Kilkenny 1-22
Galway 1-18
Fintan O’Toole reports from Croke Park
KILKENNY’S CLASS SHONE through again today in Croke Park as a phenomenal second-half display won out against Galway to claim the Liam MacCarthy Cup.
Trailing 0-14 to 1-8 at the break, Kilkenny took over in the second-half and once they hit the front in the 47th minute, they never looked back.
Brian Cody’s side dominated the game thereafter to retain their title and a late Joe Canning goal from a 20-yard free was merely a consolation score for the Tribesmen.
The game unfolded in a different fashion in the opening period as Galway took the fight to Kilkenny. They settled well to go 0-4 to 0-2 clear in the 9th minute and fill their fans with hope.
However Kilkenny pounced for a goal in the 13th minute, TJ Reid rattling the net after being placed in space by Walter Walsh. A Reid free moments later left the Cats ahead 1-4 to 0-5 but it didn’t prove a setback for Galway as they pushed forward again.
Canning, Jason Flynn and Conor Whelan all weighed in with some memorable points and they enjoyed a four-point advantage at one stage – 0-12 to 1-5 by the 27th minute.
Kilkenny rallied before the interval yet Canning had the final say of the half as his fine point created a three-point lead for Galway.
Brian Cody’s side emerged a different proposition in the second-half. They quickly wiped out Galway’s lead to draw level at 1-11 to 0-14. David Collins banged over a point form distance to restore Galway’s lead but Kilkenny reeled off six of the game’s next seven points.
Trailing by 1-17 to 0-16 at the midway mark of the second-half, the signs looked ominous for Galway. Collins second point cut the gap to three but Canning missed a free at a vital stage.
From there Kilkenny closed out the game in a clinical fashion with Colin Fennelly (2), Padraig Walsh, Michael Fennelly and Walter Walsh all raising white flags.
Canning’s late shot to the net brought some joy for Galway but it wasn’t going to alter this outcome. Kilkenny, champions once more.
Scorers for Kilkenny: TJ Reid 1-7 (0-4f, 0-2 ’65), Ger Aylward 0-3, Richie Hogan, Walter Walsh, Michael Fennelly, Colin Fennelly, Eoin Larkin 0-2 each, Padraig Walsh, Conor Fogarty 0-1 each.
Scorers for Galway: Joe Canning 1-8 (1-5f), Jason Flynn 0-4 (0-3f), Conor Whelan, David Collins 0-2 each, David Burke, Cyril Donnellan 0-1 each.
Kilkenny
1. Eoin Murphy (Glenmore)
2. Paul Murphy (Danesfort)
3. Joey Holden (captain, Ballyhale Shamrocks)
4. Shane Prendergast (Clara)
5. Pádraig Walsh (Tullaroan)
6. Kieran Joyce Rower (Inistioge)
7. Cillian Buckley (Dicksboro)
8. Michael Fennelly (Ballyhale Shamrocks)
9. Conor Fogarty (Erins Own)
14. Colin Fennelly (Ballyhale Shamrocks)
11. Richie Hogan (Danesfort)
12. TJ Reid (Ballyhale Shamrocks)
13. Ger Aylward (Glenmore)
10. Walter Walsh (Tullogher Rosbercon)
15. Eoin Larkin (James Stephens)
Subs
24. Richie Power (Carrickshock) for Hogan (60)
23. John Power (Carrickshock) for Aylward (62)
Galway
1. Colm Callanan (Kinvara)
4. Padraig Mannion (Ahascragh-Fohenagh)
3. John Hanbury (Rahoon-Newcastle)
2. Johnny Coen (Loughrea)
6. Iarla Tannian (Ardrahan)
7. Daithi Burke (Turloughmore)
5. Aidan Harte (Gort)
8. Andrew Smith (Portumna)
9. David Burke (St Thomas’s)
13. Jason Flynn (Tommy Larkins)
11. Cyril Donnellan (Padraig Pearses)
12. Jonathan Glynn (Ardrahan)
10. Conor Whelan (Kinvara)
14. Joe Canning (Portumna)
15. Cathal Mannion (Ahascragh-Fohenagh)
Subs
22. David Collins (Liam Mellowes) for Harte (24)
21. Conor Cooney (St Thomas) for Smith (56)
20. Greg Lally (Gort) for Donnellan (64)
23. Shane Moloney (Tynagh-Abbey-Duniry) for Flynn (65)
Referee: James Owens (Wexford)
It’s always in those last 15 minutes that Kilkenny reaaaaally squeeze the life out of you
I like th ed reference to Squeeze there Mr Unknown. They even played “Cool for Cats” over the PA system at Croker !!!
A friend “told” me this morning that Galway would win, “how” I replied, “they are playing against a county whose players begin their hurling careers in the womb.”
Frank how is that supposed to help Galway win?? ;)
I don’t get your point friend?
Oooh sorry, I thought your friend replied with the womb comment
I would only have given Galway a chance if they some managed to get 10 points up with 5 minutes to go. Even then it would be 50/50
Galway has womb for improvement.
…as do your jokes Diarmuid !!!
No matter your level of interest in hurling, and I’ve very little, you can’t help but have massive admiration for Brian Cody.
The greatest team GAA history.
galway blown away by kk physicality in second half had no answer to it , Joe canning went missing in second half when galway needed leaders
was holding his jaw at the end of the first half. i reckon he got a little dig . there was no good ball going into the forwards in the second half. not his fault. needed to be better prepared for the kk backlash at the start of the 2nd half.
I reckon he had a toothache
Jaysus, even the Kilkenny fans look bored of winning. The most lifeless all Ireland celebration ever, an awful shame Galway weren’t good enough
Galway completely collapsed in the second half. Very disappointing. That’s not Kilkenny’s problem though so well done to them. I suppose they’re already odds on to win it again next year.
we’ll see how lifeless it is in the marble city this evening. We never get tired of winning.
Hope you all have a marbleous time Kevin !!!
Kilkenny are like snakes and not cats. Specifically they are like boa constrictors. Struggling against them just allows them to tighten their grip…
Yawn…..it’d be nice if all those big men, at least played or tried another sport!
Are you by any chance from Cork?
All u thumbs down must be from Kilkenny. Rugby? Darts, boxing, rowing, football……anything anything…..does it get a little tedious….
Yeah……I’m from Cork….we need to focus in Cork, just like Kerry does on football and Kilkenny does on hurling. Of corse guys lets face it….Dublin are only good after they get an injection of culchie blood!
Sure all they know is hurling, no football, rugby, soccer. Is it the way the g a a won’t allow those sports in that county???
This is Cody’s finest hour,he has rebuilt a team in twelve month having lost 38 all Ireland medal holders over the winter and still wins another title.Pure genius.We may be hated by the rest of the counties but I’ proud to be from Kilkenny.Black and Amber forever.
Oh Galway…. It was yeres. Ye seemed to go to sleep at half time.
It’s a boring championship now with kk winning over and over. Obviously I sound bitter (and I guess i am). But it’s all a bit dull how.
Well done kk.
Yes mary.. its boooooorrring to see kilkenny winning every year. But they are fantastic it has to be said. Maybe too fantastic
Kilkenny are supreme champions. All the other counties have to up their game. Kilkenny start at the grass roots, Its not one bit dull, only sour GRAPES. KIKENNY ABU SUPREME CATS.
Fair play ye deserve it. Coming form a cork men. Well done.
some contrast between first and second half
Kilkenny and Dublin/Kerry again. Yawn.
Dublin again?? It’s not like they win with the same regularity as Kilkenny and Kerry in fairness.
Dublin? Dublin have been in 2 All Ireland Finals since 2000. Kilkenny have been in 12 and Kerry 10. Not sure how you can compare the 3.
Actually 2 weeks time will be Kerry’s 11th final since 2000.
Meow
Some celebration in Kilkenny tonight. What a class team they are. Congrats Kilkenny and unlucky Galway.
Celebration in Kilkenny I doubt it. As a Galway fan I left as the cup was being presented along with hundreds of Kilkenny fans. If Galway had won you’d have to drag me out of there at 9pm. At this stage it’s the norm for them and hence very little celebration.
You’re obviously never in Kilkenny on an All-Ireland weekend
No Jamie I’d be at the game
Gutted Galwayman here but you cant knock Kilkenny best team won.
As a Galway man I’m disappointed but as a sports fan I’m in awe of Cody and Kilkenny. Maith sibh. Beidh lá eile ag Gaillimh. Ná cáilligí misneach.
You have to hand it them, but I’m so sick of Kilkenny winning all the time. Their dominance is destroying this game.
This year was a little flat but it came on the back of 4 straight years of some of the most exciting championships in recent memory.
Yeah, you’re right in fairness. Probably overstated that. Just sick of KK, that’s all
Problem solved try and beat Kilkenny, not Kilkennys fault they like to win All Irelands, I’m sure the other teams like to win All Irelands too?,
Just turned off at the end far too used to kilkenny acceptance speeches
You’ve said,I said to those moaning about another Kilkenny win is,put fifteen guys on the pitch for seventy minutes and score more than we do and the cup yours.Simples.
So many wides by Galway when they had the momentum. Feck all of ye, I hope we go on and get 5 in a row. Cody is a hero. Kilkenny are making history and it will never be equalled again. Let’s just enjoy it!
If Galway had won there wouldn’t have been a single post on here lamenting the state of hurling, even though the health of the game is no different now than it was at 15:30 today
Same as always, Kilkenny dominate a second half after being outplayed in the first and do what Galway couldn’t when on top, take advantage. The best team have obviously won again but for the general overall interest in the championship nationwide, we need Kilkenny to be beaten for a while. Doesn’t look like it’s going to happen quite yet unfortunately.
Feckin Cats!! I mean Fair play!!
We are the bench mark, it’s yer job to rise to it!
God be with the day when it was great to see a team win an All Ireland. The best team won but it’s a pity for everyone else. They had to stage a celebration photo and then the team had to run around an empty stadium. Great to see you win another All Ireland, MY ARS and I’m a Westmeston man.
Where in Westmeston are you from?!
East Westmeston.
Hi Barry
Is there any other Westmeston?
Kilkenny overpowering everyone with physicality. could have been a lot closerif Galway were less wasteful with wides. gaa should be ashamed of themselves, doubling ticket prices for a final. rip off
The money is well spent. Give it up
I looked to go to the Ireland wales rugby game. 60 quid was the cheapest for a challenge game ? try other sporting events pricing and its clear that 70 quid for an all Ireland ticket is not that bad
you can’t compare Brian cody to Alex ferguson I can understand when cody talks
Very poor second half
or the 2nd half didn’t go the way you wanted?
I’m sure if Galway were winning by 12 points in the 2nd half it would be the greatest 2nd half of all time?
Kieran is right William, the second half was poor as a spectacle when compared with the first half, irrespective of who won. How many times did the ref have to throw the ball in following a ruckus? The game developed into a dog fight and there was only ever going to be one winner. KK not only superior hurling skills but we’re physically a lot stronger than Galway.
I’m not sure what people were expecting most big hurling games these days are very physical encounters, Galway knew they had to match Kilkenny with intensity and more which they did in the first half, but once they started to wilt Kilkenny ruthlessly finished them off.
In stature I’d say Galway pack much more physique than Kilkenny sloop?, a lot of this Kilkenny team are not giants.
Its been said before but hurling needs to be changed, get rid of the provincial championships.They have been pointless in Lenister for a long time and even in Munster it has lost its appeal small crowds etc.Go for open draw and then maybe if killkenny had to play a Clare in Thurles or Tipp in limerick in June maybe slowly things might change.
Well you Munster guys got a connaught team shoved into Leinster in your usual roundabout way to stop Kilkenny it hasn’t worked, what next .
Barry Kelly tried and done his level best but even the biased refereeing can’t stop Kilkenny which makes Kilkennys achievements all the more admiral because they’ve been playing 16 m3n for a long time now.
Red thumb away you Cork and Tipp men but its the truth
Well said
Nothing like a gracious victor. Should be off celebrating you sad man.
stupid comment.
Galway probably would have won if it had not been the clear second half bias towards Kilkenny>
Jasus some of the stuff Kilkenny got away in the 2nd half was ridiculious and that free that was given for tj reid falling in smith was a joke. and the tackle on collins when he was wrestled to the ground was another disgrace. Galway at the other end then had to be decapitated to win a free.
Love to see free count in 2nd half, clearly favoured kilkenny.
kilkenny dominated 2nd half cause ref allowed them away with murder.
I counted 6 frees galway should have got in the 2nd half and 3 frees kilkenny shouldn’t have got but the gaa love to see kilkenny win.
Really Dan ! , why wasn’t The Galway player red carded for pulling the helmet off of Colin Fennelly
The cat laughs festival is not till June 16 and this guy is practicing already :-)))
Lewis Hamilton has won the Grand Prix
Deadly… I’m sure Rihanna is delighted.
My son won his under 15 soccer match this morning…
To be fair a Tipp Kilkenny match would have been a better match, this was a little flat today, I also think Tipp would have taken it
It’s always easy to beat Kilkenny when you’re not playing them,Tipp had their chance and also finished 2nd.There always the,what if? And might have,there is a easy way to beat Kilkenny,field fifteen guys who score more in seventy minutes than they do.Simples
Taken their beating yeah :-))
Egwene couldn’t find any fault with that Rand
Let’s face it if Kilkenny played the best of Ireland they would probably win. There are truly unique county when it comes to the game of hurling.
Why doesn’t anyone ask for Kilkenny to be slit like they ask Dublin to be split??
This is getting boring.