Kilkenny 8-35
Derry 0-7
Fintan O’Toole reports from Semple Stadium
THE SCORELINE VIVIDLY illustrates the gulf in class that existed in today’s first Bord Gáis Energy All-Ireland U21 hurling semi-final and the urgent need for a revamp of this championship.
Kilkenny cruised past Derry to book their first All-Ireland final place in this grade since 2012 but by claiming a 52-point victory, they will have learned little ahead of the decider after this complete mismatch.
It was a tough game for Ulster champions Derry to endure and while they battled manfully to the finish, Kilkenny’s superiority was pronounced from the start as this match bolstered the support for semi-finals to be dispensed with in this championship.
Kilkenny raised eight green flags with five coming in the first half courtesy of a brace from Billy Ryan and one apiece from John Donnelly, Richie Leahy and Shane Walsh.
They were 5-12 to 0-4 clear at the interval and surged further ahead in the second half with Walsh notching his second goal, while Eoin Kenny and Luke Scanlon also raised green flags.
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The writing was on the wall for Derry when they shipped three early goals and trailed Kilkenny by 3-1 to 0-1 after 9 minutes. By the time Billy Ryan slammed the fourth goal to the roof of the net in the 16th minute, the match was over as a contest.
Derry goalkeeper Francis McEldowney did his best to limit the damage, producing three blocks to deny Kilkenny further first-half goals. But with a 22-point advantage in their possession at half-time, Kilkenny were already switching their attentions to the final by the midway mark.
Scorers for Kilkenny: Shane Walsh 2-7 (0-4f), John Donnelly 1-7, Liam Blanchfield 0-6, Billy Ryan 2-0, Eoin Kenny, Richie Leahy, Luke Scanlon 1-1 each, Alan Murphy 0-4 (0-1f), John Walsh 0-3, Niall McMahon, Darren Mullen, Huw Lawlor, Seán Morrissey, Ryan Bergin 0-1 each.
Scorers for Derry: Cormac O’Doherty 0-3, Darragh Cartin (0-1f), Ciarán Steele, Corey Reilly, Brendan Laverty 0-1 each.
Kilkenny
1. Darren Brennan (St Lachtain’s)
2. Michael Cody (Dunnamaggin)
3. Conor Delaney (Erins Own)
4. Niall McMahon (Erins Own)
5. Darren Mullen (Ballyhale Shamrocks)
6. Jason Cleere (Bennettsbridge)
7. Tommy Walsh (Tullaroan)
8. Luke Scanlon (James Stephens)
9. Huw Lawlor (O’Loughlin Gaels)
15. Billy Ryan (Graigue-Ballycallan)
12. Sean Morrissey (Bennettsbridge)
22. Richie Leahy (Rower-Inistioge – captain)
13. Shane Walsh (Tullaroan)
11. John Donnelly (Thomastown)
14. Liam Blanchfield (Bennettsbridge)
Subs
21. John Walsh (Mullinavat) for Ryan (20)
19. Aidan Nolan (Dicksboro) for Cleere (23)
16. Alan Murphy (Glenmore) for Leahy (half-time)
10. Eoin Kenny (Slieverue) for Morrissey (half-time)
17. Ryan Bergin (John Lockes) for Tommy Walsh (48)
Derry
1. Francis McEldowney (Slaughtneil)
9. Conor Kelly (Kevin Lynch’s)
7. Shane McGuigan (Slaughtneil)
2. Séamus Higgins (Kevin Lynch’s)
5. Eamon McGill (Lavey)
4. Ruairí McCartney (Slaughtneil)
3. Paddy Turner (Swatragh)
6. Ciarán Steele (Kevin Lynch’s – captain)
8. Conor McAllister (Slaughtneil)
10. Thomas Magee (Coleraine)
14. Cormac O’Doherty (Slaughtneil)
18. Gabriel Farren (Banagher)
13. Darragh Cartin (Banagher)
11. Odhran McKeever (Kevin Lynch’s)
12. Corey Reilly (Kevin Lynch’s)
Subs
17. Brendan Laverty (Lavey) for Magee (half-time)
20. Proinsias Burke (Slaughtneil) for Farren (half-time)
16. Conor McCrystal (Banagher) for McEldowney (37)
19. John Mullan (Kevin Lynch’s) for Turner (43)
23. Seán F. Quinn (Swatragh) for McGuigan (53)
Referee: John O’Brien (Laois)
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Fitness i the last 15 minutes was the difference
@Stíofán Mac Piarais: There is something fundamentally wrong with the set up of a competition that ends up with a semi final like this. It all very well if a team like Derry end up in a semi final after a few shock results and do a bit of “giant killing” like we see in thhe FA cup along the way. But to end up in a game against kilkenny after only playing the likes of Antrim is ridiculous!!
If KK can win by 52 points, and imagine what Westmeath would have done!!!
If it was Derry under 21 footballers against KK footballers it would be similar result for Derry
@Leon Mc Gilton: this was an all Ireland semi final!
@Leon Mc Gilton: yes,but now that Kilkenny seniors are null and void,maybe they might get serious ref football
@billy Dorney: Never happen even playing soccer is frowned upon!!your lucky ye cork lads that seanie didn’t pick up a girl
@Lefty: *hurl Iv had a mare
@Lefty: he did
@Leon Mc Gilton: for this to happen kk would be u21 leinster football champions! When was the last time Derry beat the leinster champions by 52 points in football! The leinster and munster championship is very good at u21! This was Galways first match and the Ulster hurling champions are not good enough at this level
What a joke this competion is,its time for the GAA to make it open draw.Year after year Galway are in a semi final both in minor and U21 with out pucking a ball and year after year ulster teams get hockied at this stage time for change.
@John Carroll: I agree, and it has resulted in ( I believe) more than average Galway underage success as every second year they are in a final, and in with a shot of winning the odd one!
@John Carroll: I agree John, really those nothing for hurling beating a team like that.
@Neil the Gouch man ferriter:Is’nt it great we can agree on something:-)best of luck tomorrow!!
@John Carroll: easy answer, let Galway play with equal access (i.e. home games in Galway) in Leinster Hurling Championships at every level for next five years initially.
It’s not like lack of competitive games really benefits Galway either….
@John Carroll: yeah,a bad joke John.
@John Carroll: Antrim beat Wexford in the U-21 semi final back in 2013.
The U-21 set up is the only true championship format. Hurling and football have been ruined by the back door and qualifiers.
@A Pop fans dream:Yeah Antrim caught a decent Wexford team in 2013, but are we to wait every ten or fiftheen years for an Ulster team at this level to catch a team on the hop,thats not a good enough reason to restructure the competion.
Credit Derry – working hard to develop the game – yes a mismatch but 26 guys doing their best and playing with pride
Well done KK
@Barry Brennan: well said.
What’s the difference? “The jersey” hahahahhahah
@Ciaran Dineen: yeah. I’m waiting to hear what the fella who got offended the other day when I said there’d probably be at least 20 points in it. He claimed ‘Derry are putting in a big effort to bridge the gap’. Big mismatches like this don’t give me any great pleasure either, but at least I’m more realistic about it than he is. No sign of him having anything to say here yet, by the way…..
@Jumperoo: me I presume. I acknowledged you were most likely right. Don’t remember getting offended. I do remember thinking you must be great at motivating people. It would seem you belief that If people are not good enough then you should take a pop at them. I’d be proud as punch about that result today if I was you, I mean you were proved correct after all, right ?
@Ciaran Dineen: Langer
@david mcelroy: well said
@david mcelroy: Ah, there you are, me oul’ mate. All right, let’s say you weren’t offended, but you weren’t exactly on a low horse either, if you know what I mean.
But look, no point arguing over it. Let’s just agree that we’re both happy with any efforts to promote and develop hurling in weaker counties. Let’s agree that this one was never going to be close, despite what the underdogs were trying to tell themselves.
Where we disagree is I think there’s no point in trying to fool yourself when you’re clearly out of your depth. I speak as one who has both won and lost games by cricket scores in more than 30 years of hurling. Sometimes two teams are clearly woefully mismatched because of the quirks of a competition, and there’s no point in pretending otherwise.
@Jumperoo: now why couldn’t you have said it more like that rather than being so belittling the first time. I agree the competition isn’t setup evenly but….
Im surprised you have over 30 years of hurling which puts you in bracket where really you should know better(got nothing to do with the height of horses). I’ll again bring you back to wmeath and kk last year. If you don’t believe what’s the point
@david mcelroy: You could have taken a different tone yourself the first time too. But glad we’re getting on better now ;)
Look, what I believe in is setting yourself realistic targets, or at least somewhat realistic. They can be intermediate targets, with the hope of then being in a position to kick on to trying to meet the next one. Examples for Derry going into this match might have been to be still in touch at half time, to not concede a goal in the first 20 minutes, or to bottle up one or two Kilkenny dangermen that they’d earmarked. As it happens, they wouldn’t have hit any of them, but at least they’d have somewhat realistic to aim for.
But it simply wasn’t realistic for anybody in the Derry camp to go into this match genuinely believing that the only difference between the sides was the colour of the jerseys, which is what the original story was about. I predicted 20 points. It genuinely gives me no pleasure at all that it turned out so much more.
@Jumperoo: be
@Jumperoo: between this article and the original you eventually take a position of “let’s agree to disagree” your comment was shit and cheap so I won’t find a middle ground with you…don’t get me wrong it’s easy make those comments (back to height of your horse). I have so much respect for people who hurl in counties where football is the main gaa sport. It’s a tough battle and they should be lauded for participating in it, regardless on whether they are good enough or whether the competition structure is wrong..they will eventually improve is my firm belief
@david mcelroy: your horse is clearly higher than mine. Goodnight.
@Jumperoo: mate you were clearly on a horse when you belittled Derry to start with. Good morning
Heads up Doire ye got there,and, tried , always next time,build,builf build
@billy Dorney: true billy, they took a hiding but they can’t let the heads drop. Sorry for insulting you the other day btw, honestly thought you were someone else.
@Jamie McCormack: no sweat bud,just know the struggle weaker counties go,and have gone through,spent a few years trying to hurl in Derry City ,great people promoting our national game,espeically Sean Mellon and the whole extended family,an my old club Na magha
@billy Dorney: More power to you a chara
@Jamie McCormack: smile
@billy Dorney: great words Billy for seán Mellon. A legend. Na Magha great club.
@Ciaran Mc Carron: bang on Ciaran,decent,humble Gael
what was the point in that mismatch
Appalling stuff!
Hard to believe but Kk underage hurling needs self believe. This will give it without over confidence. I’m sure they have challenge matches lined up, possibly the Waterford seniors (as no kk seniors active)
32 counties.
4 divisions, 8 teams in each.
In league, you play home and away, promotion and relegation for top and bottom 2.
In championship, Round 1 is Div 4 V. Div 3. Winners play Div 2 teams with those winners playing Div 1 teams and then on to final.
The Provincial Championships become purely Provincial, and are totally separate from All-Ireland. This system would be both open and also prevent mis-matches such as this.
A pointless humiliation . Typical gaa .
Hard to spin this ….
Typical how, would you care to elaborate Enda? and no spin please
This game should not have been allowed to happen. Derry were obviously way out of their depth and should not have been put through this. Shame on the GAA authoroties, ye have disgraced yourselves again.
The games are developing, I disagree that the GAA have disgraced themselves “again” whatever that means.
@Jamie McCormack:The games are ‘developing’? The GAA is over 130 years old!
@Con Murphy: ulster champions should be allowed to play in B
What is the point of this, a hammering like that does so much harm to lesser teams, and doesn’t do much for the winners either.
In fairness did they have to rub Derry’s nose in it? Not a great day for the promotion of hurling iñ the weaker Counties. The humiliation inflicted on young budding team by a Hurling superpower leaves a lot to be desired.