Christy Walsh laments slow start as Mayo outfox Kilkenny

Mayo 1-12 Kilkenny 0-8: Kilkenny’s decision to line out with two sweepers in Saturday’s All Ireland Junior Championship semi-final had backfired spectacularly within 20 minutes, as Mayo opened up a 1-5 to no score lead at O’Connor Park.

It was an advantage that Kilkenny failed to reel in despite a competitive showing over the final two-thirds of the tie.

“Like any team facing up against overwhelming favourites, we wanted to make sure not to allow them to get two or three goals and finish us,” was the verdict of Cats manager Christy Walsh afterwards, though he acknowledged the opening period left his team with a mountain to climb.