Niland misses out as Galway name team for Leinster U20 final against Kilkenny

Niland's fellow Galway senior Jason Rabbitte has been named on the bench for Wednesday's final

Aaron Niland picked up an injury during Galway's Leinster SHC defeat to Dublin. Pic: ©INPHO/Evan Logan

Aaron Niland will play no part in Wednesday’s Leinster U20 hurling final having not been named in Galway’s matchday panel for the decider against Kilkenny (O’Moore Park, 7.30pm).

The Galway forward, despite being injury-free, did not tog for last Wednesday’s extra-time U20 semi-final win over Wexford, and so when he injured his ankle and had to be subbed off early in the second-half of Saturday’s Leinster SHC defeat to Dublin, it removed all chance of the maroon sharpshooter being involved in this game, which falls four days before the seniors’ trip to Wexford that must yield at least a point to reach the Leinster final.

Fellow Galway senior Jason Rabbitte is again named on the bench for the U20s. Introduced five minutes into the second-half against Wexford last week, Rabbitte hit three points and exerted sizeable influence on an extra-time period which Galway won by 10.

Galway beat Kilkenny by 2-18 to 1-19 in the round-robin phase of the Leinster championship late last month, a game where Niland was again absent and Rabbitte a second-half sub.

Reigning champions Kilkenny, under the watch of Henry Shefflin, are seeking a 29th provincial title at this age-grade. Galway, meanwhile, go in search of a third Leinster crown, their last coming in 2021.

The prize is an All-Ireland final date with Clare at Semple Stadium on Sunday, May 31.

GALWAY: C Callanan (Clarinbridge); T Blake (Oranmore-Maree), M Fallon (Clarinbridge), E O’Reilly (Liam Mellows); J Donnellan (Padraig Pearses), D Campbell (Cappataggle), G Maher (Loughrea); M Burke (Skehana-Mountbellew/Moylough), C Killeen (Loughrea); L Kennedy (Ahascragh-Fohenagh), D Counihan (Clarinbridge), J Shaughnessy (Loughrea); V Morgan (Loughrea), B Callanan (Ardrahan), C Leen (Craughwell).

Subs: A Canning (Portumna), D Quirke (Athenry), G King (Castlegar), C Maloney (Ballygar), H Holmes (Ballygar), S Moran (Castlegar), R Cahalan (Killimordaly) J Rabbitte (Athenry), D Burke (Kinvara).

KILKENNY: J O’Doherty (Mooncoin); M Ahern (Emeralds), R Garrett (Fenians), D Vereker (Glenmore); J Conlon (Young Irelands), J Dollard (Glenmore), M Rohan (Carrickshock); D Barcoe (Clara), B Nevin (Thomastown); A Clifford (Dicksboro), E Lauhoff (James Stephens), G Kelly (O’Loughlin Gaels); J Mullen (Shamrocks Ballyhale), E McDermott (James Stephens), P Lacey (Dicksboro).

Subs: S McGrath (Graigue Ballycallan), K Buggy (Erin’s Own), E Murphy (Dicksboro), J Dowling (Erin’s Own), L Raggett (Dicksboro), S Bergin (James Stephens), R Sweeney (O’Loughlin Gaels), C Byrne (O’Loughlin Gaels), O O’Donovan (John Lockes), E Brennan (Erin’s Own), S Deely (James Stephens).