Kilkenny strike late to see off Galway and maintain pace with Waterford

Kilkenny 0-21 Galway 1-14

All-Ireland champions Kilkenny needed a late surge to see off Galway and earn the National Hurling League points at Nowlan Park on Sunday.

Injury-time points from Richie Hogan and T.J. Reid finally killed off the Tribesmen’s challenge as the Cats picked up their second win on the spin.

By the 40th minute Kilkenny looked certain winners with a lead of eight points.

However, they went badly off track after that. Galway outscored them by 1-6 to 0-5, but came up a bit short in the end.

The losers had the arrears back to the minimum in the 59th minute after Joe Canning landed a great score, 1-13 to 0-17. Colin Fennelly and Reid, who shot 14 points for the winners, grabbed points to give the home side a bit of breathing space.

But it wasn’t much breathing space as Galway swarmed all over them. In fact, the losers shot two wides then before Hogan and Reid got the late, late scores that earned the Cats their second win.

“We were good in the first half and ordinary in the second,” said Kilkenny manager, Brian Cody. “It was good to get a win against a good team.”

His opposite number, Micheal Donoghue had mixed feelings.

“We could have won’t he suggested. “We were way off the pace in the first half, but we improved immensely after that.”

Kilkenny, after an early scare when Jason Flynn was hooked with the goal at his mercy, looked very good and assured once they found their rhythm. With Reid leading the scoring charge - he had 10 points in this half - they blasted the opposition as they charged into a strong interval lead of 0-13 to 0-5.

Things were still nicely on course for Brian Cody’s men during the following 10 minutes or so, even after Richie Hogan missed a great chance of a goal. Slowly but surely the visitors crept back into real contention.

Iarla Tannian sparked the revival with a point in the 48th minute. Canning added a minor before Paul Hoban, the man with No. 2 on his back although playing at wing back, charged up the field to score a top class goal (0-16 to 1-10).

On Galway roared, but despite giving the Cats a right scare, they came up short in their efforts to save the day.

Kilkenny: R. Reid, S. Prendergast, J. Holden, J. Tyrrell, P. Walsh, K. Joyce, C. Buckley, L. Ryan, C. Fogarty (0-2), C. Fennelly (0-1), T.J. Reid (0-14, five frees, three 65s), J. Maher (0-2), W. Walsh, K. Kelly, R. Hogan (0-2). Sub - J. Farrell for Kelly 61st min.

Galway: J. Skehill, F. Moore, D. Burke, G. McInerney, A. Harte, D. Burke, P. Hoban (1-0), D. Glennon (0-2), A. Smith, N. Burke, I. Tannian (0-2), C. Whelan, C. Mannion, J. Canning (0-8, three frees), J. Flynn (0-1). Subs - E. Burke for C. Mannion ht; M. Keating for A. Smith 40th min; P. Brehony (0-1) for C. Whelan 51st min; J. Cooney for I. Tannian 59th min; R. Cummins for Flynn 68th min.

Referee: B. Kelly (Westsmeath).