Talented Galway again prove a class apart in taming the Cats

Galway 1-21

Kilkenny 2-11

IT was more taxing than a week ago at the same venue in Thurles – but not by much – as a second convincing win for Galway has already stamped them as the team to beat in this year’s revamped minor hurling championship.

Seeking a third All-Ireland title in four years at this level, the young Tribesmen endorsed the good impression that they had made against Limerick the previous Sunday by also putting Kilkenny to the sword in their second quarter-final round-robin outing.

In sustaining a great few weeks for the county on the hurling fields, Galway made light of just having a few days to focus on the challenge posed by the defeated Leinster finalists with a strong start and finish to the opening half central to a comfortable seven-point triumph.

Not alone is Jeffrey Lynskey’s squad talented, but they also look mature beyond their years. They obviously had parked their emotions after the big victory over Limerick and were back on ground zero in time to face the Cats.

Kilkenny had qualified for the provincial final unbeaten but, incredibly, lost to Dublin in the decider despite registering a whopping seven goals – falling by 6-19 to 7-12. That scoreline, taken at face value, suggesting they had a formidable attack but a porous backline.

That theory didn’t really stack up at Semple Stadium. The Kilkenny backs weren’t quite so bad, while their forwards weren’t so good against a Galway team which is blessed with some serious talent and eye-catching physicality for players U17 and younger.

The champions were in their comfort zone and in command, ahead by 0-6 to 0-1 after 15 minutes, when Kilkenny struck for two goals in their best spell of the match, but Galway’s response was both emphatic and decisive, rattling over seven unanswered points to put clear delight between the teams.

Kilkenny tried hard in the third quarter to overhaul an interval deficit of 1-14 to 2-3, but they could never punch sufficient holes in the Galway cover where Shane Jennings, Shane Quirke and Seán Neary were all imposing figures.

There was an air of inevitably about the outcome over the closing 20 minutes and though a couple of Galway players began to understandably suffer the effects of fatigue, the range of reserves introduced ensured the boys in maroon remained in command.

Overall, Galway again look a well-balanced outfit. The tireless Jason Donoghue was a bundle of energy around midfield where he was ably assisted by Oisín Flannery of St Thomas’, while up front Donal O’Shea proved a flawless free-taker, with corner forward Dean Reilly producing a man of the match display.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.

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