'Confidence is high' in Kilkenny camp despite sobering Galway defeat

Keoghan said John Donnelly's red card made life more difficult against Galway but also that Kilkenny must learn how to cope better when they are down a player

Martin Keoghan was speaking at the launch of the 25th annual Circet All-Ireland GAA Golf Challenge in Michael Lyng Motors in Kilkenny. In aid of former Tyrone footballer Catriona McGahan who suffered life-changing injuries on holiday in 2025, this year’s event takes place in Killarney Golf and Fishing Club on October 15 and 16. Pic: Sam Barnes/Sportsfile

It had been nine years since Kilkenny last lost their opening senior championship game but Martin Keoghan maintains the morale is good in the camp.

A second double-digit defeat in the space of six weeks to Galway in Pearse Stadium was not expected, and there is an onus to bounce back straight away against Wexford in UPMC Nowlan Park this Saturday.

Keoghan isn’t hiding from the fact it was another disappointing display in Salthill but insists Kilkenny are capable of going on a winning run.

“We had a good training block before the Galway match and we have a lot of hurling done, a lot of good training done,” says Keoghan. “I think confidence is high. We knew the Galway test was going to be massive up in Salthill but there are still four games to go. There's no reason why we can’t win the four.

“It's a huge test this Saturday against Wexford but I don't think confidence is low, definitely not. There's full focus on getting over Wexford and then anything can happen after that. There's still a lot to be positive about. Things didn't go our way in Galway but we can definitely turn it around, starting with Wexford.” 

Little time will be afforded to what happened last Saturday because there is such a short turnaround but Keoghan knows it wasn’t good enough.

In this situation, the 2025 All-Star is glad the Wexford game is coming around so quickly. “We didn't have the intention to go up there and put in the performance that we did, but that's the way it happened. I suppose we'll have to put it behind us and we can't dwell on it too long.

“You're probably happy that we have a match coming so quick. It's great that you can put it behind you and you can focus 100% on this weekend, which is what we need to do. We're really looking forward to the Wexford challenge.

“Galway happened and we have to accept that it did. We're not happy with that but we can't dwell on it."

Keoghan hardly points any fingers but playing 14 vs 15 for 45 minutes between a black card and a red made life difficult for Kilkenny.

“Even the way Galway play, they find so much space and they move the ball so quick, it made it even more difficult. With the black card there as well now, you have to be able to deal with a team having an extra player. It's not really an excuse at the same time. It's part and parcel of the game now.

“There are going to be teams down to 14 men for 10 minutes at a time or whatever, or longer than that obviously if it's a red card. It's something we're going to have to learn to deal with and we didn't do that well at the weekend.” 

Blending the short passing game with a direct style is still something Kilkenny are trying to work out, Keoghan acknowledges. “I suppose the fact that we have TJ (Reid) back, he's such a target that allows us to go a bit longer as well.

“You definitely have to strike the balance and maybe we didn't get that as much at the weekend. Being down to 14 men probably forced us to work it that bit shorter and try to run it as well, especially against the wind in the second half.

The Tullaroan man is embracing just how big a game Saturday is now for Kilkenny. “When you're playing your rivals, you want it to be the most important match. So, it's great that it's a huge match.

“These are the reasons you play hurling, to play in these big matches. It's great that there's a lot on the line, that's what you want. A lot of lads are on the border there as well so it means an awful lot. Nowlan Park is an added factor."