Road to the Final- Late drama as Galway snatch draw

A last-gasp Declan McLoughlin point denied Kilkenny as a resurgent Galway side snatched a very late equaliser in a thrilling Leinster round robin clash in UPMC Nowlan Park.

The home side looked like they’d hold on to a one point lead but, with playing time gone a minute and 50 seconds past the allotted five minutes of stoppage time, McLoughlin swung over a fine score into the O’Loughlin’s end of Kilkenny HQ.

Kilkenny will no doubt be frustrated at the late score. They’ll be even more irritated after doing much of the hurling in the second half.

A devastating third quarter, where the Cats outscored Galway 0-8 to 0-2, looked to be enough to see them over the line but Galway had other answers.

Galway made the brighter start with Brian Concannon firing in a seventh minute goal. He proved to be the Tribesmen’s best forward in scoring 1-5 from play.

Kilkenny did respond expertly from that early setback and with team captain Eoin Cody on fire and TJ Reid also finding his range, the sides were back level at the half-time interval (0-16 to 1-13).

Kilkenny then took control after the break and by the 51st minute they led 0-24 to 1-15 but, aided by a stiff breeze, Galway blazed back into contention.

Evan Niland scored three frees in that Galway revival while Mossy Keoghan and Kevin Cooney both went close with goal opportunities.

Kilkenny still led heading into stoppage time and when Mikey Butler and Brian Concannon got involved in a tussle on the ground, more time was added on which Galway benefitted from as the teams shared the spoils.

Teams and Scorers

Kilkenny - TJ Reid (0-9, 0-8 frees); Eoin Cody (0-6); Adrian Mullen, Billy Ryan, Martin Keoghan, John Donnelly, Darragh Corcoran (0-2 each); Mikey Butler, David Blanchfield, Timmy Clifford (0-1 each).

Galway - Brian Concannon (1-5); Evan Niland (0-6, 0-5 frees); Conor Whelan (0-2); Padraic Mannion, Daithi Burke, Joseph Cooney, Cianan Fahy, Ronan Glennon, Cathal Mannion, Conor Cooney, Kevin Cooney, Declan McLoughlin, Jason Flynn, Liam Collins (0-1 each).

Kilkenny - Eoin Murphy; Mikey Butler, Huw Lawlor, Tommy Walsh; David Blanchfield, Richie Reid, Padraig Walsh; Darragh Corcoran, Conor Fogarty; Timmy Clifford, Adrian Mullen, John Donnelly; Billy Ryan, TJ Reid, Eoin Cody.

Subs: Martin Keoghan for Clifford h-t, Cian Kenny for P Walsh 46 mins, Alan Murphy for Donnelly 65 mins, Cillian Buckley for Fogarty 73 mins.

Galway - Eanna Murphy; Jack Grealish, Gearoid McInerney, Padraic Mannion; Daithi Burke, Joseph Cooney, TJ Brennan; Ronan Glennon, Cathal Mannion; Conor Cooney, Evan Niland, Cianan Fahy; Kevin Cooney, Conor Whelan, Brian Concannon.

Subs: Jason Flynn for C Cooney 58 mins, Fintan Burke for Glennon 60 mins, Liam Collins for Fahy 65 mins, Declan McLoughlin for Whelan 69 mins.

Referee - Johnny Murphy (Limerick).