst Dublin score in a while, but the nal score of an intriguing rst half came from Cats corner back Mikey Butler. e halftime scoreboard read Kilkenny 0-13, Dublin 0-9.

Dublin started the second half with the intent and purpose that saw them cause Lyng’s men problems in the opening period. Donal Burke tagged on another free before Whitehall Colmcille’s Daire Gray red over. Burke then made it a 1-point game when he scored a classy point from the left sideline. Game on. Conahy Shamrocks Tom Phelan then registered his sides rst score of the second period and his second of the game before TJ added another dead ball, his 7th point of the day before Mossy Keoghan dispatched a ne individual e ort to push the home sides lead to four.

Danny Sutcli e was then fouled and Burke punished the indiscretion, but Tom Phelan then got his 3rd score to keep the visitors at arm’s length. From the puckout, Sutcli e won possession before being fouled again. Only one outcome, another placed ball score from Donal Burke. His Na Fianna club mate Sean Currie then red over a ne score from play, but the home side responded with a free from TJ after Mossy was halted illegally. ree minutes later Richie Reid surged forward and landed a superb score and the Cats built on this with

Walter Walsh was then introduced in place of Billy Ryan as Derek Lyng sought to freshen things up. ings were getting a little tasty at times, a championship edge to proceedings in Nowlan Park. TJ picked up a yellow as referee Liam Gordon sought to calm things down. Burke swung over another free before Paddy Deegan ri ed over a cracking point to keep the home side up by three.