Brian Dowling’s Kildare next up in Shield Final
BY NIALL SHERRY, SPORTS EDITOR
SPORTSEDITOR@KILKENNYOBSERVER.IE
Dioralyte Walsh Shield Semi Final 2026
Laois 0-10 Kilkenny 2-17
Kelly O’Daly Park, Rathdowney–Errill
At the second time of asking Derek Lyng’s team got their season up and running with a comfortable 13-point win over Laois at the home of Rathdowney–Errill GAA last weekend to qualify for the Shield Final, where they will face-off against Brian Dowling’s Kildare. The Kilkenny management used a total of 21 players in the Dioralyte Walsh Shield Semi Final and no doubt, the performances of a few will have given plenty of food for thought. Cathal Beirne, Gearoid Dunne and Liam Moore put in good shifts from the start, while Michael Brennan impressed when sprung from the bench early in the second half, notching 5-points in an eye-catching cameo. Wexford whistler Gearoid McCarthy was a little over fussy at times, lots of frees given for the ‘throw ball’, which led to the game not being as fluid as it could have been.
Kilkenny got off to a great start, with Eoin Cody splitting the posts from out on the right in the opening minute. The Shamrocks Ballyhale man was looking lively and doubled his tally soon after, when converting his first placed ball of the afternoon thanks to the ref’s lust for blowing up the ‘throw ball’. Glenmore’s Cathal Beirne was another in black and amber that started the game well, and he intercepted the next puck out before firing over to push the visitors lead to three points. Eoin Cody’s next placed ball attempt from way out the park struck the upright and it was Derek Lyng’s men that reacted quickest, recycling the sliotar and working it out to Gearoid Dunne, and the Tullaroan man made no mistake to increase his team’s lead. The hard-working Dunne was then fouled, and this gave Cody the opportunity to pop over his third point of the Walsh Shield clash.
Having got off to a decent start, things got a whole lot better for the Noresiders. Captain Darragh Corcoran played a lovely ball to Gearoid Dunne who collected well before popping a pass to the supporting Liam Moore and the Dicksboro man finished to the net with seven minutes played in Rathdowney to leave the score 1-5 to no score, not the start that the home side would have hoped for. Tommy Fitzgerald’s charges opened their account on eight minutes when Mossy Keyes was fouled, and Borris-in-Ossory–Kilcotton player Aaron Dunphy slotted over his first point of the game. From the restart, Mossy Keyes took possession and doubled his side’s tally with a nice score out on the left.
The Cats notched their sixth point of the game when a lovely team move, worked through all areas of the pitch saw Luke Connellan battle well to release Killian Doyle who passed to Eoin Cody and the Shamrocks Ballyhale man did the needful. Glenmore’s Beirne then got his second of the game when he struck over from out on the right side to extend the visitors lead to eight points after ten minutes of action in Kelly O’Daly Park. Then came a scare for Lyng’s outfit when Laois broke through the Kilkenny defence and a goal appeared likely, only for the anticipation and bravery of netminder Aidan Tallis, the Lisdowney man showing his skills as he smothered and snuffed out the O’Moore County sides attack.
Erins Own defender Conor McMahon was then shown a yellow card by Wexford whistler McGrath, and the punishment was added to by the conversion of the resulting free by Aaron Dunphy. Goal scorer Liam Moore than rifled over a lovely point from out on the left, as once again the ‘Boro man showed his quality. Playing on his home turf, Rathdowney–Errill’s Jack Kelly, who was having a good battle with Darragh Corcoran, then notched a tidy score from distance to reduce the arrears to seven points again. Kilkenny’s placed ball taker, Eoin Cody was presented with two more chances to add to his tally before the interval and he did just that, firstly popping over after a foul on Thomastown’s Luke Connellan and then his second opportunity was made a little easier, following some dissent from a Laois player. The last score of a blustery first half came from the hurl of Laois’s Aaron Dunphy, who notched his third point of the semifinal encounter, to leave the Kilkenny lead at eight points on the short whistle.
The Noresiders made one change to the playing personnel for the second period, with Dicksboro’s Timmy Clifford replacing Thomastown’s Peter McDonald. The scoreboard got moving thanks to another placed ball effort from Aaron Dunphy. One of Kilkenny’s best performers on the day, Cathal Beirne took his third score of the afternoon from out on the right, much to the delight of management and supporters. The stop-start nature of the half continued, thanks to the contribution of referee Gearóid McGrath. This time when a huge ruck was ensuing along the endline, close to Aidan Tallis’s goals, the Wexford Whistler blew and signaled a penalty for the home side. Interesting decision to say the least, perhaps he wanted to make the game interesting. Aaron Dunphy stepped forward and struck his effort, but Aidan Tallis’s agility saw the Lisdowney man deflect the shot behind for a ‘65, which the same Laois player also missed.
With 40 minutes played in Kelly O’Daly Park, another free was awarded for, you guessed it folks, another ‘throw ball’. Eoin Cody composed himself, made adjustments for the oncoming wind and struck over a testing placed ball from out on the left. Laois sub Diarmuid Dooley then made good progress before passing to Jack Kelly, who split the posts for a much-needed score for the home side, eight points the difference once again. The margin of arrears that Tommy Fitzgerald’s men found themselves in was about to increase, thanks to a second major from Derek Lyng’s men. The ball was played out of defence by Jordan Molloy who found Liam Moore, the ‘Boro man turned and drove the ball towards Eoin Cody, who collected possession before popping a pass to the on running Gearoid Dunne. The Tullaroan man wasted no time in striking a low shot into the ground beyond the diving Eoin Reilly to quash any hopes of an O’Moore County comeback. Laois sub, James Keyes then sent over a really sweet score from distance and the home side struck the next point of the game also, this time via the impressive Jack Kelly from the centre of the field.
Cats sub, Michael Brennan, who had entered the fray in place of Thomastown’s Luke Connellan then finished a lovely team move that again, saw the sliotar worked through the lines before the Castlecomer man applied the finish. Indeed, that would be the first of a 5-point haul for the Erins Own player, all on the bounce as the visitors pulled further ahead as full-time approached. Unsurprisingly, the last free of the game was given for, drum roll….. a throw ball. As the game entered stoppage time, Jack Kelly showed great skill when executing a sideline cut to register the game’s final score. Full time score, Laois 0-10, Kilkenny 2-17.
SHERRY SAYS…….
“Throw ball” I have been hearing this in my head all week! Anyway, moving on from the referee, Kilkenny had a decent run-out in Rathdowney–Errill GAA last weekend. Cathal Beirne really stood out, notching 3 points while the way the team worked the ball through the lines, will have pleased the manager and his backroom team.
The result means that the Cats will be out again this weekend, taking on the challenge of Kildare who overcame Davy Fitz’s Antrim by the bare minimum at Manguard Park. This game will see former All-Ireland winner, Brian Dowling take on his beloved Kilkenny in the shield final. The O’Loughlin’s man will have his side well drilled and prepared for the game and this one might not be all one-way traffic!
