THERE WAS NO separating them last Sunday after a memorable finale so the Cats and Galway do it all again at O’Connor Park, Tullamore. Leave a comment below, email adrian@thescore.ie, find us on Facebook or tweet @thescore_ie
Shall we start with team news? Why not.
Anthony Cunningham’s side will line up like this according to the GAA:
GALWAY: Colm Callanan; Fergal Moore, Ronan Burke, David Collins; Daithi Burke, Iarlaith Tannian, Johnny Coen; Andrew Smith, Padraig Brehony; David Burke, Niall Burke, Conor Cooney; Cathal Mannion, Joe Canning, Jason Flynn.
While for the Cats, Michael Fennelly is sitting in the O’Connor Park stands. The Walsh brothers look to be paired in midfield.
KILKENNY: Eoin Murphy; Paul Murphy, JJ Delaney, Conor Fogarty; Brian Hogan, Jackie Tyrell, Cillian Buckley; Padraig Walsh, Tommy Walsh; Joey Holden, Richie Hogan, TJ Reid; Colin Fennelly, Aidan Fogarty, Eoin Larkin.
Five minutes to throw-in.
So how do you reckon this one will go?
Poll Results:
We’re about to throw in front of a capacity crowd.
Kilkenny 0-1 Galway 0-1 Kilkenny open the scoring through TJ Reid before David Burke replies after 2 and a half minutes. Burke moved out the field to make his presence felt.
GOAL! Kilkenny 1-1 Galway 1-1 What a start! First TJ Reid races onto a breaking ball before beating the keeper. And moments later Jason Flynn replies by raising the green flag up the other end.
Kilkenny 1-1 Galway 1-4 Conor Cooney sends a free from just inside the 65 over the bar to put Galway ahead for the first time before Tannian and Jason Flynn tack on two more. David Herrity is on for the Cats in goal meanwhile.
Kilkenny 1-3 Galway 1-4 TJ Reid dispatches two frees in quick succession and it’s been all about him so far; he’s their only scorer so far.
Eoin Murphy was replaced in the Kilkenny goal because of a serious-looking thumb injury.
Kilkenny 1-5 Galway 1-4 Reid points again before someone else gets on the scoresheet. Tommy Walsh starts the move and his brother Padraig finishes it.
Kilkenny 1-7 Galway 1-5 TJ Reid sends over another free and it was made easier thanks to Andy Smyth kicking the ball away and the ref moving the ball in. Moments later Conor Cooney takes his time but ultimately bangs over his second point of the game with a free too.
Kilkenny 1-8 Galway 1-5 TJ Reid takes his free tally to six after Aidan Fogarty’s legs are taken from under him.
Kilkenny 1-10 Galway 1-6 Guess who? TJ Reid from a free. Galway need to sort out their discipline if they’re to claw this back. And as I type, Richie Hogan works himself in and barely manages to send the ball over the bar. Portumna’s Any Smyth responds, badly needed.
Kilkenny 1-10 Galway 1-7 Cooney sends over a great point to make it a one-score game.
Kilkenny 1-10 Galway 1-8 31 minutes on the clock and Conor Cooney sends over another one to narrow the gap to two points.
Kilkenny 1-11 Galway 1-8 TJ Reid has arrowed over another free. Anthony Cunningham will have plenty to say about his impressive contribution at the break, no doubt.
Kilkenny 1-11 Galway 1-9 Conor Cooney again takes his time over it but ultimately sends over anther point. A minute or so to half-time.
Half-time: That was breathless stuff. A great start from Kilkenny before Galway replied with a goal oftheir own. The Cats took over and looked to drive it on but the westerners have done well to get this back to two points.
What did you think of that?
Damien Hayes comes into the Galway forward line.
Kilkenny 1-13 Galway 1-9 We’re back up and running in Tullamore. The official attendance was announced as 17,059 meanwhile at the break. TJ Reid scores the first point of the second half after a scrappy first three minutes. Aidan Fogarty then opens his account.
Kilkenny 1-15 Galway 1-9 Padraig Walsh notches his second point of the game before brother Tommy follows suit.
Kilkenny 1-15 Galway 1-11 Conor Cooney punches the air after he sends another free over the black spot before he then scores from play. He’s up for this and Galway’s only scorer this period. 10 minutes gone.
Joe Canning has gone into full forward, it looks like. Joe, meet JJ.
GOAL! Kilkenny 2-15 Galway 1-12 Killer blow? Aidan Fogarty pulls on the ball after a scramble and somehow it finds the net. Earlier, Joe Canning had pointed. That goal feels like a massive turning point.
Kilkenny 2-16 Galway 1-12 18 minutes gone now and the game’s opened up big time. TJ Reid’s scored another point from play and they look to be turning the screw a little.
Kilkenny 2-17 Galway 1-12 Richie Hogan scores the point of the game. Eoin Larkin pops it out to him near the sideline and Hogan lofts it over.
Kilkenny 2-17 Galway 1-13 Conor Cooney is keeping Galway in this game; he slots a 65. Andy Smyth is off for Padraig Breheny meanwhile.
Joe Canning goes for a goal with a 21 but it flies low and wide.
Kilkenny 2-17 Galway 1-14 As Cooney adds to his tally with a point, Henry Shefflin trots on to replace Tommy Walsh.
Kilkenny 2-17 Galway 1-15 Conor Cooney hits his 10th point of the game with another free. He’s keeping them in this but you feel Galway need a goal.
Kilkenny 2-18 Galway 1-17 Three minutes of added time. Frantic stuff. Cooney scores a point.
GOAL! Kilkenny 3-18 Galway 1-17 TJ Reid — who else? — scores an injury-time goal to seal the deal. That’s 2-11 for him this evening by my count.
FULL-TIME Kilkenny 3-19 Galway 1-17 Eoin Larkin waited til the last moments of this game to open his account but his first point is a beauty. As I type, the ref blows it up; The Cats will face Dublin in the Leinster decider next weekend.
What did you make of that?
So it’s the qualifiers for Galway and a Leinster decider against Dalo’s Dubs for Kilkenny. Let’s have your thoughts and thanks for your company.
