Kilkenny were always going to be hugely revved up for revenge after last year’s All-Ireland final defeat to Galway and so it came to pass last Sunday when Galway got a heavy trouncing by the ruthless young Cats.
The Galway youngsters did their best, but on this occasion they were just not good enough and the game was practically over at half time with Kilkenny eight points up.
Goals win matches, and with Kilkenny hitting three in the first half, Mattie Murphy’s charges were always facing a serious uphill battle.
A 19-point defeat is a severe mauling, but as Kilkenny manager Richie Mulrooney pointed out after the tie: "It was just one of those games. There has been nothing between Galway and Kilkenny in minor games over the last 10 years, and that kind of result wouldn't happen tomorrow.
“We asked the lads to perform for 30 minutes and they did that. At one stage it was 2-5 to 0-10, and I felt at that stage with the way Galway were throwing over points that the goals were vital in keeping us in the game.”
Mattie Murphy, who has worn the bainisteoir bib for five All-Ireland successes at minor level with Galway, was gracious in defeat and admitted that Kilkenny were “awesome”.
He also pointed out that his own team has some high calibre hurlers and what happened last Sunday is not a true reflection of their ability.
There were some raised eyebrows at the decision to take off corner forward and free-taker Shane Moloney who had hit 0-5 (4fs ) just before half time, but Murphy explained that the Tynagh-Abbey-Duniry sharpshooter was injured.
"Shane had gone down twice injured. We talked to the medical people and they said he was in trouble. Shane had been injured for a good part of this year and it was a management call. Some you get right, some you get wrong.”
Moloney was a big loss, but even had he remained on the field, Kilkenny were not going to be stopped. They were just too good and too powerful.
While the Galway lads will be very disappointed by the manner of their defeat, sometimes from adversity comes desire and hunger.
They have seen first hand now the standard that is required to take on the might of Kilkenny and it was a harsh lesson for them.
Some will drive on from it and be better players at u-21 and senior level. There are some very fine young hurlers on that panel in team captain Daithí Burke, Conor Cooney, Shane Moloney, Jason Flynn, Padriac Brehony and Neil Keary who can develop and be better players in the years ahead.
All those young players need to be monitored, tracked, coached and developed over the next few years.
Kilkenny have set the template for other counties to follow at all age levels.
If Galway are willing, they must be prepared to put in the long hours and hard yards to make it happen.
Galway: S Kelly, C Diviney, Darragh Burke, M Keating, P Hoban, Daithí Burke (0-1 ), M Horan, P Brehony (0-1 ), C Cooney (0-3, 2fs ), A Mullins (0-1 ), J Glynn, J Flynn (0-2 ), N Keary, T Moran, S Moloney (0-5, 4fs ). Subs used. B.Lane, G O’Donoghue, S Morrissey, K Cullinane (0-1 ), C O’Brien (0-1 ).
