Pulsating finish, right result
You could write a book in attempting to describe all that happened in Tullamore yesterday in this mesmerising Leinster SHC semi-final. Or we could just describe the denouement, the final two acts of the game, the two points scored in the last 30 seconds of added time.
First, with Galway having overturned a 10-point Kilkenny lead to tie the game through a Joe Canning penalty in the first minute of injury-time, there was Henry Shefflin taking a pass wide on the left, soloing up along the sideline before shooting off his ‘weaker’ left, on the run, from just outside the 20m line — straight between the posts. A point worthy of winning any game, a point surely to win this one and thus did the Kilkenny-striped thousands in the 12,548 shirt-sleeved attendance celebrate.
But of course it wasn’t over. Fast and long keeper Colm Callanan hit the Galway puckout, the ball broke to Joe Canning and from an almost identical position but under a hell of a lot more pressure, Joe did what Henry had just done at the other end. Split the posts. The King. The Crown Prince. Two regal exponents of the sport. It was fitting, truly fitting.
It was also fair. Underdogs they were coming into the game but from the beginning it was obvious that Galway had come to O’Connor Park to play, laid down many a physical marker throughout the field but also showed their full array of skills.
Full-forward Niall Burke opened the scoring inside the first minute and though Kilkenny rattled off three in reply (midfielder Richie Hogan and two from Colin Fennelly, both of whom would star), Galway fought back and the teams were tied at six points apiece after an entertaining 18 minutes.
It was only starting, however. The first of the eight goals came in the 25th minute and as so often before, it fell to Eoin Larkin, breaking on to a long Eoin Murphy free, Eoin’s miss-hit shot from close quarters catching Callanan wrong-footed.
That Kilkenny lead was short-lived though. Niall Burke — giving Kilkenny veteran JJ Delaney a torrid time — getting on the end of an Andrew Smith centre (fine game also by Andrew before retiring injured in the 50th minute) to flick home; 1-8 to 1-6, 30th minute.
Again momentum changed and it was Kilkenny before the break, midfielder Padraig Walsh with two long-rangers to tie it up at 1-9 each.
Fine fare indeed, but still it was only warming up. Second half and again it was Galway opening the scoring, Jonathan Glynn doing the necessary. Oh, what an inspired sub Jonny would prove to be.
The next 18 minutes would see each side score 1-3, Colin Fennelly with the Kilkenny goal after a pass from Mark Kelly, Joe Canning rifling a penalty to the net for Galway after Jonny Glynn had his jersey pulled in the act of the shooting.
Now though came the real drama. From the 54th minute to the 63rd — just nine minutes — Kilkenny hit 1-8 without reply, the kind of crucially-timed scoring run that normally sees them crush any and all opposition. First it was seven straight points, free-taker TJ Reid with three, subs Tommy Walsh (introduced at wing-forward for out-of-sorts Walter Walsh) and Aidan Fogarty with one apiece. The goal, probably the pick of the bunch on the day, Tommy Walsh picking out TJ Reid with a pinpoint drilled pass, TJ then beating Callanan with a drilled shot, adding a point a couple of minutes later to give Kilkenny a seemingly insurmountable ten-point lead (3-20 to 2-13) with only six minutes left on the clock.
And the seemingly impossible happened. It started innocuously enough, a couple of points for Galway, but even one of those was almost instantly negated, Shefflin (61st minute sub) fouled after a soaring puckout catch, TJ pointing the free.
Then came a Galway goal (67m, Conor Cooney, final pass by Joe Canning), another Galway goal (68m, Cooney again, Joseph Cooney cross), and a third Galway goal (first minute of added time, Joe Canning penalty after Jonny Glynn hauled down by Cillian Buckley). Game tied, 5-15 to 3-21.
That should have been it but referee Johnny Ryan had signalled ‘at least two minutes’ added time, and so we had even more wonder.
“Well Henry came up with the goods, but we live to fight another day,” said Joe Canning. And his own contribution, the two penalty goals, that final point?
“If you’re called upon to take them, you have to stick them. But, look, we’ve won nothing here.”
Yes they have, the admiration of the hurling world.
With so many twists and turns, impossible to choose a single incident as a game-changer — third Galway goal, the fourth, the fifth, the Henry point, the Joe equaliser...
Hurling. Prior to the game much of the talk was of the fantastic fare in this year’s soccer World Cup. After it?
Did Kilkenny just give up a 10-point lead with only six minutes left on the clock? Did Galway make that kind of comeback? Did Henry just point on the run from 20m on the left sideline for the last-minute lead, did Joe just do exactly the same to tie it again only seconds later?
Richie Hogan, Colin Fennelly, Pádraig Walsh starred for Kilkenny, Iarla Tannian, Andrew Smith, Niall Burke for Galway, but Joe Canning’s penalty goals, that equalising point — cometh the hour...
As it was on the pitch, so it is off it, both sides getting their substitutions right (though Niall Burke unlucky to be called ashore for Galway).
Johnny Ryan (Tipperary) is not having the best of seasons, made a recovery here. Missed obvious booking on Ronan Burke for high goal-saving tackle on TJ Reid, 17m.
Do it all again on Saturday, as we return to Tullamore.
Scorers for Kilkenny: TJ Reid (1-8, 7fs), C Fennelly (1-3), R Hogan (0-5, 1f), E Larkin (1-1), P Walsh (0-2), T Walsh, A Fogarty, H Shefflin (0-1 each).
Scorers for Galway: C Cooney (2-7, 4fs, 2 65s), J Canning (2-3, 2-0 pens), N Burke (1-2), J Flynn (0-2), A Smith, J Glynn (0-1 each).
KILKENNY: E Murphy; P Murphy, JJ Delaney, B Kennedy; K Joyce, J Tyrrell, C Buckley; P Walsh, R Hogan; W Walsh, M Kelly, TJ Reid; C Fennelly, R Power, E Larkin.
Subs for Kilkenny: T Walsh for W Walsh (42), A Fogarty for Power (inj. 51), H Shefflin for Kelly (61), B Hogan for Tyrrell (68).
GALWAY: C Callanan; F Moore, R Burke, D Collins; D Burke, I Tannian, J Coen; A Smith, P Brehony; D Burke, N Burke, C Cooney; C Mannion, J Canning (c), J Flynn.
Subs for Galway: J Glynn for Mannion (35), K Hynes for Smith (inj. 50), G McInerney for Brehony (59), J Cooney for D Burke (60), D Hayes for N Burke (62).
Referee: J Ryan (Tipperary).
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