DUBLIN ARE ALREADY in the Leinster senior hurling final but who would join them?
It was Galway versus Kilkenny in O’Connor Park, Tullamore and we’re going to follow all the action.
As always, we’d love to hear your comments. Send them to steven@thescore.ie, tweet them @TheScoreGAA, find us on Facebook, or leave a comment below.
FULL-TIME: Galway 3-22 Kilkenny 5-16
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Hello and welcome to today’s liveblog. Throw-in in Tullamore is at 4pm and we’ll have all the team news, etc you need before then.
As usual, we’d love to hear how you think the game will go. Let us know your predictions in the comment section below.
There’s one change to the Kilkenny team named on Friday night with Mark Kelly replacing Michael Fennelly.
KILKENNY
1 Eoin Murphy – Glenmore
2 Paul Murphy – Danesforth
3 JJ Delaney – Fenians
4 Brian Kennedy – St Lachtains
5 Kieran Joyce – Rower Inistioge
6 Jackie Tyrrell – James Stephens
7 Cillian Buckley – Dicksboro
8 Padraig Walsh – Tullaroan
9 Richie Hogan – Danesfort
10 Walter Walsh – Tullogher Rosbercon
24 Mark Kelly – O’Loughlin Gaels
12 TJ Reid – Ballyhale Shamrocks
13 Colin Fennelly – Ballyhale Shamrocks
14 Richie Power – Carrickshock
15 Eoin Larkin – James Stephens
John Power is added to the subs and he’ll wear 11 if he comes on.
Galway line out exactly as named yesterday.
GALWAY
1. Colm Callanan – Kinvara
2. Fergal Moore – Turloughmore
3. Ronan Burke – Turloughmore
4. David Collins – Liam Mellowes
5. Daithi Burke – Turloughmore
6. Iarlaith Tannian – Ardrahan
7. Johnny Coen – Loughrea
8. Andrew Smith – Portumna
9. Padraig Brehony – Tynagh Abbey Duniry
10. David Burke – St Thomas
11. Niall Burke – Oranmore Maree
12. Conor Cooney – St Thomas
13. Cathal Mannion – Ahascragh Fohenagh
14. Joe Canning – Portumna
15. Jason Flynn – Tommie Larkins
Today’s referee Johnny Ryan (Tipperary) gets the game under way.
Galway 0-1 Kilkenny 0-0: 1mins Niall Burke has the first score of the day but Iarlaith Tannian took a big hit in the build up. However, the half-back returns to his feet and looks to be okay.
Galway 0-1 Kilkenny 0-1: 2mins Lovely score by Richie Hogan levels things.
Kilkenny 0-3 Galway 0-1 : 6mins Richie Power at the centre of everything again sending Colin Fennelly through for his first score of the day.
The Ballyhale Shamrocks man follows up with a second almost immediately afterwards.
Kilkenny 0-4 Galway 0-2: 7mins Conor Cooney nails the first free of the day from distance. That’ll give the corner-forward a lot of confidence as it was far from an easy opportunity.
Down the other end, TJ Reid also scores with his first free to put two between them again.
Kilkenny 0-5 Galway 0-2: 9mins While the free-taking has been good in the opening nine minutes – TJ Reid has pointed his second – the sideline cuts are leaving a lot to be desired.
Both sides finding it difficult to get the sliotar off the ground.
Kilkenny 0-5 Galway 0-3: 13mins Niall Burke gets his second point of the day from out on the right, it’s Galway’s first score from play in 12 minutes.
Galway have three wides to their name already.
Kilkenny 0-5 Galway 0-4: 14mins That’s better from Galway, Joe Canning with a monster point and it’s a one-point game all of a sudden.
Kilkenny 0-6 Galway 0-5: 16mins Galway have used possession much better in the last few minutes and deservedly draw level.
However, a needless free allows Reid point his third free to restore Kilkenny’s lead.
Kilkenny 0-6 Galway 0-6: 17mins Jason Flynn has been anonymous so far but he’s levelled the game for the third time with virtually his first touch.
I think the technical term is handbags as Jackie Tyrrell and Andrew Smith go head to head and both pick up a yellow.
Galway 0-7 Kilkenny 0-6: 20mins Moments after picking up a booking, Andy Smith gives Galway their second lead of the game with a fine point.
Kilkenny 1-6 Galway 0-7: 24mins Moments after the referee Johnny Ryan controversially awards them a free out when it looked like it should be the other way, Kilkenny go down the other end and score a goal. Eoin Larkin with the maximum.
I’ve a feeling they’ll be discussing this on The Sunday Game this evening.
Kilkenny 1-6 Galway 0-8: 27mins The game is in danger of getting out of control here as the yellow cards are flying all over the place. Conor Cooney points his second free to cut the gap to one.
Galway 1-8 Kilkenny 1-6 : 29mins A terrible mix up between JJ Delaney and Eoin Murphy has led to a simple tap in for Niall Burke.
One of the Kilkenny players really needed to make a call there and claim possession but well finished by Burke after a speculative Andy Smith delivery.
Galway 1-8 Kilkenny 1-8: 32mins Colin Fennelly and Padraig Walsh – with a monster score – bring Kilkenny level with three minutes to the break.
Galway 1-9 Kilkenny 1-9: 35mins Brian Cody and Anthony Cunningham having words on the sideline. Where have we seen that before?
Meanwhile Padraig Walsh and Conor Cooney exchance scores and the sides are level for the fifth time.
Half-time -
Galway 1-9 Kilkenny 1-9: The sides go into the break level after Conor Cooney misses a 65 on the half-time whistle.
Galway scorers: Niall Burke 1-2, Conor Cooney 0-4 (0-3f), Joe Canning, Jason Flynn, Andrew Smith 0-1 each.
Kilkenny scorers: Eoin Larkin 1-0, TJ Reid 0-3 (0-3f), Colin Fennelly 0-3, Padraig Walsh (0-2), Richie Hogan 0-1.
SUB: The second half is under way and there’s a change for Galway with Jonathan Glynn on for Cathal Mannion.
Galway 1-10 Kilkenny 1-9: 36mins And Glynn’s first touch results in the first score of the second half. Not a bad way to introduce yourself.
Galway 1-10 Kilkenny 1-10: 36mins Just as he did in the first half, Richie Hogan gets Kilkenny’s first point of the second and the sides are level once more.
Galway 1-11 Kilkenny 1-10: 38mins Conor Cooney makes it five from six frees and Galway are ahead again.
Galway 1-12 Kilkenny 1-10: 39mins Conor Brilliant save by Eoin Murphy but Jason Flynn really should have had Galway’s second goal. Cooney makes no mistake with the 65.
Kilkenny 2-10 Galway 1-12: 41mins Kilkenny make Galway pay for that goal miss as Colin Fennelly buries his chance to give the Cats their second goal.
SUB: Tommy Walsh is in for Padraig Walsh for Kilkenny.
Kilkenny 2-11 Galway 1-12: 45mins TJ Reid scores his fourth free, this one just sneaking over the bar.
Thankfully, we’ve seen none of this in the second half:
Kilkenny 2-12 Galway 1-12: 47mins Richie Hogan puts three between the teams with his first long range free of the day. Kilkenny enjoying a good passage of play after that Fennelly goal settled them.
PENALTY GALWAY: Brilliant piece of fielding from Jonathan Glynn wins Galway a chance to level things.
Kilkenny 2-12 Galway 2-12: 51mins The sides are level yet again. It just sneaks in but they all count.
Galway 2-13 Kilkenny 2-12: 52mins The Tribesmen are back into the lead, Canning with a point after making a mess of the sideline cut.
SUB: Aidan Fogarty is on for Kilkenny, Richie Power off.
Galway 2-13 Kilkenny 2-13: 52mins TJ Reid levels things up again. The eighth time they’ve been level.
Kilkenny 2-15 Galway 2-13: 55mins Excellent scores from Richie Hogan and Eoin Larkin put Kilkenny two clear.
Kilkenny 2-17 Galway 2-13: 58mins Tommy Walsh and TJ Reid makes it a four point lead. Galway really need a score here.
Kilkenny 2-19 Galway 2-13: 60mins And another Kilkenny sub scores, Fogarty with a wonderful point from out on the left. Richie Hogan makes it a six point game moments later.
SUB: Gearoid McInerney for Brehoney as Galway look to change things up.
Kilkenny 3-19 Galway 2-13: 62mins That looks to be the game. Out of nowhere, Kilkenny have found an extra gear and the lead is nine points. Oh and on they bring Henry Shefflin.
Kilkenny 3-20 Galway 2-13: 63mins 1-7 for TJ Reid now as he points another free.
Kilkenny 3-20 Galway 2-14: 64mins In the last ten minutes Kilkenny have outscored Galway 1-8 to a single point. Cooney with a 65.
Kilkenny 3-20 Galway 2-15: 65mins Jason Flynn with another score for Galway but they need goals, not points.
Kilkenny 3-21 Galway 2-15: 65mins Another TJ Reid score from a free.
Kilkenny 3-21 Galway 3-15: 65mins Nice play by Galway to reduce the gap to six points. Conor Cooney getting the goal. Too little too late?
Kilkenny 3-21 Galway 4-15: 68mins Cooney with his second goal in a couple of minutes and there’s just three points between them now.
PENALTY GALWAY: Jonathan Glynn dragged down!
Kilkenny 3-21 Galway 5-15: 70+1mins Unbelievable! Galway are level, Canning with the score.
Kilkenny 3-22 Galway 5-16: 70+3mins Henry Shefflin responds with a point from an impossible angle and then Joe Canning does the exact same down the other end.
And the final whistle goes!
Unbelievable!
Full-time -
Wow…Three of Galway’s last four scores were goals and they somehow managed a draw. Kilkenny will wonder how they threw that one away.
That’s it from us. Some finish in Tullamore but Galway will have to be the happier of the two sides after trailing by ten and seemingly out of the game.
As always, thanks for joining us. I’m off for a lie down.
