Kilkenny anxious to reverse goal-shy Galway fortunes

HAVING come out second best against Wexford in the last three meetings, Galway midfielder Orla Kilkenny knows things have to change if they’re to win at Slaneyside in their All Ireland opener this evening.

“We have tried to rejig our style,” she said.

“We are working on something different so hopefully something will come of it. We have converted a few forwards to backs – people might be a little bit surprised by our team selection.

“For instance, Therese Maher is playing centre back. My sister Niamh is gone from wing back to wing forward. At this stage nobody knows where they might be playing.

“We are trying to strengthen our back line. Physically we were probably letting players in too easily, conceding goals last year. We are also working on our forwards. In the 2008 final we got one goal from play in the first half and last year in the All Ireland final we got one point from play in the first half.

“I don’t want to be too critical of the forward line but we scored four points from play in the league final – two came from midfield and one came from wingback.

“Only one came from the entire front line. Plus, we are not threatening other keepers. We don’t score an awful lot of goals.”

The league final defeat was a bitter pill to swallow, she admits. “We were really demoralised after the league final,” Orla added.

“To be honest it took us a long time to regroup again. We were so disappointed by our performance. We came back to level the game but gave away a poor penalty and then they pulled away. It came down to their ability to get goals and our inability to get goals. I don’t think we tested their keeper once”

“Now, it is all down to Wexford in Wexford. There is more than the two points on offer – there is a bit of pride at stake too.

“They have beaten us the last three times we’ve met. This is a huge game for us to win. It will be like the All-Ireland final all over again. We are not even looking at the other games.”