Electric Ireland Leinster Minor Hurling Championship Final

Galway 2-20 Kilkenny 0-14

By Robert Cribbin at Laois Hire O’Moore Park

It was a landmark night for Galway Hurling as they defeated Kilkenny to win the Leinster Minor Hurling Championship at the first time of asking.

It was the second meeting between the sides in this year's campaign and like the first one in Nowlan Park on Good Friday, Galway were much too good for the Cats.

Jason Rabbitte and Brian Callanan got the killer goals for a Galway team that will now go on to meet Cork in the All-Ireland semi-finals next weekend with Kilkenny and Clare meeting in the other last four clash.

As well as Rabbitte and Callanan, it was also Aaron Niland (brother of Galway star Evan) that really stood out as he scored 0-11 in a fine individual display.

Kilkenny threatened to make a game of it at different stages but ultimately like the earlier meeting in Nowlan Park, they really struggled to get the scores on the board.

Another Kilkenny negative was that they barely created any goal chances with Ed McDermott's shot off the post in the first half which arrived from Galway indecision their only real opportunity.

Galway on the other hand looked like they could waltz through the Cats rearguard when they liked and that was certainly the case early on as they opened up a 0-4 to 0-0 lead.

Galway's dominance was such that Kilkenny only scored two points in the first 25 minutes with corner forward Conor Doyle getting both points.

By the time Brian Moore got Kilkenny's third point, Galway had already amassed 1-6 on the scorecard with Jason Rabbitte combining well with Michael Burke for the game's opening goal.

Niland, Rabbitte and Conor Gilligan all scored points in that opening period for the Tribesmen but with Kilkenny rallying woth scores from Greg Kelly, Sean Bergin, Brian Moore and Ed Lauhoff, the game was still a contest by the halfway mark.

Galway led 1-10 to 0-6 at that change of ends and they struggled to fend off their opponents in the third quarter and by the 43rd minute only five points separated the sides.

Kilkenny only scored three points in the remaining 20 minutes or so and it was from here that Galway really went into overdrive as Niland came into his own.

Subs Harry Holmes and Eoghan Mulleady even got in on the act after Brian Callanan finally put the Kilkenny challenge to bed with a late goal that put the seal on a historic night for the winners.

Scorers for Galway: Aaron Niland (0-11, 6f and 1 '65), Jason Rabbitte (1-2), Brian Callanan (1-1), Colm Burke (0-2), Michael Burke, Conor Gilligan, Eoghan Mulleady, Harry Homes (0-1 each).

Scorers for Kilkenny: Conor Doyle (0-5, 2f and 1 '65), Greg Kelly, Sean Bergin (0-2 each), Michale Ahern, Ed Lauhoff, Brian Moore, Bill McDermott, Cian Phelan (0-1 each)

Galway: Shane Murray; Thomas Blake, Sean Murphy, Gearoid King; Dylan Quirke, Donnacha Campbell, Ed O'Reilly; Michael Burke, Michael Fallon; Darragh Counihan, Colm Burke, Conor Gilligan; Brian Callanan, Jason Rabbitte, Aaron Niland.

Subs: Cullen Killeen for Fallon (HT), Stephen Keane for Campbell (h-t), Jonah Donnellan for M Burke (54), Eoghan Mulleady for Quirke (56), Harry Holmes for C Burke (61), Evan Kennedy for Blake (63).

Kilkenny: Billy O'Sullivan; Conor Brophy, Evan Murphy, David Barcoe; Rory Garrett, Mikey Stynes, Michael Ahern; Darragh Vereker, Ed Lauhoff; Sean Bergin, Greg Kelly, James O'Neill; Conor Doyle, Ed McDermott; Brian Moore.

Subs: Jerry Henderson for Barcoe (37), Bill McDermott for E McDermott (41), Robbie Doherty for O'Neill (45), Cian Phelan for Lauhoff (48), Steven Kinsella for Murphy (51).

Referee: Adam Kinahan (Offaly).