Lyng holds special praise for Buckley and overall bench impact 

Add in Cillian Buckley’s matchwinner to the impact off the bench and the Kilkenny reserves supplied 2-4.

DREAMLAND: Cillian Buckley and Kilkenny manager Derek Lyng after their side's victory. Pic: Harry Murphy/Sportsfile

When Galway and Kilkenny met in the round-robin six weeks ago, it was the visitors to UPMC Nowlan Park who got the more significant bounce from their bench.

Galway’s back-up cast might only have contributed three points that Sunday afternoon on Noreside, but for a team chasing a six-point deficit in the final quarter, they were three very important white flags.