The Kilkenny hurlers showed great composure and resolve when defeating Galway by four points in a thrilling Leinster semi-final at Tullamore on Saturday evening.
Anyone who travelled to O'Connor Park last weekend got full value for money.
This game had a real cut and thrust that you'd expect from a championship encounter. Galway came with all guns blazing, their objective was to ambush Kilkenny and send them down the qualifying route.
Astute Galway captain Ollie Canning elected to play with the warm summer breeze on their backs. They knew they had to get a good start against the current All-Ireland champions.
The duel of the game was always going to be the clash between JJ Delaney and Joe Canning, and we were not disappointed. In boxing terms Canning won the first few rounds, but as the evening wore on the Fenians defender got to grips with him.
The Tribesman scored 2-9 of his sides tally, most of them came dead ball positions. Canning just about shaded the overall battle, but I don't think any of Kilkenny's other starting players would have handled him as well as JJ did.
The game started at a ferocious pace with their two corner forwards rambling all over the place. It was a tactic that had a profound effect early in the contest. Canning showed the country that he had plenty of pace for a big guy when he showed JJ a clean pair of heels before despatching coolly past PJ Ryan.
Kilkenny were all over the place during the first quarter, mainly due to Galway's running game. The question at that point was could they keep that pace up for a full 70 minutes? The answer was no.
Henry Shefflin, Eoin Larkin and Taggy Fogarty kept the Cats in touch during the rocky period with well-taken points. The Kilkenny management's decision to drop centre back John Tennyson deep to cut off the supply line to Canning worked a treat. This move also entailed Eoin Larkin dropping back to sweep up across the halfback line, a job that the James Stephen man did to good effect.
To win any game you need a bit of luck, Kilkenny got that in a few different ways. First the ref's decision not to send off Tommy Walsh, and then a scrappy but important goal from Taggy Fogarty or Richie Power - even watching the replay I can't tell who got it. Tommy knows he will have to be careful as every referee in the country will be watching him closely. Cyril Farrell made a good point in the Irish Independent on Monday stating that one of these days Tommy will get sent off for nothing at all.
Kilkenny's second goal came around after a well-worked move that had a huge Carrickshock feel to it. Michael Rice, who thundered into the game after a shaky start, found his club colleague Richie Power with a well-directed cross-field ball. Power still had plenty to do when he attained possession, but his turn of foot saw him leave two Galway defenders in his wake before loading off to Fast Eddie, and there was only going to be one outcome when he got it - goal.
In those two minutes all Galway’s good work seemed to be undone. They trotted off O'Connor Park two points down at half-time, having enjoyed the lion’s share of possession.
A blistering free from Canning gave them the perfect start to the new half and it also gave their supporters fresh hope of pulling off a shock. Their supporters were in full voice when Niall Healy scrambled home their third goal in the 46th minute.
Kilkenny, for the second time, were five points down, but they did not panic. Derek Lyng was sprung from the bench and introduced for captain Michael Fennelly, who just could not get into the pace of the game on this occasion. Lyngers certainly steadied the ship in this area, his calming influence rubbing,off on all around him, and they soon got into full flow.
Ten unanswered points followed, it was vintage Kilkenny.To go from five points down to five points up in 20 minutes against good opposition is some testament to their willpower and ability.
Eoin Larkin, the current 'hurler of the year', was sheer poetry in motion - his speed, skill, and point taking ability had the Galway backs in a spin.
Galway had given it their best shot, but still came up short. This tough semi-final clash will leave the Cats spot on for their Leinster final clash with Dublin on July 5. Galway still rely too heavily on young Canning for scores, they now have a tough encounter with Clare in Ennis. Memories of last year come flooding back when the Clare boys ambushed Galway after tightening up the pitch.
