Pointslinger supreme Shefflin shoots down Tribesmen

Michael Moynihan on the attacking talents of Galway and Kilkenny.

IN a comparison between the respective sharpshooters of Kilkenny and Galway last Saturday Henry Shefflin certainly comes out on top. Kilkenny bossed the game for long periods, which meant a better supply coming into him, but he was also more involved than Ger Farragher and Damien Hayes, the principal Galway attacking threats.

Shefflin looks like the answer to the perennial question of where to play your scoring threat, whether close to goal or out the field, as the Ballyhale Shamrocks man drifts between the forward lines.

Farragher and Hayes both started in the full-forward line and the latter stayed there, obviously in the hope of getting a goal chance. However, it’s worth pointing out that Shefflin was marked by Tony Óg Regan while Farragher and Hayes were picked up by Noel Hickey and JJ Delaney initially, two far more resolute defenders. That should be taken into consideration when evaluating performance. Both sides started well, with Shefflin pointing a free from distance in the first minute and Hayes cutting cross-field in front of Farragher to equalise a minute later.

Hayes also hit the post just afterwards with a point attempt from distance, and when Tony Óg Regan beat Sheffflin to the ball on four minutes it looked like it might be Galway’s day. Shefflin pointed a close-in free on six minutes and missed from play while on the sideline just after that. On 12 minutes Shefflin was embroiled in a mini-melee and that seemed to wake him up – he moved out to right-half-forward, won a ball that led to a free he pointed, and then drifted between the full and half-forward lines for the remainder of the half to devastating effect.

At the other end Hayes popped up at the edge of the square but had his shot smothered by James McGarry when a goal that might have turned the game; Farragher had a shot for a point blocked on 18 minutes .

Shefflin pointed from play on 19 minutes, Hayes then won a free which was pointed, and Farragher pointed from play in the 23rd minute before Shefflin cut loose: three points from play between the 24th and 27th minute. At that stage Kilkenny were 2-8 to 0-5 up, with Shefflin contributing seven points. On 29 minutes he placed Lyng for another point to make it 2-10. Galway tried to bring Farragher into the game and moved him to right-half-forward, but Tommy Walsh gave the Castlegar man little room.

Hayes drifted outfield to get involved as well, but apart from placing Farragher for a point from play on 34 minutes, couldn’t get into the game. After the break Farragher was centre-forward, on a rampant John Tennyson, and Hayes back at top of the right. Shefflin began the half on the wing and resumed where he left off, pointing two frees and a 65 in the first five minutes to bring his total to ten points. On 44 minutes he fed Eoin Larkin for a point and a minute after that pointed a 65 to conclude his day’s scoring at 0-11. Kilkenny were 2-19 to 0-8 up at this point, but Farragher pointed a free and a 65 in the 47th and 48th minutes.

Hayes was also getting more involved, with two good possessions in the 50th and 52nd minutes, but nothing came of them. Then came the Derek Lyng red card and Galway got some freedom to supply ball: David Tierney’s 58th minute goal came after great Hayes foraging, but on the 63rd minute Farragher was floored going through to halt another Galway move.

It looked like a free but the play continued, and Farragher was called ashore just afterwards for Kerril Wade. Within a minute a Hayes pass had found Wade for a penalty which Cloonan converted, and Hayes himself pointed on 66 minutes, but it was too little too late.

Shefflin moved outfield when Lyng was sent off and found Martin Comerford with a great crossfield ball for a point, but Kilkenny couldn’t find him with the ball as they came under the cosh late on. He missed a 65 in the 70th minute – one of his few errors in a productive afternoon – and ended with 0-11 (0-5 f, 0-2 65s); Farragher ended with 0-5 (0-2 f, 0-1 65) and Hayes with (0-2).

Perhaps we should have expected it: even as the teams ran out Shefflin looked more focused, knocking a Galway sub’s hurley to the ground as he came onto the field. Even before the ball was thrown in his eye was sharp.