Gaelic Games

Walsh Cup round-up: Derek Lyng’s Kilkenny up and running with win over Offaly

Laois beat Wexford, understrength Galway see off Westmeath

Action from the Kilkenny vs Offaly match in the Walsh Cup on Sunday. Photograph: Laszlo Geczo/Inpho
Action from the Kilkenny vs Offaly match in the Walsh Cup on Sunday. Photograph: Laszlo Geczo/Inpho
Sun Jan 08 2023 - 19:34

Walsh Cup

Kilkenny 2-19 Offaly 0-21

Laois 0-20 Wexford 0-18

Galway 3-27 Westmeath 0-20

Dublin 3-26 Antrim 2-22

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Derek Lyng’s reign as Kilkenny manager got up and running with 2-19 to 0-21 win over Offaly in the Walsh Cup at Callan.

But an understrength Cats side were pushed all the way by an Offaly side with Galway native Johnny Kelly in charge for the first time.

Kilkenny led by 1-11 to 0-10 at the break with Ian Byrne getting the goal.

Billy Drennan, star of so many Kilkenny underage sides in recent years, struck 0-9, three of them from play, while Tom Phelan supplied their second goal to wrap up the result on a day when 10 players hit the target for Lyng’s side.

[ Needle and the damage done: How Kilkenny’s inner fire was stoked by spite and slights ]

Cillian Kiely, who hit 0-13, all but two of them from frees, led the challenge for Offaly and they will look to build on an encouraging display when they host Wexford in Birr next Sunday.

Wexford will go into that match looking for a response after going down by 0-20 to 0-18 in Mountrath, as Tipperary native Willie Maher made an encouraging start to his term in charge of Laois.

Laois led by 0-11 to 0-8 at the interval and didn’t relent with late points from Tomas Mossy Keyes and Jordan Walshe sealing an encouraging win.

Henry Shefflin was pleased with the way his understrength Galway side pulled away from Westmeath to win by 3-28 to 0-20 in a good contest in Ballinasloe.

Galway led by a goal at the break but outscored Westmeath by 2-17 to 0-9 after the break on a day when the opposing free-takers Evan Niland and Killian Doyle were superb in testing conditions. The Galway sharpshooter struck 0-17 while Doyle landed a dozen for Westmeath.

Galway will meet their 2017 All-Ireland winning manager Michéal Donoghue when they travel to Parnell Park to take on Dublin.

Donoghue’s term as Dublin manager got off to a 3-26 to 2-22 win over Antrim in Parnell Park on Saturday. Joe Flanagan, who helped Naomh Barrog reach the Leinster intermediate semi-finals, took on the free-taking duties for the Dubs and supplied a total of 0-14.

Andrew Jamieson-Murphy, Glenn Whelan and Liam Murphy found the net for Dublin, with Niall McKenna and Rian McMullan responding for Antrim.