Three Galway hurling stars included in U20 side to face Kilkenny
AARON NILAND and Jason Rabbitte have both been included in the Galway U20 Hurling team to face Kilkenny in round three of the Leinster U20 Hurling Championship.
Galway face Kilkenny in O’Moore Park, Portlaoise this evening (Wednesday) at 7:30pm, with Clubber TV showing live coverage of the round three Leinster Senior Hurling Championship clash.
Niland and Rabbitte both made their Championship debuts last weekend in the Galway senior hurlers’ comprehensive 3-26 to 1-15 victory over Kilkenny. Both players impressed scoring 1-9 between them.
Cullen Killeen who is also part of Micheal Donoghue’s squad is named in Galway’s starting XV, while senior panelist Sean Murphy misses out through injury. All three players face a quick turnaround on Sunday when Galway take on Offaly on Sunday in round two of the Leinster SHC on Sunday at 3:30pm in Pearse Stadium.
Gavin Keary’s charges remain unbeaten throughout the Leinster U20 Hurling Championship defeating Wexford and Kildare in the opening two rounds of the Leinster Championship. A win over Kilkenny will see Galway advance directly into the Leinster semi-final.
Former Galway senior hurling manager Henry Shefflin is in charge of the Kilkenny U20’s, while former Galway coach Richie O’Neill is also part of his backroom team. Shefflin can call Kilkenny seniors Rory Garrett and Ed McDermott, while St Kieran’s College Croke Cup winning captain David Barcoe misses out through injury.
GALWAY: Chris Callanan (Clarinbridge), Thomas Blake (Oranmore Maree), Michael Fallon (Clarinbridge), Ed O’Reilly (Liam Mellows); Jonah Donnellan (Padraig Pearses), Donnacha Campbell (Captain, Cappataggle), Gavin Maher (Loughrea); Michael Burke (Skehana Mountbellew Moylough), Cullen Killeen (Loughrea); Luke Kennedy (Ahascragh-Fohenagh), Darragh Counihan (Clarinbridge), Aaron Niland (Clarinbridge); Jason Rabbitte (Athenry), Brian Callanan (Ardrahan), Vince Morgan (Loughrea).
SUBS: Andrew Canning (Portumna), Ciaran Leen (Craughwell), Harry Holmes (Ballygar), Sean MoraN (Castlegar), Conor Gilligan (Craughwell), Ronan Cahalan (Killimordaly), Dylan Quirke (Athenry), Gearoid King (Castlegar) and Cathal Maloney (Ballygar)