Galway 1-12
Kilkenny 2-8
Kevin O’Brien reports from Croke Park
GALWAY MINOR HURLERS are back in their second All-Ireland final in three years after a narrow one-point win over Kilkenny in Croke Park.
The Tribesmen were four points behind in the early stages of the second-half, but a Jack Canning penalty in the 39th minute brought them back into the contest.
That set-up a nervy final quarter, with the sides deadlocked until substitute Enda Fahy hit the winning point in the third minute of stoppage time.
Adrian Mullen, who scored 3-38 in Kilkenny’s successful provincial campaign, was well-marshalled by Tribe skipper Darragh Morrissey. Cats talisman Mullen had only a couple of half-chances at goal and Morrissey duly picked up the man-of-the-match award for his efforts.
Portumna talent Canning – the powerful nephew of Joe and Ollie – top-scored for the victors with 1-4, while Sean Bleahane proved an able accomplice and finished with three from play.
Kilkenny scored just 1-2 in the second-half and had Galway been more accurate in front of goal – they hit five wides – they’d have been more comfortable winners.
The Cats did create some goal chances in the second period and Caimin Killeen made a crucial stop on the line from Mullen to deny him a goal.
Jim Ryan handed Kilkenny the perfect start with a well-taken goal inside the opening three minutes. Galway responded well through three big scores by Canning but Kilkenny maintained their cushion throughout the half.
Eoin O’Shea, Eoin Cody and a brace of frees from Mullen left them 1-6 to 0-6 on front at the interval.
After a bright Galway start to the second period, Cody dispatched a goal for the Cats to leave them four in front once again. Galway’s response was clinical. Substitute Donal Mannion made a probing run and was hauled down by Michael Carey in front of goal.
Canning dispatched the penalty into the bottom corner and moments later Bleahane brought Galway on level terms for the first time since the start of the game.
The final quarter was cagey and riddled with mistakes but a brace of Mullen scores were cancelled out by Bleahane and sub Donal Mannion.
Kilkenny centre-forward Conor Heary was dismissed late on for a second yellow after a huge hit on Morrissey.
That left it to Fahy to fire over the game winner from a tight angle in the 63rd minute and end Kilkenny’s All-Ireland hopes.
Scorers for Galway: Jack Canning 1-4 (1-0 pen), Sean Bleahane 0-3, Conor Walsh 0-2 (0-2f), Conor Molloy, Donal Mannion and Enda Fahy 0-1 each.
Scorers for Kilkenny: Eoin Cody 1-1, Adrian Mullen 0-4 (0-2f, 0-1 65), Jim Ryan 1-0, James Brennan, Niall Brassil and Eoin O’Shea 0-1 each.
Kilkenny
1. Dean Mason (Ballyhale Shamrocks)
2. Tommy Ronan (Graigue-Ballycallan)
3. Michael Carey (Young Irelands)
4. Darragh Walsh (Piltown)
5. James Brennan (Erins Own)
6. Conor Flynn (Graigue-Ballycallan)
7. Jordan Molloy (O’Loughlin Gaels)
8. John Dowd (Erins Own)
9. Niall Brassil (James Stephens)
10. Eoin O’Shea (O’Loughlin Gaels)
11. Conor Heary (O’Loughlin Gaels)
12. Jim Ryan (Rower-Inistiogue)
15. Sean Ryan (Graigue-Ballycallan)
14. Adrian Mullen (Ballyhale Shamrocks – captain)
13. Eoin Cody (Ballyhale Shamrocks)
Subs
23. Niall Brennan (Lisdowney) for Brassil (blood sub, 6 – 10)
21. Daithi Barron (Thomastown) for Sean Ryan (48)
24. Jack Kelly (Barrow Rangers) for O’Shea (51)
23. Niall Brennan (Lisdowney) for Jim Ryan (56)
Galway
1. Darrach Fahy (Ardrahan)
2. Caimin Killeen (Loughrea)
3. Daniel Loftus (Turloughmore)
4. Darren Morrissey (Sarsfields – captain)
5. Ronan Glennon (Mullagh)
6. Conor Caulfield (Kilconieron)
7. Mark Gill (Castlegar)
8. Conor Fahy (Padraig Pearses)
9. John Fleming (Meelick Eyrecourt)
12. Ben Moran (Tynagh Abbey Duniry)
11. Conor Walsh (Turloughmore)
10. Martin McManus (Loughrea)
13. Sean Bleahen (Ahascragh Fohenagh)
14. Conor Molloy (Kilnadeema/Leitrim)
15. Jack Canning (Portumna)
Subs
19. Shane Ryan (Clarinbridge) for Fleming (34)
20. Donal Mannion (Cappataggle) for Molloy (34)
21. Conor Elwood (Liam Mellows) for Moran (46)
22. Enda Fahy (Michael Cusacks) for McManus (52)
Referee: Johnny Murphy (Limerick)
Best coach we’ve had in a while.
Gotta take your opportunities, to
Be asked to coach your national team is a great honour, can’t turn it down. Excited to see where we kick on to. Been slow going for many years now feels like we’re getting somewhere tho
Got opportunity to manage his Country good luck to him ! Coached Munster in a difficult period after axel passing ! Spoke from the heart !
Owes Munster absolutely nothing. Took charge of a team that was in transition and rather than come in steady the ship through one of the toughest periods in the club’s history, he developed Munster into a team challengeing for silverware. Ask any Munster fan after Foley’s passing would they have accepted a semi-final Champions Cup and final of a Pro12 at the end of the season, they’d have taken the hand off ya.
Best of luck to him in the South Africa job, can’t deny a man his dream. He’ll be held in high regard amongst almost everyone at Munster.
Still a snake
@Bob Joe: get over it
@Bob Joe: pathetic comment
@Bob Joe: sad Comment !!! Professional Game !!! He was good for Munster !!!!
@Bob Joe: Why?
“Best time of my life” ya right…… Exact same as when every big music act plays in the 3 arena saying “how crazy the Irish fans are and how different it is from everywhere else”
@.: It is though. Irish football fans at the Euros are proof of that.
@Callum: oh come on get real
@Marcodub: I finally liked one of your comments
F@#k the begrudgers, two quality coaches that will be sorely missed, very best of luck to them. New horizons ahead for Munster, where will the journey take us now?
Pity to see him leave but he was offered his dream job
Also he came to Munster and turned things around
He is a bluffer. He didnt make Munster into a team that could win silverware at all like people would have you believe. With his brand of negative rugby you are never going to win a trophy. Munster attack game plan was non exsistent under him. People seem to forget how bad Munster were made look against Saracens and the Scarlets last year, they looked like they were afraid to have the ball against Sarries, ill never forget Duncan Williams putting up a box kick in the sarries 22 after a series of phases not breaking the gainline. Just a team lacking any thought under him, I think its a blessing in disguise.
@Tommy Bread: not as bad as they wer against sarries the year(s) before that. That slaughtering was the most embarrassing game to date.
@thesaltyurchin: okay but a few weeks before that slaughtering they actually beat saracens. I agree Rassie has made Munster harder to beat but they would never win a trophy under him in my opinion. Being just hard to beat isnt good enough for Munster. Rob Penny got munster to two semi finals in two years by actually playing rugby and gave toulon and clermont a bloody good game, unlucky to not go through. Yet Rassie is given hero status for a shambolic showing in the business end of the season.
Why didnt he just jack it in at end of last year ,this is pat lam in connaght written all over it
@Ger Lyons: He couldn’t…six.month notice clause same as Lam.
I don’t think he’s always handled himself in the most genuine manner but he’s a fine coach and for the way he handled the Axel situation alone he deserves huge credit.
@Paul K Murphy: is it the medias fault for directly quoting a Munster player who said the squad were told by Rassie he would be staying on?
He’s essentially been trying to get a job with the springboks from the moment he left for Munster.
I don’t fault the ambition and wish him well. The man’s done a fine job but I think he’s been disingenuous at times.
@Paul K Murphy: we’ll have to wait until the season’s over to see how much of an issue players and staff have.
If Munster tail off you can guarantee it’ll be pointed to.
I don’t begrudge him and I hope he has a positive impact with the Springboks but I do think he has been disingenuous publicly.
@Paul K Murphy: how about “this has been the best 18 months of my life”?
Did he or did he not tell the players privately and the go on to tell the media that he would be staying on as Munster head coach?
Why is he seemingly above criticism?
He’s undoubtedly a good guy and a great coach but he appears to have been disingenuous with his statements regarding his position at Munster.
For the way alone he handled Axel’s psssing the man should be commended. Leaving Munster rugby in a better place. Pity he is going, but good luck Rassie
This guy is so full of it. He is full of the platitudes but has completely suited himself and dumped Munster in it. He has used the province to advance his own career quite callously…. if I was a Munster fan I’d drive him to the airport myself and boot him up the arse onto the plane….
What bullshit to be spouting and for people to be actually buying it… Rob penney played an expansive game plan, got us to two semi finals and people were saying good riddance when he left
Thought he was just on an Erasmus year..
“We thought they knew how to rock in Shelbyville! But nobody rocks like… Springfield!!!”