Leinster SHC: Galway recover to overcome Kildare

Leinster Senior Hurling Championship

Galway 4-22 Kildare 1-22

By Ger McNally at Cedral St Conleth's Park

Galway scored three second half goals as they eventually pulled clear of Kildare at Cedral St Conleths Park to make it three wins out of three in the Leinster Senior Hurling Championship, but only after they had been put to the pin of their collar by a gallant Kildare outfit.

There was a strong wind behind the home side but that wasn’t the sole reason that Brian Dowling’s team held a 10 point lead. They out-worked, out-harried and out-hassled their more illustrious opponents and there was only a point between the teams before Galway’s outstanding player on the day, Conor Whelan, scored their fourth goal in the 60th minute.

Galway went on to outscore their hosts by 0-8 to 0-2 to leave a flattering nine point gap between the teams by the end.

Micheál Donoghue made four changes to the Galway team that had beaten Offaly in their last game, including leaving out U20 stars Aaron Niland and Jason Rabbitte, and he wore the look of a worried man as Kildare outplayed his team in the opening half.

The industrious Muiris Curtin caused endless problems for the Galway defence in the opening half and he scored Kildare’s goal in the fifth minute after a terrific ball in by Conan Boran.

After that goal, Kildare rattled off five points in a row to lead 1-7 to 0-1 by the 13th minute.

It was only really Whelan who looked the part for Galway as they played second fiddle through the opening 35 minutes. With the wind behind them, the likes of Paul Dolan, Rian Boran, Cathal McCabe and Gerry Keegan scored outstanding long range points, while Jack Sheridan was flawless from dead balls.

With the score at 1-14 to 0-5, Galway pulled a goal back on the half hour mark when Whelan sent Rory Burke in on goal and he buried to the back of the net and it was 1-15 to 1-5 as the sides went to the dressing room.

Galway then had the wind behind them for the second half but there was a noticeable increase in their intensity and they got a good impact off their bench.

Half time substitute Thomas Monaghan scored the first of their three second half goals in the 40th minute, and Cian Daniels bundled home their third eight minutes later. Whelan levelled the game for the first time in the 51st minute, but Sheridan converted a free that he had won himself to give Kildare the lead once more.

Monaghan and Cathal Mannion replied as Galway took the lead for the first time in the 54th minute.

Whelan took advantage of a visibly tiring Kildare to score Galway’s fourth goal on the stroke of the hour. They eventually pulled away to what looked on the scoreline like a comfortable win but anybody who was in Newbridge to witness it would tell that certainly wasn’t the case.

It leaves Galway on six points, while Kildare are still yearning to turn positive performances into significant results.

Scorers for Galway: T Monaghan 1-4; C Whelan, R Burke 1-3 each; C Mannion 0-5 (3fs,1 ‘65); C Daniels 1-0; T Killeen, O Lohan 0-2 each; J Fleming, C Cooney, D Neary 0-1 each.

Scorers for Kildare: J Sheridan 0-5 (3fs, 2 '65); M Curtin 1-3; G Keegan 0-3; R Boran 0-2; C McCabe, P Dolan 0-1

Galway: Darach Fahy; Joshua Ryan, Cillian Trayers, Darren Morrissey; Padraic Mannion, Daithí Burke, Gavin Lee; Cian Daniels, Tiernan Killeen; Conor Cooney, Cathal Mannion, John Fleming; Rory Burke, Conor Whelan, Colm Molloy.

Subs: Ronan Glennon for Ryan (h-t), Thomas Monaghan for Molloy (h-t), Darragh Neary for Cooney (50), Cianan Fahy for Fleming (56), Oisin Lohan for Killeen (64).

Kildare: Paddy McKenna; Liam O’Reilly, Rian Boran, Richy Hogan; Paul Dolan, Conan Boran, Simon Leacy; Cathal McCabe, Dan O’Meara; Jack Travers, Daire Guerin, Gerry Keegan; Darragh Melville, Muiris Curtin, Jack Sheridan. Subs: Cathal Dowling for Dolan (46), Tim Ryan for Melville (59), Caolan Smith for Travers (60), Evan O’Briain for O’Reilly (64), Harry Carroll for Leacy (70+2).

Referee: Caymon Flynn (Westmeath).