Sash star’s brace vital as Cats return to winning ways
BY NIALL SHERRY, SPORTS EDITOR
SPORTSEDITOR@KILKENNYOBSERVER.IE
Allianz Hurling League Division 1A
Wexford 0-15 Kilkenny 2-17
Round 3, Chadwicks Wexford Park
Referee: Liam Gordon
Kilkenny put the home defeat to Galway behind them with a comprehensive victory over Wexford in Chadwicks Wexford Park last Saturday evening in front of the RTE cameras and a crowd of just over 4,500. A fast start and a controlling first half which saw the in-form Mossy Keoghan notch a brace of majors lay the foundations for a first victory over neighbours Wexford on Slaneyside since 2018. Both sides were still without key figures, but the Yellowbellies absences were a greater miss, and this showed throughout the Allianz Hurling League Division 1A clash.
Having lost their opening two games in the league, Wexford manager Keith Rossiter’s side were always going to be up against it, and the loss of Rory O’Connor and Simon Donohoe through injury in the opening half added to the gowing list of experienced hurlers that the Slaneysiders are missing. The home side would have known that a good start would have been needed to boost condfidence, but it was Derek Lyng’s side that started on the front foot, racing into an early 4-point lead. Graigue Ballycallan’s Billy Ryan, in from the start for the round 3 clash, split the Wexford posts in the opening minute, and the early onslought continued with a booming effort from the impressive Mikey Carey alongisde efforts from Eoin Cody (f) and James Stephen’s Cian Kenny.
The home side eventually opened their account from the placed ball in the 9th minute, courtesy of Cian Byrne and the St Mogue’s clubman would finish the game as his sides scorer in chief with 0-6. The Cats had Eoin Cody on placed ball duty again, and the Shamrocks Ballyhale man got the second of his eight-point haul from a free a minute later. Kilkenny were playing with a higher tempo and greater intensity and this was evident across all area of the pitch. O’Loughlin Gael’s Jordon Molloy then sent over a sweet strike from distance to extend the men in stripes lead to five points. The Yellowbellies were then forced into an early change when Simon Donohoe left the field, the Shelmailer’s player replaced by Cian Molloy. The visitors had already been denied goals on three visits into the Wexford defence, before Mossy breached the Wexford goal line in the 22nd minute. Paddy Deegan’s clearance out of defence was collected by captain Stephen Donnelly who took a few steps before giving the pass to Mossy. Mark Fanning came out of his goal to pressure Keoghan, but the Tullaroan man’s change of direction provided the space for him to strike to the net and bring to an end a 9-minute hiatus in scoring. Keith Rossitor’s worries were increasing, his side were 8-points down and then lost a second starter, Rory O’Connor joining the injured list, the St Martin’s attacking star place taken by Cillian Byrne.
Billy Ryan, whose halftime introduction against Galway had made such a difference, then notched his second point of the evening to further cement the Cats superioirty. Wexford got their second point via Cian Byrne, again from the placed ball, but things were about to get worse for the home side. Another probing ball out of the Kilkenny defence was collected by Graigue Ballycallan’s Ryan who burrowed his way forward before hand passing to Mossy, who rifled his shot low and across netminder Mark Fanning to the back of the Slaneysiders net. Dicksboro’s Harry Shine then collected a point on his first start of the season to make it a 12-point game. Four more points followed before the short whistle, all from placed balls and shared equally between Mark Fanning and Eoin Cody.
The second half begun and Cian Byrne tagged on two more placed balls for the home side before Cian Kenny got Kilkenny going again with a fine point. When Richie Lawlor split Aidan Tallis’s posts in the 45 mintue, this would be the first successful effort from play for Wexford, a sign of how dominant the visitors had been. Village star Kenny got his third of the encounter before Eoin Cody popped over a pair of frees, with Mark Fanning replying with one of his own for the hosts. Faythe Harriers Richie Lawlor rifled over his second from play and Yellowbellies captain Conor Hearne became the second home player to register from open play. Eoin Cody converted another placed ball in 56th minute to leave the Noresiders lead at 11 points, and this signaled the first changes for Derek Lyng’s outfit with Eoghan Lyng and Billy Drennan replacing Mossy Keoghan and Thomastown’s Stephen Donnelly.
Oulart-The-Ballagh’s Simon Roche who had replaced Darren Codd during the interval then struck over a fine point and Keith Rossitor’s men built on this by hitting the following four scores also, a pair of Cian Byrne free’s augmenting Cathal Dunbar’s cracking effort. Oylegate-Glenbrien’s Seamus Casey ntoched the Yellowbellies final score of the contest on 68 minutes, as further Kilkenny changes saw Niall Shortall and Billy Reid replacing Billy Ryan and Mikey Carey respectively. As the game enetered additional time, Eoin Cody dispatched his eighth point of the game and Galmoy’s Billy Drennan tagged on a late point to leave the final score in Chadwicks Wexford Park, Wexford 0-15, Kilkenny 2-17.
Scorers for Kilkenny: M Keoghan 2-0; E Cody 0-7 frees; C Kenny 0-3; J Molloy, B Ryan, H Shine 0-2 each; M Carey 0-1.
Scorers for Wexford: C Byrne 0-7 frees; M Fanning 0-3 frees; R Lawlor 0-2; C Hearne, C Dunbar, S Casey (f), S Roche 0-1 each.
Kilkenny: A Tallis; M Butler H Lawlor, S Murphy; D Blanchfield, M Carey, P Deegan; K Doyle, J Molloy, M Keoghan, C Kenny, B Ryan, S Donnelly, E Cody H Shine.
Subs: B Drennan for Donnolly (56), E Lyng for Keoghan (55), P Connellan for Deegan (59), B Reid for Carey (66), N Shortall for Ryan (66).
Wexford: M Fanning: C Foley, S Donohoe, E Ryan, C McGuckin, D Reck, R Lawlor; C Hearne C Dunbar; Darren Codd, J Redmond, C Byrne-Dunbar; Cian Byrne, R O’Connor, C Flood.
Subs: C Molloy for Donohoe (15), Collins Byrne for O’Connor (23), S Roche for Codd (ht), S Casey for Flood (50), J Byrne for Byrne-Dunbar (68).
Referee: L Gordon (Galway)
Scorers for Kilkenny: M Keoghan 2-0; E Cody 0-7 frees; C Kenny 0-3; J Molloy, B Ryan, H Shine 0-2 each; M Carey 0-1.
Scorers for Wexford: C Byrne 0-7 frees; M Fanning 0-3 frees; R Lawlor 0-2; C Hearne, C Dunbar, S Casey (f), S Roche 0-1 each.
Kilkenny: A Tallis; M Butler H Lawlor, S Murphy; D Blanchfield, M Carey, P Deegan; K Doyle, J Molloy, M Keoghan, C Kenny, B Ryan, S Donnelly, E Cody H Shine.
Subs: B Drennan for Donnolly (56), E Lyng for Keoghan (55), P Connellan for Deegan (59), B Reid for Carey (66), N Shortall for Ryan (66).
Wexford: M Fanning: C Foley, S Donohoe, E Ryan, C McGuckin, D Reck, R Lawlor; C Hearne C Dunbar; Darren Codd, J Redmond, C Byrne-Dunbar; Cian Byrne, R O’Connor, C Flood.
Subs: C Molloy for Donohoe (15), Collins Byrne for O’Connor (23), S Roche for Codd (ht), S Casey for Flood (50), J Byrne for Byrne-Dunbar (68).
Referee: L Gordon (Galway)
SHERRY SAYS…………………
Time to regroup and clear up niggles and any injuries. Derek Lyng has another week to work with his panel ahead of their round four clash in UPMC Nowlan Park with Limerick. We will preview the clash with John Kiely’s men next week.
But after three rounds of Allianz League action, its four points from a possible six for the Cats. Wins over Clare and Wexford, tempered by defeat to Galway. Its been good to see some new faces introduced to the stripes at senior level. Tomastown’s rise to the top table has been rewarded with appearances for Peter McDonald, Connellan’s Luke and Peter, Stephen Donnelly and a couple of cameos for Zac Bay Hammond. We whave also seen the first glimpse in black and amber for Fionan Mackessey, who will hopefully return from injury sooner rather than later.
Harry Shine, Gearoid Dunne and Luke Hogan have all got a little time and will be learning plenty from training and playing with the likes of Eoin Cody, Billy Ryan and the seriously impressive Martin Keoghan. Mossy has been in splendid form, notching 2-12 from his appearances thus far. Some of his points have been nothing short of spectacular.
Lisdowney’s Aidan Tallis has been ever-present between the sticks, and has been performing well. In defence, O’Loughlin’s duo Mikey Butler and Huw Lawlor have been clocking up the minutes, while Glenmore’s Shane Murphy is a talented stick man. The stand-out player in the reargard to date has been Mikey Carey. The Young Ireland’s man looks a class act and looks to be developing and maturing into a key player for Kilkenny.
No doubt we will see a few more players integrated over the next few weeks, and when you think that TJ Reid, Adrian Mullen, John Donnelly and Eoin Murphy are all scheduled to return, strength in depth is beginning to look like a great asset for Derek Lyng and his management team.
