Cats boss Walsh wary of Dublin challenge
Kilkenny cruised to victory in their quarter-final tie against Offaly a fortnight ago when they had 29 points to spare in a massive 2-31 to 0-8 success, yet Walsh is adamant that tonight’s clash will be different.
“Dublin have four or five senior players who played last Sunday, whereas we have no seniors. They’re top quality players. The barometer is we went up to Parnell Park last year in the final and it was a very good, tight game. They’re coming with a lot of that team again. Dublin won this minor championship three years ago and we realise that they have a very strong team. It’s going to be a big ask and we’ve had to prepare properly.
“We really expected a tougher challenge against Offaly. In fairness, the year before, there wasn’t much between them. Offaly had nine or 10 of that team and it was just unfortunate the way it worked out. They just didn’t fire, it went away on them and it’s very hard to get it back. From our viewpoint, you’re looking for a tough test when you go out. We got that in the first half but we know this is going to be a way tougher challenge.”
Opponents Dublin will be without Cuala defender Paul Schutte who was involved last season as the county senior panellist is currently sidelined with a broken finger. However Schutte’s clubmate David Treacy is back to full fitness in a major boost to Dublin manager Richard Stakelum. Treacy recovered from a hamstring injury to be introduced as a second-half substitute in Dublin’s defeat against Kilkenny in the Leinster SHC last Sunday in Croke Park.
Oisin Gough, Peter Kelly and Liam Rushe, who all started against Kilkenny for the county senior team on Sunday, will be central to Dublin’s hopes of success. For Kilkenny, Ballyhale Shamrocks All-Ireland club winners Alan Cuddihy and Colin Fennelly have important roles at corner-back and midfield respectively.
In attack, the scoring burden will fall to Mark Bergin, who shot 1-9 in their victory over Offaly, while Liam Ryan, Eoin Murphy and James Nolan are other able sharpshooters.
In the other Leinster semi-final, Wexford face Carlow in Wexford Park at 7.30pm. Carlow boss Kevin Ryan, who is also in charge of the county senior side against Laois in the All-Ireland qualifiers next Saturday, will be hoping his team can build on their excellent quarter-final triumph over Laois two weeks ago.
Attacker Paudie Kehoe is their scoring star as he weighed in with 0-10 against Laois, while Denis Murphy, Alan Corcoran and Alan McDonald will also play prominent roles for the Barrowsiders.
Wexford manager Tony Dempsey leads his side into championship action for the first time this year and despite senior panellist Andrew Shore being dropped for disciplinary reasons, they have plenty players with senior experience in Eoin Doyle, Emmet Kent, Harry Kehoe, James Gahan and Paul Morris.
KILKENNY U21: C McGrath; A Cuddihy, C Fogarty, R Doyle; PJ Rowe, K Mooney, D Langton; P Murphy, C Fennelly; M Bergin, JJ Dunphy, L Ryan; E Murphy, W Walsh, J Nolan.
Subs: G Delaney, M Walsh, D Kenny, G Callinan, M Fagan, M Maloney, G Brennan, A Stapleton, D Walton.
WEXFORD U21: M Fanning; B McCormack, P Donnelly, E Doyle; S Murphy, Matthew O’Hanlon, Michael O’Hanlon; E Moore, H Kehoe; P Morris, J Leacy, E Kent; J Reck, J Gahan, L Óg McGovern.
CARLOW U21: K Kehoe; G Kelly, D O’Brien, K McCabe; M Mullins, D Kavanagh, A Corcoran; D Byrne, M Ryan; D English, E Byrne, DJ Rega; P Kehoe, D Murphy, A McDonald.
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