Hoban hails two-goal hero Walsh’s intervention

Kilkenny. The name itself conjured images of dread to the opposition with images of black and amber warriors ruthlessly going for goals.

At Croke Park yesterday, Kilkenny minor manager Pat Hoban watched his side hit two and seal the county’s 21st All-Ireland minor crown.

Corner-forward John Walsh breached the Limerick rearguard twice in the second-half to deliver the silverware; the game’s two most crucial strikes, insisted Hoban.

“The difference was that Limerick had chances. In the first-half one went out by the post,” he stressed.

“In the second-half they saw a 21-yard free blocked. We got a couple of goal chances and they went in. That was the difference in the end.

“I think at different times we took the game to Limerick early on. We had a three, four-point cushion. We let them back into it. They missed their goal chances. We took ours. Our goalkeeper made one or two crucial saves and that is what goalkeepers are there to do.

“John [Walsh] is a fantastic talent. We have been using him off the bench all year. We gave him a chance today and he really took it. It has been a tough year for John. His mother died back in March so personally, I am really, really thrilled for the chap.

“I am absolutely over the moon. I can’t believe it yet. It is still a bit of a shock. Right up to the very end even though we were a couple of points ahead it was but, but, but. I am just delighted, delighted for the players.”

The Kilkenny victory stood far removed from their 2-8 to 0-3 Leinster first-round hammering at the hands of Dublin in late April. An early setback admitted Hoban, but the management team never lost faith.

“I did believe it was possible to win an All-Ireland despite that defeat. I am not just saying that. They have been very talented coming up the ranks. A lot of them have won a colleges All-Ireland. We were just conscious of getting them together, spending a bit of time together and getting them to gel. Maybe it was the kick in the arse we needed. Once we got that we got back on the horse.

“When you lose you are looking for excuses. On the day, Dublin were the better team. They out-muscled us. We just couldn’t score. That’s done and dusted. When history is written nobody will mention that game. It will just say: All-Ireland champions 2014 and title number 21 for Kilkenny.”

He added: “Limerick are a great side and they have put huge work into that team. They came here as true Munster champions, they blew Galway away in the semi. They were overwhelming favourites. That was based on fact as opposed to fiction. We knew we had a challenge.

“We knew if we gave them a lead it was going to be a tough, tough battle. As the stadium filled we were hoping the Kilkenny supporters would get behind the lads, giving them something to shout for. When we were three or four points up it gave the lads real momentum.

“We knew we had to play way above anything we had played like this year and I think we did.”