Revitalised Cats secure shot at redemption against Galway

By Paul Keane

If you’re working purely off form lines you may not give Kilkenny much of a chance of claiming a first All-Ireland minor title since 2014 when the final rolls around.

After holding firm to see off Tipperary, the Munster champions, they will narrow their focus now on the challenge of Galway, the holders, in that decider on August 19.

Unfortunately for Kilkenny, that’s a Galway side that beat Dublin by 15 points in the first semi-final on Saturday, the same Dublin that fired six goals past Kilkenny in the Leinster final.

Kilkenny manager Richie Mulrooney argued that a lot has changed since that provincial decider defeat, however, with his young players now preparing for their 10th game of a marathon campaign.

He described the Dublin defeat in late June as perhaps a ‘blessing in disguise’ as they have bounced back with some strong form.

They’ve beaten Limerick and now Tipperary since that provincial final loss though, significantly, did lose to Galway at the quarter-final group stage by seven points.

“No matter how we tried to pick up the players after the Leinster final, they were devastated,” said Mulrooney.

“Not by the defeat, you can be beaten any day, but the manner of it. Our response and our new defence, if you like to call it that, has conceded very little from play since then.

"It’s amazing we’ve now played nine games. I was last in charge of the Kilkenny minors from 2009 to 2010 and over those three years — and we got to the All-Ireland final in all three years, winning two — we played 16 games.”

Jamie Harkin was superb in defence while Jack Morrissey and goalscorer Ciarán Brennan impressed in attack though Mulrooney described it as the ultimate team win.

“They were very, very impressive against Dublin on Saturday and it’s very hard to find a weak link in that Galway team,” said Mulrooney.

“But our lads are good skilful hurlers as well, our work rate has improved an awful lot since the Leinster campaign.

"I know Jamie got the man-of-the-match, and he was great, but I would find it very difficult to pick any one player over anyone else because it was just a real team effort.”

Tipp might rue the decision not to start Mikey O’Shea because he turned the game when introduced, scoring 2-1 in the second half alone.

The Munster champions trailed 1-7 to 0-4 at half-time after conceding 1-3 without reply just before the break, the goal a rasping groundstroke from Ciaran Brennan.

But O’Shea sniped his first goal in the 43rd minute after a clever pull back from James Devaney.

He added a point and then shortened the hurl for a clever second goal in the 56th minute to leave just two in it, setting up a thrilling finale.

Kilkenny never panicked and picked off vital points to keep daylight between the sides.

Scores from Morrissey and sub Eoin Guilfoyle were the perfect response to that second O’Shea goal.

That left four in it again and gave Kilkenny a vital cushion as Tipp clawed back late points through Jack Lanigan and Devon Ryan.

Scorers for Kilkenny:

C. Brennan (1-2); J. Morrissey and J. Buggy (2 frees) (0-4 each); C. Kelly (1 free), D. Coogan, C. O’Leary, K. Hogan and E. Guilfoyle (0-1).

Scorers for Tipperary:

M. O’Shea (2-1); D. Ryan (0-3, 1 free); C. Whelan (0-2, 2 frees); S. Hayes, J. Devaney, J. Morrissey and J. Lanigan (0-1 each).

KILKENNY:

J. Brennan; P. Dempsey, J. Young, D. Crehan; D. Maher, S. Staunton, J. Harkin; C. Kelly (C), C. Kenny; C. Brennan, J. Buggy, G. Murphy; C. O’Leary, J. Morrissey, D. Coogan.

Subs:

K. Hogan for O’Leary (41); P. Moylan for Coogan (48); E. Guilfoyle for Moylan (52).

TIPPERARY:

A. Browne; K. Hayes, C. Whelan, C. O’Dwyer; J. Ryan (C), S. Phelan, F. Hanafin; M. Hackett, J. Campion; C. O’Farrell, R Renehan, K. O’Kelly; D. Ryan, S. Hayes, J. Devaney.

Subs:

J. Morrissey for Hackett (25); M. O’Shea for Renehan (28); K. Maher for Campion (46); J. Lanigan for Devaney (48); K. Ryan for J. Ryan (56).

Ref:

R. McGann (Clare).