Cats nine to the good as 1A status secured
BY NIALL SHERRY, SPORTS EDITOR
SPORTSEDITOR@KILKENNYOBSERVER.IE
Allianz Hurling League Division 1A
Kilkenny 0-29 Limerick 0-20
UPMC Nowlan Park
Referee: Colm Lyons (Cork)
Kilkenny produced a winning performance to ensure another season in Division 1A of the Allianz Hurling League with a 9-point victory over Limerick in UPMC Nowlan Park last Saturday. A third win of this year’s campaign for the Cats meant that Wexford and Clare will drop to division1B next season, ironically The Banner are the defending league champions and All-Ireland holders, an unexpected fall for Brian Lohan’s men. In front of a crowd of just over 6,500, Derek Lyng’s charges provided the necessary response to last weekend’s drubbing by Tipperary to claim their only home win, with Mossy Keoghan, once again leading the line to great effect and notching a personal tally of 0-7 in the vital win.
The home side got off the mark in the opening minute courtesy of a nice score from play by TJ. Ethan Hurley, who was one of two late changes to the Limerick starting XV, levelled matters before Kilmallock’s Shane O’Brien added a quickfire second for John Kiely’s team. O’Loughlin’s Fionan Mackessy restored parity only to see a placed ball from Dromin/Athlacca’s David Reidy give the visitors the lead after six minutes. This season’s Kilkenny captain, John Donnelly then fired over a lovely effort, but again The Treaty responded, Reidy with the second of his eight-point haul.
The home side then took control of proceedings, hitting six unanswered points. Three of these scores came from the hurl of TJ Reid (2f), while former Kerry star Mackessy notched his second of the afternoon, a booming free from distance. The Village’s Cian Kenny and GBC’s Billy Ryan, the other men to register during this purple patch for the black and amber clad side. Doon’s Adam English broke the host’s scoring sequence but that man Mackessy and Mossy Keoghan tagged on efforts for the home side to leave the Cats lead at a healthy seven points with about ten minutes of the first half remaining. Another of Limerick’s late changes, Tom Morrissey struck over a fine point before O’Loughlin’s duo Paddy Deegan and Jordan Molloy got on the scoresheet, either side of another David Reidy placed ball. Former captain Deegan was then the recipient of the games first yellow card, Cork whistler Colm Lyons noting the versatile O’Loughlin man’s name.
Four more scores followed before the short whistle sounded, three from the accurate TJ Reid and one from the unlikeliest of sources, Tullaroan’s Tommy Walsh. Limerick were dealt a blow before the interval when Cathal O’Neill was forced to leave the field injured, the Crecora/Manister man replaced by Effin’s Patrick O’Donovan as the sides headed to the changing rooms with the home side 11-points ahead with nine different scorers on the board.
When play resumed, Kilkenny didn’t appear to be in the mood to rest on their laurels, and they started quickly with points from TJ (f), a third of the day for Fionan Mackessy and another for Mossy. Kiely’s men managed one in this period, a fine point from Ballybrown’s Colin Coughlan. The Treaty then found another gear and hit four without reply thanks to efforts from Patrick O’Donovan, a second point from Coughlin to augment a brace of free’s from David Reidy. Graigue Ballycallan’s Billy Ryan hit his second point before The Sash’s Martin Keoghan split the posts with another tidy score. Dromin/Athlacca’s Reidy knocked over two more points to add to a lovely effort from Doon’s Adam English. The Cats lead was down to eight, but again Mossy continued his fine form by dispatching another white flag raiser.
John Kiely then sent on Donnacha Ó Dálaigh in place of Seamus Flanagan and the Monaleen man got in on the scoring act shortly after. Aidan O’Connor registered a couple of points for the men in green and the lead was cut to six with about 12 minutes remaining in the second period. Emeralds Killian Doyle then replaced the injured Cian Kenny while Dicksboro’s Harry Shine entered the fray in place of Luke Hogan. The next two scores came from the visitors, South Liberties Barry Nash and another Reidy placed ball making it a 2-score game as we entered the final stretch. No doubt, a week of training and some home truths on Noreside meant Kilkenny weren’t about to surrender the lead and allow Limerick to steal something from this crucial fixture.
And so, it showed. Lyng’s outfit dug in and surged to secure the vital win. TJ notched another two scores, as did the impressive Mossy Keoghan, while Thomastown’s John Donnelly registered his second of the day to quash any hopes of a Treaty comeback. There was one sour note before the long whistle, a second yellow card shown to Paddy Deegan for a high challenge, deep into stoppage time. Full Time in UPMC Nowlan Park, Kilkenny 0-29, Limerick 0-20.
Scorers for Kilkenny: T.J. Reid (0-10, 8 frees); M. Keoghan (0-7); F. Mackessy (0-3, 1 free); C. Kenny, B. Ryan, J. Donnelly (0-2 each); P. Deegan, J. Molloy, T. Walsh (0-1 each).
Scorers for Limerick: D. Reidy (0-8, 7 frees); T. Morrissey, C. Coughlan, A. O’Connor (0-2 each); S. O’Brien, E. Hurley, P. O’Donovan, A. English, A. O’Connor, D. Ó Dalaigh (0-1 each).
KILKENNY: E. Murphy; M. Butler, H. Lawlor, T. Walsh; S. Murphy, R. Reid, P. Deegan; J. Molloy, C. Kenny; F. Mackessy, B. Ryan, J. Donnelly (c); L. Hogan, T.J. Reid, M. Keoghan.
Subs for Kilkenny: K. Doyle for J. Molloy (temp 48-49); K. Doyle for C Kenny (inj 57); H. Shine for L. Hogan (59); E. Lyng for F. Mackessy (66); P. McDonald for J. Molloy, G. Dunne for T.J. Reid (both 70+3).
Sent off P. Deegan (second yellow, 70+4).
LIMERICK: S. Dowling; M. Casey, S. Finn, B. Nash; C. Coughlan, W. O’Donoghue, E. Hurley; A. English, C. Lynch (c); T. Morrissey, D. Reidy, C. O’Neill; S. Flanagan, S. O’Brien, A. O’Connor.
Subs for Limerick: P. O’Donovan for C. O’Neill (34); D. Ó Dalaigh for S. Flanagan (53); E. Stokes for T. Morrissey, M. Houlihan for A. English (both 70+1); O. O’Farrell for S. O’Brien (70+2).
Referee: C. Lyons (Cork)
>SHERRY SAYS…..
Character, hunger, desire and a much-improved team performance. That Was Derek Lyng’s thoughts in the aftermath of this crucial win over Limerick in UPMC Nowlan Park. Mossy superb again – TJ reliable as ever. The defence was better, like we know they can be. So 1A status secured, and all thoughts turn to championship, which is just over a month away.
The management have used the league to look at some younger players, the Connellan’s, Harry Shine, Aidan Tallis, Zac Bay Hammond amongst them. Fionan Mackessy is beginning to look like a huge asset to the Noresiders. Don’t forget, Adrian Mullen is still to return, while his clubmate, Eoin Cody missed the win over The Treaty. Captain John Donnelly got some minutes towards the end of the league campaign and will again be vital to Kilkenny hopes this season.
I’m sure the midfield dilemma will continue to dominate conversations across the County, and the management will need to get the engine room right for the battle with Galway in April. There’s a Leinster championship to defend. Rest and recover.
