Slick Galway too good for Kilkenny footballersGALWAY 2-22, KILKENNY 2-8
John Knox
7 Jul 2018
Kilkenny were brave and honest but even those admirable qualities were not enough to bridge the gulf in class when they fell to a slick Galway outfit in the All-Ireland junior football semi-final at sun drenched Nowlan Park today.
The losers enjoyed the best of things early on, even if they got a quick reminder of the potential of the opposition.
Galway opened with a brace of lovely points from deadly attacker, Pádraic Cunningham, followed by a third from Gary Kelly in the second minute to show they meant business.
However, on four minutes Kilkenny snatched a lovely goal to draw level. Centre-back Patrick McConigley started the move from deep that was continued by the powerful Michael Malone and Edward Moylan before John Walsh punched the ball into the net (0-3 to 1-0).
Within seconds Gary Kelly kicked a free to win back the lead for Galway, who put the foot to floor from there to the rest. With goals from Jonathan Ryan (16th minute) and Matthew Reddington (23rd minute) and a handful of point from Cunningham they led by 2-12 to 1-3 at the break.
Michael Malone kicked the first point of the second half for Kilkenny, but after that normal business was resumed despite the losers best efforts.
Home goalie J.J. O’Sullivan brought off two superb saves during the half to keep Kilkenny in a respectable position, which was boosted by two closing points from sub Conor O’Connor and John Walsh.
Galway play Kerry in the final in two weeks time.
SCORERS: Galway – J. Ryan (1-4, two points frees); P. Cunningham (0-7); G. Kelly (0-6, two frees); M. Reddington (1-1); M. Day (0-2); A. Ó Laoi, S. Gaffney (0-1 each). Kilkenny – J. Walsh (1-2); M. Jones (1-0); I. Duggan (0-2, one free); M. Malone, S. Stapleton, C. O’Carroll (0-1 each); M. Kenny (0-1, free).
Galway – M. Breathnach; E. O’Sullivan, S. Cunniffe, C. Reilly; A. Ward, S. Ó Currin, D. O’Reilly; A. Molloy, M. Day; P. E. Ó Curraoin, A. Ó Laoi, T. Gleeson; J. Ryan, P. Cunningham, G. Kelly. Sub – M. Reddington for T. Gleeson (black card); A. Ó hIarnáin for O Curraoin; D. Hennessy for A. Molloy; O. Canney for S. Ó Currin; S. Gaffney for P. Cunningham; T. Rabbitte for G. Kelly.Kilkenny – J.J. O’Sullivan; A. Duggan, R. O’Hara, P. Kelly; M. Gaffney, P. McConigley, S. Kelly; S. Dowd, M. Malone; M. Kenny, J. Culleton, S. Stapleton; E. Moylan, I. Duggan, J. Walsh. Sub – J. Fennelly for P. Kelly; L. Hickey for McConigley; M. Jones for O’Hara; C. Joyce for M. Kenny; J. Power for S. Dowd; C. O’Carroll for E. Moylan;
Referee – S. Lonergan (Tipperary).
U-16 Development Squad
(Seamus Norris)
Kilkenny Under-16 Gaelic Football Development Squad continued preparations for the 2019 Leinster Minor Championship with a challenge game versus Galway development squad in Nowlan Park, which acted as the curtain raiser to the All-Ireland Junior football semi-final. It was a wonderful sight to see 40 young Kilkenny footballers togged out in the black and amber run out on to the beautiful green sod of Nowlan Park in gorgeous bright sunshine and perform very competitively against a more experienced Galway side. The difference on the scoreboard in the end was only three points, but Kilkenny had many chances to win the game.
Kilkenny more often than not tried to carve open the Galway defence to score goals while Galway chipped in with long range points. At half time Kilkenny trailed 3-3 to 2-8. Defensively Kilkenny did very well and it was notable the ability of the Kilkenny lads to win the high ball. The speed and work rate of the Kilkenny boys was unquestionable. Kilkenny pushed Galway very hard in the second half but could not take enough of opportunities to peg Galway back. Twenty-seven of the panel which has 19 clubs represented saw game time and Kilkenny still remained competitive until the very end. This is the second year that the juvenile football game has been promoted in Nowlan Park and is proving very popular and a great initiative from Kilkenny County Board to promote Gaelic Football.
Scorers: Vincent O’Grady, Braedon Wheeler (1-1 each), Conor Walsh, Evan O’Shea, Jack Skehan (1-0 each), Fionn Blanche, Sean O’Neill, Pierce Blanchfield (0-1 each).
Team: Jack Conway (Mooncoin), Francis Moore (Piltown), Oísin Henerbry (Mooncoin), Sean O’Dwyer (Mooncoin), Senan Doyle (Blacks & Whites), Gavin Manning (Young Irelands – Capt.), Ryan Murphy (Blacks & Whites), Fionn Blanche (Kilmacow), Conor Walsh (Mullinavat), John McNamara (O’Loughlin Gaels), Evan O’Shea (Piltown), Tommy Coogan (Erins Own), Pierce Blanchfield (Graignamanagh) Vincent O’Grady (O’Loughlin Gaels), Ian Byrne (Glenmore)
Subs: Sean O’Neill (Piltown, Oísin Carroll (Carrickshock), Rory O’Connor (Dicksboro), Liam Treacy (Thomastown), Braedon Wheeler (Piltown), Aidan Walsh (Piltown), Donnacha Hogan (Mooncoin), Tommy Phelan (Young Irelands), Pierce Blanchfield (Graignamanagh), Jack Skehan (Thomastown), Conor Fitzpatrick (Young Irelands), Jack Kennedy (Blacks & Whites)
Extended Panel: Brogan McAviney (Young Irelands), Callum Arthurs (Tullogher Rosbercon), Cormac Rafter (St. Lachtains), David Maher (Mullinavat), Eoghan O’Neill (Dicksboro), Fergal Suffin (Kilmacow), Ian Kelly (Young Irelands), James Carroll (Dicksboro), Michael Prendergast (Blacks & Whites), Nick Doheny (Dicksboro), Paddy Reagan (Kilmacow), Richard McEvoy (Lisdowney), Ruaidhri Delaney (Rower Inistioge)
Management Team; Seamus Norris (Piltown), Angelo Cullen (Danesfort), Thomas Rossiter (Danesfort), Murt Flynn (Tullogher Rosbercon).
Galway Panel: James Ganley (Kilconly), Jamie Burke (monivea Abbey), Jamie Collins (Monivea Abbey), Dylan Joyce (Caherlistrane), Cian Davin (Kilconly), Morgan Morrin (Claregalway), Darragh McAndrew (Annaghdown), Eoin Coleman (Ballinasloe), Cathal Meehan (Dunmore McHales), Joe Fahy (Killererin), Darrgh Burke (Monivea Abbey), Cian Poland (Ballinasloe), Dean Burke (Claregalway), Conor Munroe (Claregalway), Robbie Colleran (Mountbellew/Moylough), Sean Walkin (Dunmore McHales), Jonathon Mannion (Kilconly), Frankie Quinn St. Brendans), Jack Lambert (Corofin) Darragh Curry (Annaghdown), James Hogan (Cortoon Shamrocks), Mikey Murray (Loughrea), Daire King (Monivea Abbey), Conor Hibbitt (Caltra)
Management Team: Stephen Faulkener, Shane Mockler, Shane Nally, James Mannion.
By Mary Morgan Sun 8th Jul
