Galway stun Kilkenny with comeback to claim Leinster minor hurling title 

Galway rattle off 2-6 unanswered in the last quarter to force extra-time as they eventually won by a point

Conor O'Neill, left, and Gus Lohan of Galway celebrate. Pic: Ben McShane/Sportsfile

Leinster MHC final: Galway 3-20 Kilkenny 3-19 (After extra-time)

It took a while for the hay to spark off in the unseasonally cold and wet conditions in Portlaoise, but eventually this Leinster final turned into a real barn-burner in O’Moore Park, one that saw Galway rattle off 2-6 unanswered in the last quarter to force extra-time en route to a memorable victory.

Galway won the round robin game between the two sides and looked like the form team in this championship before tonight, but for 45 minutes, Kilkenny were clearly the better side. Joe Dowling was their leading scorer up front but there was real balance to their attack, while Jack Treacy swept up a world of ball as a deep-lying centre back and Matthew Corr was tireless at midfield.

Dowling whipped in a goal after Mark Walsh blocked Ruairí Power’s initial effort to help the Cats to a 1-10 to 0-6 interval lead, but Galway got the dream start to their wind-assisted second half when Cillian Power scored from a similar rebound with his first touch at the other end.

Anthony Poniard started to show his class with scores and the switch that put Gus Lohan to centre forward and moved Eoghan McClearn back to midfield looked like a masterstroke, or it did until Kilkenny hit 2-2 in three minutes, their goals coming from Power and Brion Walsh.

Another score would surely have wrapped up the win, but it never came. Meanwhile Tadhg Mac Cártaigh and Poniard rattled in superb goals, setting up one last attack where Mac Cártaigh won a free right out on the sideline and Michael Coen showed nerves of steel to nail the free and force an additional 20 minutes.

Without ever racking up too many scores, Galway owned the ball in extra-time and edged two up before just about holding on to win their second provincial title since joining this championship in 2023.

SCORERS FOR GALWAY: M Coen 0-11 (0-9f, 0-1 65), A Poniard 1-4, T Mac Cártaigh 1-3, C Power 1-0, D Dillon 0-2 SCORERS FOR KILKENNY: J Dowling 1-10 (0-7f), B Walsh 1-4, R Power 1-2, J Kavanagh 0-1, J Walsh 0-1, J Bolger 0-1 GALWAY: M Walsh; J Cahill, D Shaughnessy, E Whyte; C Lynskey, U Leen, C Donoghue; J Egan, G Lohan; E McClearn, T Mac Cártaigh, T McAdam; C Larkin, M Coen, A Poniard.

Subs: C Power for Larkin (half-time), J McMahon for Lynskey (half-time), C O’Neill for Cahill (46), U O’Connor for Egan (48), D Dillon for Whyte (55), Larkin for Mac Cártaigh (80+3).

KILKENNY: E O'Gorman; M Meany, S Kavanagh, S Corcoran; P Grace, J Treacy, O Phelan; J Bolger, M Corr; J Kavanagh, C O'Neill Pembroke, J Dowling; B Walsh, L Corcoran, R Power.

Subs: J Walsh for Kavanagh (42), G McHugh for O’Neill Pembroke (55), D Lawlor for Grace (56), C Franks for Corr (60+2), A Holohan for S Corcoran (60+4), S Morrissey for L Corcoran (76), P Purcell for Meany (80).

REFEREE: Matthew Farrell (Offaly).