Galway U20 hurlers overcome Kilkenny to seal Leinster semi-final spot
Heading for Portlaoise on Wednesday evening, the head was clear – surely there could only be one outcome to the Leinster U-20 hurling championship round-robin tie between Galway and Kilkenny based on the formbook so far: a big win for the Tribesmen?
Afterall, they had already hammered Wexford by 14 points while Kilkenny had been lucky to draw with the Slaneysiders. But it didn't turn out that way as Galway had to hang tough in the closing minutes to get over the line.
Ultimately, Galway were grateful for a two-goal burst – somewhat against the run of play – coming up to half-time, the first from Darragh Counihan in the 29th minute, the second from Brian Callanan 120 seconds later.
It left Galway 2-8 to 0-12 in front at the break after making a slow start which contributed to them trailing Kilkenny by 0-12 to 0-6 after 25 minutes. Their goals turned a lively encounter on its head, with Ciaran Leen also chipping in with a brace of frees before the interval.
Unlike their seniors a few days previously, you could see Kilkenny's dander was up from the off. They had pride to restore for the county, while team boss Henry Shefflin would have been determined for a good show given his time as Galway senior manager didn't work out as hoped.
Kilkenny tore into everything from the off, and had four points on the board in less than five minutes from Patrick Lacey (3 frees) and Jim Conlon.
Galway briefly stopped the rot with points from Leen (free) and Counihan, but backed by the wind, Kilkenny were the ones largely dictating the exchanges and by the 16th minute, they had surged 0-8 to 0-2 ahead with Ed McDermott, Jake Mullen, and Ed Lauhoff all finding the range.
It was starting to look dodgy for Galway, but the one player who began to thrive during Kilkenny's period of dominance was number 10 Luke Kennedy, who picked-off three quality points before the interval. Full-forward Callanan also split the posts in the 17th minute.
Given Galway were second-best for long periods of the first-half, to be two points ahead at the break showed the team's opportunism and when the elements behind them on the resumption, you anticipated the boys in maroon would pull away.
But it didn't work out that way, even if at one stage of the second-half, Galway had forged into a 2-17 to 0-17 lead. They had two points from quality wing-back Jonah Donnellan, together with scores from Counihan, Cullen Killeen - who was now hurling up a storm - Callanan andthe improving Jack Shaughnessy (3).
Galway also had a score from substitute Jason Rabbitte – not risked from the start due to a hamstring strain – and appeared to have settled the issue despite Kilkenny registering some fine points from Dollard, Kevin Buggy and substitute Sean Bergin.
Kilkenny could also have had two goals within the space of 120 seconds against, unusually, two different Galway 'keepers. Chris Callanan, who injured his knee in the warm-up, aggravated the problem during a terrific double save from Lacey and Mullen at the expense of a point.
His replacement, Andrew Canning, with his first touch superbly denied McDermott, with substittue Ollie O'Donovan firing over the rebound. Kilkenny, however, did finally get a goal from Lacey's penalty in the 58th minute after Galway full-back Michael Fallon picked up a black card for fouling O'Donovan.
It set up a grandstand finale, and Kilkenny fought like demons to salvage a draw, but Galway held their nerve with Shaughnessy sealing the deal from a free in the 62nd minute. They are now through to the semi-finals.
The winners' stand out performers were the excellent Fallon, Ed O'Reilly, Donnellan, Killeen, Kennedy (first half), Counihan, Callanan, Shaughnessy (second half) and Rabbitte, who proved a handful on his introduction. Both keepers Callanan and Canning made critical interventions too.
Galway: C Callanan; T Blake, M Fallon, E O’Reilly; J Donnellan (0-2), D Campbell, G Maher; S Moran, C Killeen (0-1); L Kennedy (0-3), D Counihan (1-2), J Shaughnessy (0-4, 0-2f); C Leen (0-3f) B Callanan (1-2), V Morgan. Subs: J Rabbitte (0-1) for Leen (40), A Canning for Callanan (inj, 44), M Burke for Killeen (52), G King for Moran (57), H Holmes for Callanan (60).
Kilkenny: J O'Doherty; M Ahern, R Garrett, D Vereker; J Conlon (0-1), J Dollard (0-1), E Murphy; K Buggy (0-1), B Nevin; A Clifford, E Lauhoff (0-2), R Sweeney; J Mullen (0-3), E McDermott (0-2), P Lacey (1-7, 1-0 pen, 0-7f). Subs: S Bergin (0-1) for Garrett (38), O O'Donovan (0-1) for Sweeney (42), L Raggett for Nevin (44), C Treacy for Mullen (50), E Brennan for Buggy (60).
Referee: A Kinahan (Offaly)