Kilkenny claim second win, but new injuries a concernKILKENNY 3-22, CARLOW 1-14
John Knox
19 May 2019
Kilkenny employed the shock early treatment and hit Carlow for two quick goals as they took control of this second round game in the Leinster senior hurling championship in Netwatch Cullen Park today.
A goal after only 18 seconds from Colin Fennelly and then a second from Ger Aylward on seven minutes left Carlow 2-2 to 0-1 behind against the breeze assisted winners.
Kilkenny didn’t let up during this period as TJ Reid and midfielder, Richie Leahy, got through some terrific hurling. Reid blasted home a 29th minute penalty following a foul on Bill Sheehan to fire Kilkenny into a strong interval lead of 3-9 to 0-3.
It could have been an awful lot worse for Carlow. The visitors ran up 13 wides during that period.
It was game over then really, but to be fair, Carlow put in a strong second half. The home side scored 1-11 during this period, at one time out-scoring the opposition by 1-5 to 0-1.
In the end Carlow succeeded in keeping the finishing gap closer than when the teams last met in the championship in 1993 (18 points against 14 yesterday).
The win came at a cost to Kilkenny, however, although this second success leaves them firmly on the road into the next phase of the championship.
The bad news was that Colin Fennelly pulled up with a hamstring strain, and Walter Walsh was taken off at half time having reported a tight hamstring. Alan Murphy hobbled off at the finish with an ankle problem and because Kilkenny had already committed five subs they finished with 14 men.
With club games on this Tuesday and Wednesday, manager Brian Cody said he hoped no one else would suffer a knock. He confirmed that Dicksboro defender, Cillian Buckley, was expected to play with his club on Tuesday against Danesfort in John Locke Park (7.30pm).
This would be Buckley’s first game for club or county since last September.
SCORERS: Kilkenny – TJ Reid (1-12); Colin Fennelly, Ger Aylward (1-1); Alan Murphy, John Donnelly (0-2 each); Richie Leahy, Adrian Mullen, Walter Walsh, Billy Ryan (0-1 each). Carlow – Martin Kavanagh (0-5); James Doyle (1-1); Chris Nolan (0-3); Seamus Murphy (0-2); Brian Tracey, David English, Jack Kavanagh (0-1 each).
Kilkenny – Darren Brennan; Paul Murphy, Huw Lawlor, Tommy Walsh; Conor Fogarty, Padraig Walsh, Paddy Deegan; Alan Murphy, Richie Leahy; Adrian Mullen, Walter Walsh, TJ Reid; Bill Sheehan, Colin Fennelly, G Aylward. Subs – Liam Blanchfield for Fennelly (inj); John Donnelly for W. Walsh (inj); Billy Ryan for Aylward; Jason Cleere for Deegan; Martin Keoghan for Leahy.
Carlow – Brian Tracey; Kevin McDonald, Paul Doyle, Michael Doyle; Eoin Nolan, David English, Richard Coady; Jack Kavanagh, Sean Whelan; John Michael Nolan, Martin Kavanagh, Edward Byrne; James Doyle, Seamus Murphy, Chris Nolan. Subs – Alan Corcoran for P. Doyle (inj); Ted Joyce for E. Byrne; Jack Murphy for S. Whelan; Diarmuid Byrne for J. Kavanagh; Ross Smithers for J. Doyle.
Referee – Alan Kelly (Galway).
By Mary Morgan Sun 19th May
