Galway survive Cats comeback to claim win
BY NIALL SHERRY, SPORTS EDITOR
SPORTSEDITOR@KILKENNYOBSERVER.IE
Allianz Hurling League Division 1A
Kilkenny 1-19 Galway 2-19 <<CRESTS>>
Round 2, UPMC Nowlan Park
Referee: Thomas Walsh (Waterford)
Galway made the journey to UPMC Nowlan Park a fruitful one as they returned west with maximum points in this Allianz Hurling League Division 1A round 2 clash last Sunday following a 3-point win over Kilkenny. When Portumna rising star, Declan McLaughlin rifled in his second major of the afternoon in the 45th minute it gave the maroon-clad men an eight-point lead, but Derek Lyng’s men stuck to the task and battled their way back into the game, once again inspired by the in-form Mossy Keoghan and former captain Eoin Cody. The half-time introduction of Billy Ryan gave the home side more fight and the Graigue Ballycallan man showed the hunger that is going to be required as the season develops.
The home side got the first score of the game, courtesy of Mossy Keoghan, but the Galway response was emphatic as they raised a green flag from the restart. Cianan Fahy played a lovely ball to centre forward Tiernan Killeen who passed to the supporting Declan McLaughlin who steadied himself before firing past Aidan Tallis in the Cats goal. A good move involving Paddy Deegan and Eoin Cody resulted in Mossy popping over his second of the game. Some good recycling saw Galway work the ball back from the endline to the unmarked Padraic Mannion who struck over from distance unchallenged. From the restart, the sliotar was worked to Cian Kenny and The Village man made no mistake in splitting the westerner’s posts. Another searching ball into the Cats backline was pounced on by Declan McLaughlin and the forward got the better of Mikey Butler before striking over.
Ahascragh-Fohenagh clubman Mannion then took advantage of a loose clearance from Aidan Tallis to notch his second point of the day after 12 minutes of action. Some neat footwork close to the sideline saw Eoin Cody pop a pass to Peter McDonald and the captain repeated his feat of last week by sending over a tidy score. Galway midfielder Tom Monaghan then reminded everyone of his ability to strike from distance when he notched what would be the first of his 3-point haul. Tullaroan’s Mossy Keoghan then added to his two points with a fine effort from out on the right side, before Gavin Lee pointed from ‘65 out having taken a pass from Padraic Mannion. Derek Lyng’s side then almost registered a goal of their own, when after a little bit of pinball, Gearoid Dunne took possession before striking his effort across goal and wide of Darach Fahy’s right hand post.
Micheál Donoghue’s outfit then stepped on the gas and struck the games next three points. Tiernan Killeen finished off a great piece of interplay before Craughwell’s Tom Monaghan added to his tally with a classy effort from out on the left, before Clarinbridge’s Gavin Lee split the posts from way out the field after his side had expertly worked the ball out of defence. Twenty-eight minutes gone, and Kilkenny were down by six, and had lost wing back Zack Bay Hammond to injury, the Thomastown man replaced by Glenmore’s Shane Murphy. The Noresiders broke their ten-minute plus scoring drought when Luke Hogan took a smartly taken sideline cut from Paddy Deegan before striking over from a central position.
The sides swapped placed ball efforts before Tom Monaghan took his tally to three, again firing over from distance. Luke Hogan then set up Mossy Keoghan, whose radar was definitely in as he collected point number four. John Fleming restored Galway’s six-point lead despite the best efforts of Dicksboro’s Padraic Moylan. Eoin Cody who had been trying hard in the opening period then won a free which he converted as the first half entered additional time. There was still time for one more score, a nicely crafted point involving Peter McDonald and Cian Kenny, who worked hard to create the opportunity which Mossy finished with aplomb to leave the Tribesmen’s lead at four points on the short whistle.
Derek Lyng made one change at the interval, the experienced Billy Ryan replacing O’Loughlin’s Luke Hogan in the Cats attack. Declan McLaughlin got the scoreboard moving in the 39th minute when he again got the better of his man, former All-Star corner-back, Mikey Butler out on the left, before striking over. There was certainly more fight in the black and amber post interval, and this was evident when Deise whistler Thomas Walsh showed Billy Ryan a yellow card for a little bit of a swipe. Another fine piece of team play involving David Blanchfield and Paddy Deegan saw Cian Kenny take a classy score. Galway responded and reeled off the next three scores, again all from distance, courtesy of Cianan Fahy, centre back Gavin Lee and John Cooney, who benefited from a slip by Paddy Deegan.
Eoin Cody, who was on placed ball duty, in the absence of TJ Reid and Billy Drennan, popped over another effort, his 3rd of the match while the next score came from an unlikely source, Padraic Moylan, who rifled over from the middle of the park, having taken a pass from Peter McDonald. The Cats were 5 points in arrears, but this gap was about to grow. Tiarnan Killeen played a long ball out of the Galway defence which was seized on by John Cooney who showed a good turn of pace to get away from David Blanchfield. The Sarsfield’s man struck his shot well, but Aidan Tallis managed to get his hurl on it, but the ball was picked up by Declan McLaughlin who unleashed the rebound past the helpless Lisdowney netminder. Donoghue’s charges now led by eight.
Galmoy’s Billy Drennan then entered the fray in place of Thomastown’s Luke Connellan as the Kilkenny management sought to freshen up their attack. Billy Ryan’s hunger and pace was causing problems for the Galway defence, and when the Graigue Ballycallan man was halted illegally by Padraic Mannion, Eoin Cody duly converted the resulting free. Paddy Deegan was then withdrawn and replaced by Dicksboro’s Harry Shine. A strong run out of defence by Huw Lawlor saw the O’Loughlin’s man fouled near the sideline in front of the dugouts. Again, Eoin Cody converted the placed ball, and repeated the dose shortly after as the home faithful began to find their voices. James Stephen’s Cian Kenny added to his tally after 57 minutes, before Mossy Keoghan hit two clinkers, the first of which was simply stunning and created by Harry Shine.
Padraic Moylan, who had been performing well, was forced off with cramp and replaced by Eoghan Lyng. Then came the biggest score of the day for the home side. Mikey Carey powered through a group of players and managed to pass forward towards Mossy, whose touch allowed Eoin Cody to take possession. The Shamrocks Ballyhale man burst clear before unleashing a fierce strike across Darach Fahy and into the Galway net, Kilkenny now one point up with about eight minutes remaining. Galway sub, Jason Flynn then struck over the first of his 3-point placed ball cameo to deadlock matters again, before striking two more frees to edge the men in maroon
into a 2-point lead. There was to be one more score, and it came from Galway captain Conor Whelan who was set up nicely by Tom Monaghan as he dispatched a quality effort from out wide to secure a 3-point win on Noreside. Full time score in UPMC Nowlan Park, Kilkenny 1-19, Galway 2-19.
Scorers for Kilkenny: E Cody (1-6, 0-6 frees); M Keoghan (0-7); C Kenny (0-3); P Moylan, P McDonald and L Hogan (all 0-1).
Scorers for Galway: D McLoughlin (2-2); G Lee and T Monaghan (both 0-3); J Flynn (0-3 frees); P Mannion (0-2); C Fahy, J Cooney, T Killeen, C Whelan and J Fleming (all 0-1); C Cooney (0-1 free).
Kilkenny: A Tallis; M Butler, H Lawlor, P Moylan; M Carey, D Blanchfield, Z Bay Hammond; P Deegan, P McDonald; M Keoghan, C Kenny, L Connellan; L Hogan, E Cody, G Dunne, Subs: S Murphy for Bay Hammond (24); B Ryan for Hogan (HT); B Drennan for Connellan (47); H Shine for Deegan (53); E Lyng for Moylan (61);
Galway: D Fahy; S Morgan, F Burke, D Morrissey; P Mannion, G Lee, TJ Brennan; C Fahy, T Monaghan; John Cooney, T Killeen, Cillian Whelan; Conor Whelan, C Cooney, J Fleming.
Subs: Daithi Burke for Brennan (53); J Flynn for J Cooney (55); K Cooney for C Cooney (57); S Linnane for Daithi Burke (blood, 63-65) and for Fleming (66); A Burns for McLoughlin (69);
Referee: T Walsh (Waterford)
SHERRY SAYS…………
I’d imagine that Derek Lyng will be a little disappointed to have not at least take a share of the spoils from last weekend’s game with Galway. When Eoin Cody’s fierce strike edged Kilkenny into the lead with about eight minutes left, the Cats had ripped up the Tribesmen’s -8-point lead, but notching the last four scores of the game saw Micheál Donoghue’s men head west with the points.
Mossy Keoghan, again led by example, keeping the scoreboard ticking over and hitting a couple of stunning scores. Eoin Cody never stopped, while Billy Ryan’s introduction gave the Cats a greater hunger, desire and much needed experience. In defence, the two Mikey’s had differing games. Mr. Butler had his hands full trying to contain Declan McLaughlin, the Portumna man coming out on top in their battle. Mr. Carey was superb, never stopped battling and won a decent amount of dirty ball.
It was disappointing to see Zack Bay Hammond’s first senior start be cut short by injury, but Shane Murphy did well when introduced.
Next weekend Derek Lyng will lead his side into battle in Chadwicks Wexford Park, as the Cats take on the Yellowbellies in round three. Keith Rossiter’s men have lost both of their games to date, Cork and Tipp the victors. It’s never easy facing Wexford in their own back yard under lights, but the black and amber will want to get back to winning ways quickly in this competitive Allianz League .
