SHC Qualifier Round Three/ Kilkenny 4-20; Galway 1-10: Hurling's great weekend ended with Guinness All-Ireland champions Kilkenny very much back in business and Galway's optimistic projections in ruins.
From almost the start it was obvious pre-match sentiment regarding Kilkenny's imminent decline was premature at this stage anyway.
The not unreasonable analysis of the defeat by Wexford that two years at the top had drained the motivational tanks was refuted by a highly charged performance which, encouraged by weak refereeing, at times overstepped the bounds of acceptability.
But there was no doubting the team's total command of the situation. It was indicative of the forcefield of energy that the champions created at Semple Stadium that Galway ended up beaten by 19 points, completely dismantled and demoralised.
The sparks that flew on the field flared into a virtual conflagration on the sideline where Kilkenny manager Brian Cody looked wired. Even allowing for the intense pressure he was under, with the fabled prize of a three-in-a-row under threat and the team on its last chance, his behaviour was out of order.
He frequently encroached onto the pitch, engaged in heated exchanges with match officials and hectored referee Diarmuid Kirwan on his way from the field at half-time. The intimidation appeared to work with Kirwan declining to take any action beyond asking Cody to move away from behind the goal in the second half.
No cards were shown, however, and it remains to be seen whether the Games Administration Committee will take any action.
On the positive side Kilkenny will be happy with the resounding return to form of Henry Shefflin.
Obviously pumped up from the start, the centre forward hit his frees with venomous conviction and ended up with 2-11, 1-3 from play. His drive and sharpness made him a constant threat and typified the team's revival.
The switch of Tommy Walsh to corner back was the other distinctive triumph. There had been some controversy at the original decision to move the hugely talented player from the attack, where he was a reliable points scorer to his original position at the back.
Almost from the off yesterday Walsh was in form - once he had weathered the unpromising acquisition of a yellow card in the first minute, bringing down Damien Hayes who had a run on goal from the throw-in. Thereafter Walsh swept up huge amounts of ball and drove it up the left wing.
Damien Hayes went on to play creditably well himself and had 1-2 to his name, although the goal, in fairness to Walsh, came about when the defender had to take the incoming Kevin Broderick, who was free after a collision between two other defenders.
In the other corner James Ryall played the whole match without any recourse to the half-expected switch with JJ Delaney.
Although the match ended in a rout and the result looked inevitable from an early stage, Galway were in touch until the third quarter. The goal from Hayes cut the margin to three, 1-8 to 1-11, but Kilkenny were remorseless, galloping away from there to an overwhelming victory.
It was the team's most awesome display since dismantling Tipperary last year but more impressive because Galway plugged away and the team featured some good individual displays.
Ollie Canning got stuck in at corner back and hurled well even if Eddie Brennan got free for 1-3 towards the end. Diarmuid Cloonan was solid and kept DJ Carey scoreless from play. Tony Regan at centrefield stuck to his task diligently and maintained his enthusiasm throughout.
But there was no stemming the tide. Signs were on early with Kilkenny facing a stiff breeze and slowly clocking up the points. Even two- and three-point margins were worrying given the breeze looked worth half a dozen points.
Ominously for Galway, the referee - even before he was put under pressure - decided to apply the rules in minimalist fashion. As a result Galway were denied a succession of frees, four anyway, when clear fouls had been committed.
There was a tension and combativeness to the game that proved absorbing with Galway struggling to escape the attentions of Kilkenny's defence.
Three times in the one sequence of play Eugene Cloonan was blocked. Despite his fine season to date, Cloonan had a most disappointing match, deprived of the opportunities to optimise his game and ultimately trying to live off scraps.
He wasn't the only one. Harrassed at every turn Galway were unable to exploit the wide spaces of Thurles by spreading decent ball into their speedy forwards.
Just at the stage when the match needed a Galway goal, it was Kilkenny who scored it. Shefflin chased his own flick into the goalmouth and tipped it home for a 1-6 to 0-3 lead. Galway had a chance to reply when David Tierney cut in from the left only for James McGarry to save well.
Kilkenny had a goal disallowed for a push on Canning but led by five, 1-9 to 0-7, with a strong breeze to come.
Galway stabilised in the early second half and Hayes's goal in the 45th minute opened the faint glimpse of a contest. But Brennan replied within seconds and it took Kilkenny all of three minutes to get back the goal with quick-fire points. In fact from the time Galway goaled to the end Kilkenny outscored their blitzed opponents by 3-9 to 0-2.
The match has profound implications for the teams with Kilkenny back in the running for an historic three-in-a-row whereas Galway will be devastated that a season which once promised so much has ended with engagement on terms they couldn't manage and a remorseless pounding.
KILKENNY: 1. J McGarry; 2. J Ryall, 3. N Hickey, 4. T Walsh; 5. R Mullally (0-1), 6. P Barry, 7. JJ Delaney; 8. D Lyng (0-1); 9. K Coogan; 10. M Comerford (0-2), 11. H Shefflin (2-11, eight frees), 12. C Phelan (0-1); 13. E Brennan (1-3), 14. DJ Carey (0-1, 65), 15. J Coogan. Subs: 22. J Hoyne (1-0) for Comerford (60 mins).
GALWAY: 1. L Donoghue; 2. D Joyce, 3. D Cloonan, 4. O Canning (capt); 5. D Hardiman, 6. David Hayes, 7. F Moore; 8. F Healy, 9. T Regan; 10. A Kerins, 11. D Forde, 12. D Tierney; 13. Damien Hayes (1-2), 14. E Cloonan (0-7, five frees, one 65), 15. K Broderick (0-1). Subs: 20. A Cullinane for Healy (26 mins); 17. M Kerins for Tierney (49 mins).
Referee: D Kirwan (Cork).
