Geoff Lynskey’s men will be relishing the return to Croke Park on Sunday 6 September for the Electric Ireland Minor Hurling Championship Final after defeating Kilkenny thanks to two late goals.
Where Kilkenny let a six point lead slip last week in Dublin, it was a similar tale at the death as the Cats surrendered a four point advantage to late goals from Galway subs Jack Kenny and Cian Salmon. Salmon was the provider for the first of the two before taking the half’s second and Galway’s third, flicking home a high ball with a minute of normal time remaining. Contentious it may be with plenty of calls for a square ball but it’s Galway who live to fight another day.
Galway started the game the better of the two sides, Jack Coyne scoring 1-1 inside the opening seven minutes as Galway looked to make a mark early on but coming in to half time it would be Kilkenny ahead by two points.
A lightning quick half time caught some by surprise and it was Kilkenny to open the scoring for the second half through Dicksboro’s Andy Gaffney before some quickfire play from Galway added points from Ian O’Brien and Thomas Monaghan to cut Kilkenny’s lead to a single point.
For long stretches of the second half there was little to separate the sides and by the 50 minute mark, Kilkenny had restored a two point advantage.
Killer instinct was missing from Kilkenny in the closing stages and having seen Galway’s never-say-die attitude up close last weekend, the Cats should have made moves to put the game beyond all doubt but Galway’s first goal of the second half with 5 minutes remaining sparked life into the Tribesboys and they didn’t let up until the final whistle.
On came Jack Kenny for Galway’s Brian Concannan (54) and barely on the field a minute he had the ball in the back of the net before Cian Salmon quite litterally popped up at the death to tap the ball down into the back of the net with regulation time almost through.
Two minutes of added time proved fruitless for Kilkenny with Galway advancing to the All-Ireland Minor Hurling Championship Final on a 3-10 to 0-17 scoreline.
We’ll have reaction to the game across the morning tomorrow from 7am.
Have Your Say
Have you any thoughts on the game? Was it indeed a square ball at the end of play and could the result have been different? Leave your thoughts below in the comment area.