Majors see Kilkenny claim win
BY NIALL SHERRY, SPORTS EDITOR
SPORTSEDITOR@KILKENNYOBSERVER.IE
Leinster SHC – Round 1
Kilkenny 3-24 Galway 0-21
UPMC Nowlan Park
Referee: Sean Stack (Dublin)
Kilkenny got the defence of their Leinster crown up and running last Saturday with a comprehensive win over Galway in UPMC Nowlan Park with 12 points separating the sides at the long whistle. While the result was a huge positive for the home side, they were dealt some injury blow’s ahead of and during the round 1 fixture, losing the legendary TJ Reid before throw-in and then seeing the returning Adrian Mullen and Glenmore’s Shane Murphy leave the field during the opening 35 minutes due to ankle and leg injuries respectively. The smaller than expected crowd in attendance were treated to three majors from the hosts, courtesy of Adrian Mullen, Eoin Cody and this season’s sharp-shooter, Mossy Keoghan.
The visitors got off to a quick start, registering the first score of the game, thanks to a nice effort from Loughrea’s Tiernan Killeen but a ‘65 from Fionan Mackessy, who was making his championship debut for the Cats levelled things up seconds later. Centre forward, Cathal Mannion nudged his side ahead before the first of three green flags were raised by the Noresiders. Billy Ryan, who had a great game, took a fine left-handed catch before striking his effort towards the opposition posts. It wasn’t the cleanest of strikes from the Graigue Ballycallan man, but it caused a lot of difficulty for Galway netminder, Darach Fahy, who failed to get his stick under the ball. As panic ensued, Mossy rifled his effort towards goal which the sprawling Fintan Burke did well to keep out, but Adrian Mullen reacted fastest to tap the sliotar to the net.
It was very much to and frow after Mullen’s major with Galway outscoring the Cats over the next eleven minutes, five points to three. The Westerners had white flags raised by Cianan Fahy (2), rising star, Declan McLaughlin and a brace from Meelick’s John Fleming. The men in black and amber had the impressive Jordan Molloy and the broadcaster’s player of the match, Mikey Carey to thank for the response. The home side were then dealt the first of two first half injury blows when Adrian Mullen, who was making his first appearance of the season, was forced off with an ankle injury, the Shamrocks man replaced by Thomastown’s Stephen Donnelly. Billy Ryan, Cian Kenny and the newly introduced Donnelly registered scores for the hosts, while Cathal Mannion added a pair of frees to deadlock matters by the 21st minute. Then came the second enforced change for Derek Lyng and his management team, Glenmore’s Shane Murphy leaving the field with a leg injury, his place in defence taken by David Blanchfield. The double setback appeared to galvanise Kilkenny, as they reeled off the next four scores, courtesy of Mossy, Jordan, Eoin Cody and the creative Billy Ryan to go four clear of the men in maroon. Again, it was Ahascragh’s Cathal Mannion that reduced the deficit, before Eoin Cody struck over his sides first free in the 31st minute. Former Kerry star, Mackessy then pointed from distance, a sweet strike but again, Cathal Mannion responded for the travelling side. O’Loughlin’s Jordan Molloy, who was covering every blade of grass in UPMC Nowlan Park added his third sore of the game before captain John Donnelly popped over a point to leave his troops six ahead at the interval.
The Cats started the second period brightly, extending their lead, thanks to points from the dynamic Mikey Carey and two efforts from Eoin Cody (1f). Galway, who had secured a league victory at the same venue earlier this year were relying on that man Mannion, and he tagged on two more efforts (1f) to reduce the Kilkenny lead to seven points after 40 minutes of action. The next two scores came from the home side, both Stephen Donnelly and Eoin Cody pointing from play while the Tribesmen added one of their own from, well, you know who. Micheál Donoghue then made a double change, the experienced Conor Cooney and Ronan Glennon replacing Declan McLaughlin and Tom Monaghan respectively. Fionan Mackessy struck over a monster placed ball while The Village’s Cian Kenny, making his 20th championship, fired over another quality score to stretch the lead to ten points with just under twenty minutes remaining.
One of Galway’s main threats, their captain Conor Whelan had been kept largely quiet by Mikey Butler then notched what would be his only score of the day before referee Sean Stack issued a yellow card to another Conor, Cooney, for an off the ball tussle with Mr Butler. Cathal Mannion (f) and TJ Brennan rifled over scores for the Westerners, but Kilkenny cancelled these efforts out with points from O’Loughlin’s Mackessy and the second major of the game, courtesy of Eoin Cody. As the ball was loose on the ground the Shamrocks Ballyhale man poked the ball away from a defender, before kicking it clear to run onto. The former captain flicked the ball up, created the angle and fired past the helpless Darach Fahy in the Tribesmen’s goal.
Manager Lyng then decided to make a couple of changes, Tommy Walsh and Harry Shine replacing David Blanchfield and John Donnelly. Sandwiched between these two changes was a lovely score from Mossy Keoghan. Clarinbridge’s Gavin Lee then split the Cats posts and the defender’s point was added to by efforts from Conor Cooney (2) and Cathal Mannion. The latest change from Kilkenny saw Luke Hogan replace the talented Billy Ryan, and the O’Loughlin’s man got on the scoresheet with 70 minutes on the clock. There would still be time of the third major of the game. Stephen Donnelly picked the ball up on halfway and looked forward for options. The Thomastown man played a searching delivery towards his inside forwards, Cody and Keoghan. The ball broke to Mossy and the Tullaroan man, who had been denied minutes earlier by Fahy, made no mistake as he rifled the ball past the Ardrahan clubman. Job done in round 1. Full time score, Kilkenny 3-24, Galway 0-21.
Scorers for Kilkenny: E. Cody 1-5 (2f); M. Keoghan 1-2; F. Mackessy 0-4 (1 65, 1 f); A. Mullen 1-0, J. Molloy 0-3; B. Ryan, C. Kenny, M. Carey, S. Donnelly 0-2 each; L. Hogan, J. Donnelly 0-1 each.
Scorers for Galway: C. Mannion 0-10 (6f); C. Fahy, J. Fleming, C. Cooney 0-2 each; T. Killeen, D. McLoughlin, C. Whelan, T. Brennan, G. Lee 0-1 each.
Galway: D. Fahy; J. Grealish, F. Burke, D. Morrissey; P. Mannion, G. Lee, TJ. Brennan; C. Fahy, T. Monaghan; J. Fleming, C. Mannion, T. Killeen; C. Whelan, B. Concannon, D. McLoughlin.
Subs: C. Cooney for McLoughlin, R. Glennon for Monaghan (both 48), R. Burke for Killeen (53), D. Burke for Fleming (60), A. Burns for Brennan (64)
Kilkenny: E. Murphy; M. Butler, H. Lawlor, S. Murphy; M. Carey, R. Reid, P. Deegan; C. Kenny, J. Molloy; A. Mullen, J. Donnelly, F. Mackessy; B. Ryan, M. Keoghan, E. Cody.
Subs: S. Donnelly for Mullen (17 – Inj), D. Blanchfield for Murphy (22 – Inj), T. Walsh for Blanchfield (61), H. Shine for J. Donnelly (63), L. Hogan for Ryan (66)
Referee: S. Stack (Dublin)
>> SHERRY SAYS….
It’s always nice to start the provincial campaign with a win, and Kilkenny were full value for the victory in UPMC Nowlan Park last weekend. I temper my optimism with the caveat that Galway were not good, they didn’t look like the same side that rocked up on Noreside during the league and claimed maximum points. It is likely that these two teams will be the main protagonists for the Bob O’Keefe Cup, and chances are we will have to defeat the Tribesmen again to secure a 6th consecutive Leinster crown.
Injuries to Adrian Mullen and Shane Murphy will hopefully not be too serious, and if the pair have to miss Sunday’s trip to Corrigan Park, then so be it. Derek Lyng’s squad should have enough quality to follow up victory over Galway with another win over the colourful Davy Fitz’s Saffrons. If we can quieten the Antrim faithful early on, we should be sitting on maximum points after two rounds of the championship played.
We had eleven scorers against the Tribesmen and the management will hope that those selected in black and amber on Sunday will keep the scoreboard ticking over. Billy Ryan, Fionan Mackessy and Jordan Molloy were all excellent against the men in maroon, while Mikey Carey continues to look a class act. Fingers crossed the trip north will be a winning one.
