Galway U20 hurlers turn attention to Leinster semi-final
Galway U20 Hurling manager Gavin Keary got what he was looking for at O'Moore Park on Wednesday evening: a serious examination and victory.
The Loughrea clubman had no truck with pre-match assumptions of an easy Galway win. He knew after their county seniors' collapse in Salthill for the second time in three weeks that the Kilkenny U-20s would have the bit between their teeth, especially with Cats' legend Henry Shefflin in charge.
“There's nearly always a great battle with Kilkenny and these type of games are great for the development of players.”
Keary revealed that senior player Aaron Niland wasn't utilised as he was having a scan in Limerick on an injured hamstring that day. “It would have been too risky to chance it. We had a good discussion with Micheál [Donoghue] about it and decided the best thing was to rest him.”
On their other senior in the squad, Jason Rabbitte, Keary said that “Jason pulled his hammer [hamstring] a few weeks ago, so three games in eight days would have been too much, so the plan was just to get some minutes into him tonight.
“We were asked questions this evening but the character of our lads was impressive. Some of our players would know Kilkenny from minor and playing against St Kieran's at schools level, so they knew coming down here it would be a titanic battle.”
Galway now have a three-week break to the provincial semi-finals and Keary welcomes that time to sort out a few knocks and injuries.