Youthful Kilkenny off to winning start in Walsh Cup

A very experimental Kilkenny side had too much for Laois in the opening round of the Walsh Cup at John Locke Park in Callan this afternoon.

It was a day of taking opportunites as Brian Cody gave a huge amount of newcomers their bow in inter-county hurling and he will be happy with how his side performed especially in the second half.

The likes of Luke Scanlon, Chris Bolger and Shane Walsh were all given a chance to stake their claim on their return to the squad and Walsh top scored for the winners with nine points in total.

The rest of the starting 15 was made up of mainly newcomers and for most of the first half they struggled as Laois attacked at will.

The O'Moore County also had a number of wides though and as a result there was only a point between the sides at the break with Walsh's accuracy on frees and an Emmet Landy goal keeping the Cats in touch (0-13 to 1-9).

Laois's wastefulness in front of goal came back to bite them in the second period as Kilkenny dominated with eighteen points in total.

Thomas Donnelly and Robbie Buckley had big impacts off the bench while Colm Prenderville, James Burke and Conor Neary also impressed.

Despite the defeat Ross King, Jack Kelly and Podge Delaney had their moments but they can now shift focus to the beginning of the National League in three weeks.

For Kilkenny, it's all eyes on a game with Wexford next Saturday with the winners qualifying for the final of the pre-season competition.

Teams and Scorers

Kilkenny: Shane Walsh (0-9, 0-6f, 0-1 65), Emmet Landy (1-2), Robbie Buckley (0-3), Colm Prenderville (0-3), Stephen Donnelly (0-2), Shane Murphy (0-2), Luke Scanlon (0-2), Sean Morrissey (0-1), David Blanchfield (0-1), Conor Heary (0-1), Niall Brennan (0-1).

Laois: Ross King (0-13, 0-11f), Jack Kelly (0-3), Enda Rowland (0-2, 0-2f) Stephen Bergin (0-2), Paddy Purcell (0-1), John Lennon (0-1), Ben Conroy (0-1), Podge Delaney (0-1).

Kilkenny: Liam Dunphy (Lisdowney); Mikey Butler (O’Loughlin Gaels), James Burke (Thomastown) , Niall MacMahon (Erins Own); David Blanchfield (Bennettsbridge), Conor Heary (O’Loughlin Gaels), Shane Murphy (Glenmore); Niall Brennan (Lisdowney), Tomas Dunne (Tullaroan); Colum Prenderville (Graigue-Ballycallan), Emmet Landy (Windgap), Luke Scanlon (James Stephens); Chris Bolger (Clara), Shane Walsh (Tullaroan), Sean Morrissey (Bennettsbridge).

Subs Darragh O’Keeffe (Dunnamaggin) for MacMahon (h-t), Robbie Buckley (O'Loughlin Gaels) for Brennan (h-t), Stephen Donnelly (Thomastown) for Bolger (h-t), Aaron Brennan (Graigue-Ballycallan) for Dunne (h-t), Eoin O’Shea (O'Loughlin Gaels) for Landy (56) Ciaran Wallace (Erins Own) for Heary (65).

Laois: Enda Rowland; Diarmuid Conway, Sean Downey, Donnchadh Hartnett; Podge Delaney, Liam O’Connell, Ryan Mullaney; Fiachra Fennell, Jack Kelly; Paddy Purcell, Ben Conroy, Seamus Fitzpatrick; John Lennon, Mark Dowling, Ross King.

Subs: Stephen Bergin for Lennon (h-t), Frank Flanagan for Conway (h-t), Willie Dunphy for Dowling (50), Stephen Maher for Broderick (50), Padraic Dunne for Hartnett (60), Aidan Corby for Fennell (60).

Referee- Richie Fitzsimons (Offaly)