Kilkenny delivered a dramatic victory over Dublin, handing them their first loss in the Leinster Hurling Championship with a final score of 1-28 to 2-23 at Parnell Park. The win was sealed by Eoin Cody’s crucial late goal, but it was John Donnelly’s standout performance that earned him the Man of the Match accolade.
Reflecting on the game speaking with Oisin Langan on GAAGO, Donnelly shared his thoughts on the hard-fought win and the team’s overall performance. “Yeah, just delighted to get out of two points. Like we know Parnell Park is a tough place to come, and we probably have a decent enough record up here, but even though I just said like it’s, we’ve only ever won matches by maybe 2-3 points, it’s never more than a puck of a ball in it.”
Interview: John Donnelly was the Centra Man of the Match for @KilkennyCLG in their victory over Dublin in the Leinster championship. pic.twitter.com/XIbm7h1q5z
— GAAGO (@GAAGO) May 19, 2024
When asked about the instructions from manager Derek Lyng, Donnelly highlighted the simplicity and effectiveness of their game plan. “He just said go out and play your game and just work as hard as you can. Just try to keep it simple. And I suppose when you get seven points or whatever I did, people probably think you played better than you did. It’s a team effort, and I’d like to acknowledge Mikey and Huw at the back who probably don’t get the credit. I was just putting the ball over.”
Donnelly also emphasized the importance of work rate and team cohesion. “That’s what we try to do every day. That’s the standard. The first thing we have to do every day is to get turnovers and work. If we don’t do that, we have no hope. So, like, that’s the foundation really.”
Coming off a disappointing draw to Carlow, the victory against Dublin was crucial for Kilkenny’s momentum. Donnelly addressed the significance of bouncing back. “Oh yeah, if people can ask all the questions they want, we just go out and hurl as best we can. We didn’t get the win against Carlow because they were too good for us on the day. We had to get back to the drawing board quickly, and thankfully tonight we put in a performance that was good enough to get the win.”
Looking ahead, Kilkenny is set to face their neighbors, Wexford, at UPMC Nowlan Park next weekend. Donnelly is eager for the challenge. “Brilliant. You know Wexford always travel in numbers, and hopefully our supporters will come out again next Saturday.”
Kilkenny’s thrilling win over Dublin not only secures crucial points in the Leinster Hurling Championship but also sets the stage for an exciting clash with Wexford.
Fan of hurling? Course you are, so why not check out our Kilkenny Hurling Podcast below:
