The Kilkenny Observer Friday 29 April 2022
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kilkennyobserver.ie
Hurling matters All pix: Danny Lahart
Many hands Cody and Reid battle on
Rowland in the Laois goal. Four more points would follow for the Noresiders, two for TJ Reid, and one a piece from Padraig Walsh, his fourth of the game and a second of the day from James Maher. Laois managed to tag on a few more points, as the final score line read, Kilkenny 2-34, Laois 1-14.
Eyes wide shut! Walter get the block in
Paddy Deegan set up Eoin Cody’s goal
game progressed. Tom Phelan and captain Richie Reid were introduced for John Donnelly and Paddy Deegan respectively, as the manager tried to get some championship minutes into the squad. A brace from Eoin Cody and another point from Walter Walsh canceled out any response that Laois mustered. Conor Delaney was then sprung from the bench to give O’Loughlin’s Huw Lawlor a rest as Brian Cody sought to protect some of his players with tougher challenges ahead. Cheddar’s men give their travelling support something to cheer about, when on 57 minutes Paddy Purcell went on a weaving run before firing a shot past Eoin Murphy in the Kilkenny goal, to reduce the deficit to 17 points. Conahy Shamrocks
Tom Phelan then struck over a lovely point, before two from Adrian Mullen and another from TJ Reid added to the ever-increasing Cats scoring total. Darragh Corcoran then replaced Tommy Walsh just after the hour marker. Tom Phelan then got on the end of a lovely flowing team move, involving the influential Adrian Mullen and finished nicely beyond Enda
SCORERS - Kilkenny: TJ Reid 0-10 (7f ) E Cody 1-5 A Mullen 0-6 W. Walsh 0-4 T Phelan 1-1 P Walsh 0-4 J Donnelly 0-2 J Maher 0-2 SCORERS -Laois: P Purcell 1-2 (1f ) PJ Scully 0-4 (4f ) C Dwyer 0-3 J Keyes 0-1 A Corby 0-1 C McEvoy 0-1 R Mullaney 0-1 C Byrne 0-1 KILKENNY: E Murphy; M Butler, H Lawlor, T Walsh; M Carey, P Deegan, C Browne; J Maher, A Mullen; W Walsh, P Walsh, J Donnelly; B Ryan, TJ Reid, E Cody. Subs: S Walsh for Ryan ht R. Reid for Deegan 49mins C Delaney for Lawlor 56mins D Corcoran for T Walsh 63mins Laois: E Rowland; D Hartnett, S Downey, F Fennell; R Mullaney, L O’Connell, C McEvoy; A Corby, J Kelly; C Dwyer, P Purcell, J Keyes; M Dowling, J Walsh, PJ Scully. Subs: C. Byrne for Walsh 43mins E Killeen for Corby 51mins B McGinley for Dowling 57mins P. Dunne for O’Connell and R. Murphy for Scully 70mins Referee: L Gordon (Galway)
>> SHERRY SAYS... 2 down, 3 to go. Westmeath and now Laois taken care off, both with relative ease. Following Laois’s decent performance against the Dubs, Cheddar was probably hoping for more of the same, but he would have been left very disappointed following this mauling at the hands of the Cats. Yes, Laois were missing a number of first team regulars, but as we know, the inter-county game is about more than 15 players. So, what of Brian Cody’s squad after this scoring fest? Well TJ is back. With a total of 0-10, he will have been happy with his scoring return against the O’Moore County. His Ballyhale comrades, Eoin Cody and Adrian Mullen also kept the scoreboard operator busy, notching 1-5 and 0-6 respectively. Last year’s captain, Mullen will have been pleased with his allround performance. Adrian was getting on plenty of ball and proving very influential across all areas of the pitch. His club mate Eoin Cody was lively throughout, and on another day, could have had a hat-trick of goals. John Donnelly and James Maher will have given their manager plenty to think about as they plan for a little May Bank holiday trip to Galway. Both players scored a brace, and their overall contribution to Kilkenny’s victory won’t have gone unnoticed by their management team. The fact they we don’t have much to say about Huw Lawlor, Mikey Butler and their defensive colleagues just shows how dominant the home side were throughout. Attention now turns to what could be the match of the season so far. Shefflin vs Cody. When the draw was made, this is the fixture that all Gaels looked for. Let’s hope it doesn’t disappoint – and that Cody’s Cats secure win number 3.
