Adrian Mullen inspires Kilkenny to win over improving Offaly
STAR MAN: Adrian Mullen of Kilkenny tussles Sam Bourke of Offaly during the Allianz Hurling League Division 1 Group A match between Kilkenny and Offaly at UPMC Nowlan Park in Kilkenny. Photo by Tom Beary/Sportsfile
An Adrian Mullen inspired Kilkenny side maintained their unbeaten start to the Allianz Hurling League when running out seven point winners over an ever improving Offaly outfit at UPMC Nowlan Park.
Mullen has been the leading light in the Kilkenny attack with the absence of TJ Reid and he again put in a storming display as he scored six points from play in total.
Offaly made use of a very strong wind to open up a six point lead at the break and they had big displays from the likes of Dan Ravenhill, Eoghan Cahill and Charlie Mitchell but they were unable to hold off a sustained onslaught from the home side in the second period.
Kilkenny outscored Offaly 0-10 to 0-1 between the start of the second half and the 46th minute and just another few minutes later, Eoin Cody scored a sublime goal that really ended the game as a contest.
Offaly did hit back with a Charlie Mitchell goal late on but by then Kilkenny had done enough on the scoreboard with subs Walter Walsh, Timmy Clifford and Kevin Blanchfield adding to Cody, Mullen and Billy Drennan who provided the majority of the scoring.
It was tit for tat during the early minutes until five points on the trot had Offaly ahead 0-7 to 0-2 by the 14th minute with frees from Eoghan Cahill and efforts from play by Dan Ravenhill and Charlie Mitchell giving the visitors the edge.
Kilkenny remained in touch with Mullen and Drennan providing all but one of their eight point first half tally but seven first half wides will have frustrated Derek Lyng.
Any thoughts of a huge shock were wiped out almost from the time Michael Kennedy threw in the ball for the second half as within a blink of an eye, Cody, Drennan and Shane Murphy had got the deficit back to three points.
Offaly replied with a Cahill free but the Cats were rampant at this stage and further scores from Mullen, goalkeeper Darren Brennan, Walter Walsh and a series of frees from Billy Drennan had Kilkenny in the driving seat.
Eoin Cody was marshalled for a lot of the 70 minutes but he did get free to score his side's only goal in the 48th minute and there was only ever likely to be one winner from that point on as Kilkenny led 1-18 to 0-15.
Offaly kept at it and got that late Mitchell goal but in a performance that you'd probably call patchy at best, Kilkenny did enough to run out good winners in the end.
B Drennan (0-11, 8fs and 2 65's), A Mullen (0-6), E Cody (1-1), J Donnelly (0-2), D Brennan (0-1, 1f), D Blanchfield, S Murphy, K Blanchfield, T Clifford, W Walsh (0-1 each) E Cahill (0-10, 9fs), C Mitchell (1-2), D Ravenhill (0-2), J Sampson, C Kiely, E Kelly, J Clancy, A Screeney (0-1 each).
D Brennan; M Butler, C Delaney, T Walsh; D Blanchfield, D Corcoran, S Murphy; P McDonald, M Carey; A Mullen, C Kenny, J Donnelly; B Drennan, L Blanchfield, E Cody.
W Walsh for McDonald (26), M Keoghan for W.Walsh (57), T Clifford for L.Blanchfield (60), K Blanchfield for Kenny (62), P Moylan for Carey (66).
M Troy; C King, B Conneely, S Bourke; J Sampson, C Kiely, K Sampson; D Ravenhill, D Nally; E Cahill, E Kelly, J Clancy; A Screeney, B Duignan, C Mitchell.
D Bourke for Kiely (26), P Delaney for Clancy (43), O Kelly for Nally (55), D Maher for Ravenhill (65).
Michael Kennedy (Tipperary).
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