Old guard restore order and ‘good hurlers’ do the business

Kilkenny 3-19 Galway 1-17

And why not? Just six days after shipping a most un-Kilkenny-like 3-3 in the final few minutes of the drawn game to throw away a ten-point lead, this latest edition of the Stripey-men looked much more like one of his all-conquering teams of recent years.

The difference, Brian? “The difference was that they (Galway) ran through us at the end of the game the last day essentially. The reality was that we had a nine-point lead with six minutes to go. You’d be annoyed to lose that lead. But, no excuses, we dropped our guard and they ripped us apart. We went out with a real determination that that wouldn’t be repeated and our defence was very strong, very solid all day.”

This time, there would be no dropping of the guard — in fact there would be a restoration of the old guard, Jackie Tyrrell at left-corner-back, Brian Hogan at centre-back, and both were immense.

They needed to be, because Galway did come to play.

After a hectic start, 1-1 each inside five minutes (man of the match TJ Reid with Kilkenny’s goal, Jason Flynn replying for Galway after Eoin Murphy saved from Andrew Smith, Eoin injuring himself in the process and replaced by David Herity), Galway added three points through Conor Cooney, Iarla Tannian and Flynn again, laying down a marker.

Kilkenny then went on one of their renowned scoring runs, eight points to just one for Galway, indiscipline costing them dearly and gifting point after point to Kilkenny placed ball kingpin TJ Reid, opening up a five-point gap by the 26th minute (1-10 to 1-5). As they had done in the drawn game, however, Galway fought back and there were just two points in it at the break (1-11 to 1-9).

Kilkenny dominated the opening minutes of the second half, four points without reply including one each from the Walsh brothers, Pádraig and Tommy, both operating in the half-forward line, extending the lead to six.

That was something, the Tullaroan brothers forming two-thirds of the half-forward line. While Brian Cody and his selectors weren’t too proud to revisit their decision to drop Brian Hogan and switch Jackie Tyrrell, neither were they about to end their experimenting.

“We went through the league without a settled team. I’ve said many times I’m not concerned about a settled team in the slightest. It’s something we’re supposed to have but I never felt like that. We have a strong panel and the reality is there is no point talking about that unless you’re prepared to use it. We have options, players who can do different things, play in different positions. I’d have a confidence at all times. We didn’t go trusting in God with that team, we went out believing this team was capable of doing the job. Very happy with it all.”

And why wouldn’t he? From that six-point deficit again Galway battled back, two points from their free-taker Conor Cooney, a sideline special from Joe Canning (moved from pillar to post but failing to find solace anywhere), and in the 47th minute they were within three points (1-15 to 1-12).

On this day though Kilkenny were not about to be caught again. Paul Murphy and JJ Delaney were just two of the many Kilkenny players in trouble in the drawn game last Sunday; in this game, as with so many in black-and-amber, they were men transformed. At their end of the field the door was now slammed shut; at the other end, and despite the best efforts of such as the mighty Iarla Tannian, David Collins and Fergal Moore, a breach. In the 53rd minute, after Padraig Walsh had done his best Henry Shefflin impression and ghosted onto a dropping ball, drew a superb save from Callanan – another restored member of the old guard – Aidan Fogarty, first-timed the break to the net. Yet again Galway fought back, to within four this time (Conor Cooney with all five of their points,) but a TJ Reid gallop through the defence, a dozen or so steps with ball in hand as he rounded Callanan, and the ball was in the Galway net for a third time. All over.

Brian Cody is weary of telling us there is no mystery about Kilkenny or the way he manages them; “Good hurlers,” he said on Saturday evening; “You can’t pigeon-hole them and say ‘he can only this or only do that’; those hurlers play hurling and that’s it, they play with confidence and off they go.”

Scorers for Kilkenny: TJ Reid 2-11 (10f); A Fogarty 1-1; P Walsh 0-3; R Hogan 0-2; T Walsh, E Larkin 0-1 each.

Scorers for Galway: C Cooney 0-12 (8f, 0-1 65); J Flynn 1-1; I Tannian, A Smith, D Burke, J Canning (s/l), 0-1 each.

KILKENNY: E Murphy; P Murphy, JJ Delaney, J Tyrrell; J Holden, B Hogan, C Buckley; R Hogan, C Fogarty; T Walsh, P Walsh, TJ Reid; C Fennelly, A Fogarty, E Larkin.

GALWAY: C Callanan; F Moore, R Burke, D Collins; P Killeen, Daithi Burke, I Tannian; A Smith, David Burke; J Cooney, J Canning (c), C Cooney; J Flynn, J Glynn, N Burke.

Subs for Kilkenny: D Herity for Murphy (inj. 8); J Power for Fennelly (52); L Ryan for C Fogarty (58); H Shefflin for T Walsh (62); W Walsh for A Fogarty (68).

Subs for Galway: D Hayes for Killeen (35); J Coen for N Burke (44); A Harte for J Cooney (51); P Brehony for Smith (57); C Mannion for David Burke (57)

Referee: J Owens (Wexford).