Leinster Senior Hurling Championship

GALWAY 1-22 KILKENNY 2-11

By Cian O’Connell at Pearse Stadium

Ultimately this match was decided by a flurry of late scores from Galway, who were eventually able to shrug off Kilkenny’s spirited resistance.

Having shown a refusal to wilt Kilkenny, who relied on TJ Reid for scores, only trailed by three with 10 minutes remaining and another Cats comeback mission appeared a distinct possibility.

When it truly mattered, though, Galway had that drop of extra punch and poise up front which was exemplified by the next crucial spell when Micheal Donoghue’s team nailed eight points on the spin.

Joe Canning mined a couple of frees before Conor Cooney hit three glorious efforts in a row from play. Canning and substitutes Jason Flynn and Niall Burke decorated Galway’s performance with further points ensuring Walter Walsh’s last gasp goal was merely a consolation. By then sufficient Galwegian damage had been inflicted.

Galway showed flickers of their class in the opening period departing at the break armed with a 1-9 to 1-4 interval advantage.

Donoghue’s charges had edged eight points clear approaching half-time, but Kilkenny responded with a goal and a point in the closing stages to trim the deficit considerably.

Initially the story had been one of Galway’s failure to be sufficiently clinical in attack, but a good burst which yielded 1-5 without reply ensured the locals assumed a healthy advantage.

Level at 0-4 each following a cagey 20 minutes Galway demonstrated their ability as Cathal Mannion, Brian Concannon, and two Joe Canning frees had them 0-8 to 0-4 clear.

A foul by Paddy Deegan on Conor Whelan resulted in a penalty which was expertly converted by Canning in the 29th minute.

Mannion added a point for Galway, who were eight ahead, but a typically defiant Kilkenny outfit came thundering back.

TJ Reid made the Galway net dance from a penalty following a Daithi Burke foul on the promising Luke Scanlon before Walter Walsh rifled over a point. Suddenly the deficit was five and an interesting second half beckoned.

While the action wasn’t wild, it remained keenly contested with Reid’s precision from frees keeping Kilkenny in the hunt despite the fact that they only hit 1-2 from play.

Worryingly Kilkenny’s other forwards, apart from the ever imposing Walsh were being minded carefully by a Galway defence in which Daithi Burke, Padraic Mannion, and Gearoid McInerney remained relevant throughout.

Still Kilkenny’s grit brought them to within three, but Galway had the class and composure to survive. Next Saturday’s tussle at Innovate Wexford Park between Wexford and Galway should be tasty

**Scorers for Galway: **Joe Canning 1-12 (1-0 pen, 7fs, 165), Conor Cooney 0-4, Cathal Mannion 0-2, Brian Concannon, David Burke, Niall Burke, and Jason Flynn 0-1 each.

Scorers for Kilkenny: TJ Reid 1-9 (1-0 pen, 8fs, 165), Walter Walsh 1-1, Luke Scanlon 0-1.

GALWAY: James Skehill; Aidan Harte, Daithi Burke, Adrian Touhey; Padraic Mannion, Gearoid McInerney, John Hanbury; David Burke, Johnny Coen; Joseph Cooney, Joe Canning, Cathal Mannion; Conor Whelan, Conor Cooney, Brian Concannon.

Subs: Jonathan Glynn for Concannon (51), Jason Flynn for Joseph Cooney (61), Niall Burke for Cathal Mannion (67), Sean Loftus for Canning (70), Paul Killeen for Padraic Mannion (70).

KILKENNY: Eoin Murphy; Enda Morrissey, Padraig Walsh, Paddy Deegan; Conor Delaney, Cillian Buckley, Paul Murphy; Conor Fogarty, James Maher; Martin Keoghan, TJ Reid, Liam Blanchfield; John Donnelly, Walter Walsh, Luke Scanlon.

Subs: Colin Fennelly for Donnelly (HT), Joey Holden for Morrissey (45), Richie Leahy for Keoghan (55), Bill Sheehan for Blanchfield (58).

REFEREE: Fergal Horgan (Tipperary).