Disjointed hurlers flop in showdown with the Cats

Kilkenny 1-24
Galway 1-17

CIARAN TIERNEY AT SEMPLE STADIUM

THE feeling that Galway have made little progress during a tough Allianz NHL campaign was pretty emphatically reinforced by a rampant Kilkenny side who cruised to a comfortable seven point victory in a disappointing semi-final at Semple Stadium on Sunday.

After narrowly escaping relegation in Waterford three weeks earlier, the Tribesmen might have felt they were in ‘bonus country’ for this fixture, but it all unravelled with a familiar predictability as the National League and All-Ireland champions once again underlined their status as the strongest team in the land.

Kilkenny have unearthed an exciting young midfielder in Lester Ryan in this League, a promising goalkeeper in Eoin Murphy, and managed to register 1-24 despite lining out with an attack shorn of Hurler of the Year Henry Shefflin and T.J. Reid, both injured for the duration of the campaign.

There is clearly huge competition for starting berths on this Kilkenny side and the absence of manager Brian Cody following his recent heart surgery failed to disrupt the champions who barely had a weak link throughout the field.

In fairness to Galway, the distressing head injury picked up by team captain Fergal Moore after just nine minutes of action proved hugely disruptive, as it resulted in a delay of over eight minutes while he required medical treatment before his removal from the field.

Thankfully, the prognosis afterwards was not too serious after Moore was taken to Clonmel Hospital with concussion, but the players were not to know that until they withdrew to the dressing-room at the break. By that stage, they were six points in arrears and in some disarray.

The explosive performances of Richie Hogan and Richie Power in the central attacking positions, allied to the accuracy of free-taker Eoin Larkin, who hit 0-10, ensured it was a very uncomfortable afternoon for the Galway defenders, while midfielders Ryan and Michael Rice hit five scores from play between them.

There were some positives for the Tribesmen, such as the 1-3 hit by the tireless Cyril Donnellan, a strong performance by wing-back Aidan Harte, a lively opening by midfielder Joseph Cooney, and two superb saves from goalkeeper Colm Callanan, but ultimately they could have no qualms about the outcome.

At times there seemed to be too much chopping and changing going on, with Donnellan named at wing forward but spending long periods at full-forward, while Kevin Hynes – one of the few not to be moved around – found the going tough against rival full-forward Richie Hogan, who sent over five points from play.

Yet the Tribesmen enjoyed a bright start, with Joe Canning firing over the opening score following a foul on the hard-working Davy Glennon before Donnellan – set up by Damien Hayes – blasted the rebound to the net after his initial effort was blocked down by goalkeeper Murphy after just four minutes.

The unmarked Hogan, fed by industrious midfielder Michael Rice, then opened the champions’ account with a short range effort but a second Canning free made it 1-2 to 0-1 even though the Tribesmen were playing into the wind.

Kilkenny hauled two back, from Aiden Fogarty and an Eoin Larkin free, before the unfortunate clash of heads between Moore and the giant Walter Walsh which held up the play.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.