Robert Cribbin reports from Nowlan Park
A LAST PUCK of the game point from championship debutant Declan McLoughlin ensured Galway grabbed a late draw against Kilkenny in the round-robin stages of the Leinster Hurling Championship.
The equalising point came six minutes into injury time and after trailing for much of the second period, it’s a draw that may feel more like a win for Galway.
Halfway through the second half Kilkenny held a six-point initiative but roared on by a sizeable travelling contingent, the Tribesmen battled back to gain something from the game.
Henry Shefflin’s side were helped by an incident involving Mikey Butler and Brian Concannon that held up play for a period and thus match official Johnny Murphy gave Galway one late opportunity which they took with both hands.
The game was a return home for Kilkenny man Shefflin and while it was exciting all the way through, the contest did lack the cut and thrust of a knockout provincial clash.
Both teams came into the game on the back of convincing wins over Wexford and Westmeath respectively, and it showed in an opening half where they were level on four occasions.
Galway’s Brian Concannon finished with 1-5 in total and his 7th minute goal gave the Tribesmen the early edge.
Galway keeper Eanna Murphy was finding puckouts to teammates at regular intervals in that early spell and they looked very composed when leading 1-10 to 0-9.
Kilkenny finished the half well though as Eoin Cody and TJ Reid really brought the fight to the visitors and when scoring six points between the 24th and 33rd minutes, they had turned the scoreline on it’s head to lead by two.
Galway’s Evan Niland was very quiet up to that point but he scored two frees to ensure nothing was between the sides at the half-time break.
Kilkenny really pushed up on Galway at the start of the second half and it proved very successful as Mossy Keoghan and TJ Reid scored two points apiece and with Cody continuing to cause torment, the momentum was very much with the Cats.
Galway failed to score at all from play in the third quarter but they did find their second wind and with Niland on the frees and the likes of Concannon, Cathal Mannion and Daithi Burke scoring from play, it was all to play for in the final few minutes.
It then turned into the story of two missed goal chances with Kevin Cooney denied by Eoin Murphy on the Galway side while for Kilkenny, Mossy Keoghan fired a shot just wide.
Kilkenny then took control on the scoreboard with efforts from TJ Reid and Darragh Corcoran but Galway’s late late rally which saw Niland and Liam Collins split the posts before McLoughlin’s heroics meant both teams had to be content with a point each.
Scorers for Kilkenny: TJ Reid 0-9 (8f); Eoin Cody 0-6; Adrian Mullen, Billy Ryan, Martin Keoghan, John Donnelly, Darragh Corcoran 0-2; Mikey Butler, David Blanchfield, Timmy Clifford 0-1.
Scorers for Galway: Brian Concannon 1-5, Evan Niland 0-6 (5f); Conor Whelan 0-2; Padraic Mannion, David Burke, Joseph Cooney, Cianan Fahy, Ronan Glennon, Cathal Mannion, Conor Cooney, Kevin Cooney, Declan McLoughlin, Jason Flynn, Liam Collins 0-1.
1. Eoin Murphy
2. Mikey Butler, 3. Huw Lawlor, 4. Tommy Walsh
5. David Blanchfield, 6. Richie Reid, 7. Padraig Walsh
8. Darragh Corcoran, 9. Conor Fogarty
10. Timmy Clifford, 11. Adrian Mullen, 12. John Donnelly
13. Billy Ryan, 14. TJ Reid, 15. Eoin Cody
Subs:
23.Martin Keoghan for Clifford (h-t)
22. Cian Kenny for P.Walsh (46)
21. Alan Murphy for Donnelly (65)
18. Cillian Buckley for Fogarty (73)
1. Eanna Murphy
2. Jack Grealish, 3. Gearoid McInerney, 5. Padraic Mannion
6. Daithi Burke, 7. Joseph Cooney, 4. TJ Brennan
9. Ronan Glennon, 10. Cathal Mannion
11. Conor Cooney, 15. Evan Niland, 8. Cianan Fahy
12. Kevin Cooney, 13. Conor Whelan, 14. Brian Concannon
Subs:
22. Jason Flynn for C.Cooney (58)
17. Fintan Burke for Glennon (60)
23. Liam Collins for Fahy (65)
21. Declan McLoughlin for Whelan (69)
Referee: Johnny Murphy (Limerick)
Written by Robert Cribbin
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