Leinster SHC: Galway produce late rescue mission to haul in Kilkenny
CAPTAIN'S EFFORT: Galway's Conor Whelan scores a point to equalise. Pic: Laszlo Geczo
The latest instalment in the rivalry between Galway and Kilkenny delivered an exciting finish once more, with the Tribesmen this time producing the late drama to ensure a share of the spoils.
Galway captain Conor Whelan rescued a draw when he pointed in the fifth minute of added time just when it seemed Leinster champions Kilkenny did enough to prevail after a slow start.
Kilkenny looked set for victory when TJ Reid put them two in front going into injury-time but after Evan Niland, who made a huge impact off the bench, reduced the margin, Whelan saved Galway with his last gasp score in front of a crowd of 9,631.
Galway won the toss and opted to play against the strong wind in the opening and they went in trailing by 0-16 to 1-9 after Kilkenny finished the half strongly.
Galway got on top initially and were good value for their 0-4 to 0-1 lead after seven minutes with two points from Cathal Mannion and one apiece from Brian Concannon and Cianan Fahy.
Kilkenny, like Galway operating a two-man full-forward line, reduced the gap with efforts from Martin Keoghan and John Donnelly, but it took them until the end of the first quarter to get back on level terms when they hit three points in a row to tie the game at 0-7 apiece, before Keoghan, who hit 0-4 in the first half, edged Kilkenny in front for the first time.
But then Galway struck for a goal. Captain Whelan fed Brian Concannon who set up his cousin Cathal Mannion but rather than pick off an easy point he threaded the ball across and Gavin Lee found the net for the second week in a row with a low shot to the left corner.
Earlier new Kilkenny goalkeeper Aidan Tallis did well to save from Mannion and they responded well to the concession of the goal with TJ Reid and Keoghan drawing them level with points.
Galway lost corner-back Darren Morrissey to a shoulder injury, with TJ Reid restoring Kilkenny’s lead with a free.
Two more points from Mannion — Galway’s only scores before the break after scoring the goal in 19th minute — cut the gap to the minimum, but Kilkenny finished the half strongly with five points without reply.
Reid got two of them, one from play, with Keoghan getting another along with corner-back Mikey Butler after Tom Phelan shot his second to take a four-points lead into the break.
The sides twice exchanged points in the opening four minutes of the second half with Lee and Whelan scoring for Galway and John Donnelly and Phelan hitting the target for the Cats.
David Blanchfield went forward to point for Kilkenny to put them five in front but after Lee reduced the margin, Galway got a break when Tallis batted down a long ball from Cooney and Brian Concannon pounced for a goal.
Whelan tied the sides immediately afterwards for the fifth time and they were still level at 2-16 to 0-22 after 51 minutes before Kilkenny hit four in a row before Galway rallied again.
Niland’s accuracy from long range frees made a huge difference for Galway with the Clarinbridge clubman even hitting one from almost 110 metres with the wind between him.
Galway also brought on Johnny Glynn for his first action in five years but the New Yorker was denied a match-winning goal when Tallis dived low to prevent an effort from close range in the closing minutes.
Reid eighth point looked like it would be enough for the Cats to prevail but then he was penalised for over-carrying after making a superb catch from a Tallis puckout.
Kilkenny were understandably aggrieved with the decision of Waterford referee Thomas Walsh, who had a good game, and Niland kept his nerve to cut the gap to the minimum from 65 metres on the right three minutes into added time.
There was still enough time for one more play and Galway made it count with Whelan shooting the equaliser from 55 metres to snatch a share of the spoils.
E Niland 0-7 (0-6 frees), G Lee 1-2, C Mannion 0-5, B Concannon 1-1, C Whelan 0-3, C Cooney 0-3 (0-2 frees, 0-1 ’65) C Fahy 0-2.
TJ Reid 0-8 (0-6 frees, 0-1 ’65), J Donnelly 0-4, M Keoghan 0-4, T Phelan 0-3, C Kenny 0-3, R Reid 0-2, J Molloy 0-2, B Ryan 0-1, M Butler 0-1, D Blanchfield 0-1.
D Fahy; D Morrissey, F Burke, P Mannion; S Linnane, C Fahy, Daithi Burke; R Glennon, David Burke; G Lee, T Monaghan, B Concannon; C Mannion, C Cooney, C Whelan.
J Grealish for Morrissey (28), E Niland for Monaghan (42), J Glynn for Concannon (58), J Cooney for David Burke (58), J Flynn for Lee (69).
A Tallis; M Butler, H Lawlor, T Walsh; D Blanchfield, P Deegan, S Murphy; C Kenny, R Reid; M Keoghan, J Donnelly, T Phelan; B Ryan, TJ Reid, L Hogan.
O Wall for Hogan (42), J Molloy for Ryan (48), D Corcoran for R Reid (72), G Dunne for Keoghan (72).
T Walsh (Waterford).
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