Cooney holds his nerve to land injury time winner in dramatic finale

Galway 1-24

Kilkenny 3-17

IT shouldn’t have come to this – Conor Cooney bravely landing a pressure 75th minute free to get Galway over the line – but Sunday’s thrilling Leinster Hurling Championship victory over Kilkenny at Pearse Stadium has the potential to ignite the Tribesmen’s season.

Producing arguably their most impressive performance in three years, Galway met fire with fire in a no-holds barred encounter which lived up to all the pre-match hype in front of a disappointing attendance of just over 14,000.

With an intense focus on the sideline battle of wills between Brian Cody and his former star player Henry Shefflin, the stakes were high for the two Kilkenny men most identified with the greatest team in hurling history.

Ultimately, Shefflin took the bragging rights, but it was a close call despite Galway looking the better team on the balance of play, with outstanding individual contributions from the likes of Tom Monaghan, Joseph Cooney, Padraic Mannion, Gearóid McInerney, Brian Concannon and Darren Morrissey

Galway undoubtedly made life difficult themselves. Conceding two goals in the opening quarter; going nearly 20 minutes without a score in the second-half; amassing 15 wides; and stunned by an injury-time equalising goal, the men in maroon admirably still found a way to come out on top.

For much of a gripping struggle, Galway forced the pace against typically resolute opponents. There was no quarter given or asked, with the feverish work ethic of the Galway forwards a stand-out feature of their overall display.

Kilkenny defenders were repeatedly hounded in possession and a succession of rousing turnovers led to many of Galway scores in the opening 35 minutes, including a splendidly-finished goal from Johnny Coen, who was a late inclusion for Evan Niland.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.

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