Galway 2-20
Kilkenny 0-14
David Connors reports from O’Moore Park
IN THEIR FIRST year competing in the Leinster Minor Hurling Championship, Galway created history by delivering provincial silverware across the Shannon after overcoming Kilkenny in a dominant victory.
Goals in either half from classy Galway forwards Jason Rabbitte and Brian Callanan were the headline scores in this historic and comfortable victory.
13 points — the closest any team up to this point has gotten to this particular Tribe crop so far this campaign — was the gap in favour of Galway when the sides met last month in Nowlan Park and the pre-match theories suggested Kilkenny required a fast start.
Instead, it was Galway who begun the brighter and with wonderkid Aaron Niland (two, one free), Michael Burke and Colm Burke all on target, they raced into a 0-4 to 0-0 lead – an advantage they could never concede.
That trend continued for most of the opening period and a quickfire 1-1 by Jason Rabbitte, son of former Galway star Joe, pushed the Westerners into a nine-point advantage in first half stoppage time.
However, Kilkenny finished the half strongly and tagged on three of the last four points courtesy of Ed Lauhoff, Seán Bergin and Greg Kelly to leave them 1-10 to 0-6 adrift at the change of ends.
Though Niall Bergin’s young Noreside men outscored the opposition in the third quarter, they could never properly get within touching distance to threaten an upset and corner forward Callanan sealed the deal in injury-time by batting to the net from close-range.
Galway, managed by Fergal Healy and with a host of former senior players such as Joe Canning, James Skehill and Mark Kerins also involved in the team set-up, have blazed through the championship so far and have recorded five successive double-digit scores.
This maroon win now means in the last 11 meetings between the counties at this grade, Kilkenny have failed to claim victory with the Tribesmen winning 10 of those minor contests in what amounts to a startling statistic. The last victory for the Cats arrived some 13 years ago through a Kilkenny team that was captained by Cillian Buckley.
Regardless of this decider result, both counties still advance to the All-Ireland semi-finals which are pencilled in for next weekend. As champions, Galway will now meet Munster runners-up Cork, Kilkenny hoping to bounce back against Clare, who claimed a fifth Munster crown midweek in a seven-point victory over the Rebels.
Scorers for Galway: Aaron Niland 0-11 (0-6 frees, 0-1 65), Jason Rabbitte 1-3, Brian Callanan 1-1, Colm Burke 0-2, Michael Burke, Conor Gilligan and Harry Holmes 0-1 each.
Scorers for Kilkenny: Conor Doyle 0-5 (0-2 free, 0-1 65), Sean Bergin and Greg Kelly 0-2 each, Brian Moore, Ed Lauhoff, Bill McDermott, Cian Phelan and Micheál Ahern 0-1 each.
Galway
1. Shane Murray (Kilconerion)
2. Thomas Blake (Oranmore-Maree), 3. Seán Murphy (captain, Clarinbridge), 4. Gearóid King (Castlegar)
5. Dylan Quirke (Athenry), 6. Dylan Campbell (Cappataggle), 7. Ed O’Reilly (Liam Mellows)
8. Michael Burke (Skehana-Mountbellew-Moylough), 9. Michael Fallon (Clarinbridge)
10. Darragh Counihan (Clarinbridge), 11. Colm Burke (Oranmore-Maree), 12. Conor Gilligan (Craughwell)
13. Brian Callanan (Ardrahan), 14. Jason Rabbitte (Athenry), 15. Aaron Niland (Clarinbridge)
Subs
- 23. Cullen Killeen (Loughrea) for Fallon (half-time)
- 20. Stephen Keane (Sarsfields) for Campbell (half-time)
- 18. Jonah Donnellan (Pádraig Pearses) for M. Burke (55)
- 21. Eoghan Mulleady (Kilconieron) for Quirke (56)
- 24. Harry Holmes (Ballygar) for C. Burke (60+1)
- 17. Evan Kennedy (Ardrahan) forn Blake (60+4)
Kilkenny
1. Billy O’Sullivan (James Stephens)
2. Conor Brophy (Erin’s Owen), 3. Evan Murphy (captain, Dicksboro), 4. David Barcoe (Clara)
5. Rory Garrett (Fenians), 6. Mikey Stynes (Dicksboro), 7. Micheál Ahern (Emeralds)
8. Darragh Vereker (Glenmore), 10. Seán Bergin (James Stephens)
9. Ed Lauhoff (James Stephens), 11. Greg Kelly (O’Loughlin Gaels), 13. Conor Doyle (Windgap)
12. James O’Neill (St Martin’s), 14. Ed McDermott (James Stephens), 15. Brian Moore (Dicksboro)
Subs
- 18. Jerry Henderson (Fenians) for Barcoe (38)
- 19. Bill McDermott (James Stephens) for McDermott (41)
- 20. Robbie Doherty (Mooncoin) for O’Neill (46)
- 21. Cian Phelan (Young Irelands) for Lauhoff (49)
- 22. Steven Kinsella (Graighnamanagh) for Murphy (52)
Referee: Adam Kinahan (Offaly).
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Connacht Minor Football Championship Results
- Galway 4-8 Leitrim 1-13
- Mayo 1-11 Sligo 1-11
Meanwhile, the Galway minor footballers have advanced to the Connacht final. They overcame Leitrim tonight and prevailed as the top team in the provincial standings. Mayo and Roscommon, as the second and third placed sides, will face off in a semi-final next week.