NHL Division 1A: Galway 0-35 Kilkenny 0-17
Manager Derek Lyng labelled Kilkenny‘s performance at Pearse Stadium as unacceptable after they went down by 18 points to a rampant Galway side on Saturday.
Lyng’s men will return to the Salthill venue in six weeks for the opening game in the Leinster championship and the Kilkenny manager is in doubt about what they need to do.
“We have to be honest with ourselves. That was unacceptable. Everybody in there [the dressingroom] knows that. I didn’t think we had enough energy at all, way too passive. I’m responsible for that. And it wasn’t good enough,” said Lyng.
The home following, who made up the bulk of the 5,467 crowd, saw 13 Galway players hit the target, scoring five points more against the wind in the second half as Kilkenny wilted.
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Having opted to play against the breeze, Galway got on top in most positions and led by 0-15 to 0-9 at the end of the opening half with Aaron Niland leading the way.
The Clarinbridge sharpshooter was entrusted with free-taking duties and landed 0-9 in the opening half, two of them from play, one a 65 and the rest from frees.
The home attack, constantly switching positions, stretched the Kilkenny defence and the scores flowed, leading by 0-6 to 0-2 after nine minutes after Niland landed four-in-a-row.
Cian Kenny, who hit three from play and two frees in the opening half, kept Kilkenny in touch but they trailed by double scores at 0-10 to 0-5 after 19 minutes with Tom Monaghan and Cathal Mannion picking off some fine scores.
Jordan Molloy landed a superb point from the right for Kilkenny but Niland matched with a superbly judged effort from the right touchline into the wind.
Two Kenny points inside a minute cut the gap to four 10 minutes from the break but Galway hit the next three with two more from Niland and one from Monaghan extended the lead before a Kenny free reduced the gap to two goals at the break.
Galway dominated after the restart and reeled off 0-7 without reply by the 45th minute with Niland adding three more, and Mannion, Burke, Tiernan Killeen and Ronan Glennon also finding the target.
John Donnelly, Tom Phelan and Kenny responded for Kilkenny but Galway were never troubled and pushed the lead out to 10 points, 0-23 to 0-13, at the end of the third quarter.
They continued to pick off points from there to the end with Conor Cooney, their fifth sub to score. He became their 13th player to score when he landed the final point in stoppage time as they outscored Kilkenny by 0-20 to 0-8 in the second half playing against the wind.
GALWAY: D Fahy; C Trayers, J Ryan, K Hanrahan; R Glennon (0-1), P Mannion (0-1), D Morrissey; C Daniels, T Killeen (0-1); D Neary, C Mannion (0-6), R Burke (0-4, 1 sl); T Monaghan (0-2), C Whelan (0-2), A Niland (0-13, 9f, 1 65).
Subs: J Rabbitte (0-1) for Monaghan, C Cooney (0-1) for Neary (both 53 mins), TJ Brennan (0-1) for Morrissey (58); E Niland (0-1) for Burke (62); O Lohan (0-1) for A Niland (63).
KILKENNY: A Tallis; R Garrett, M Carey, I Bolger; D Blanchfield, D Corcoran, P Deegan; C Kenny (0-10, 4f), J Molloy (0-1); L Moore (0-2), E Cody (0-2), L Connellan; N Shortall, M Keoghan, T Phelan (0-1).
Subs: J Donnelly (0-1) for Connellan (29 mins); I Byrne for Moore (34-36); K Doyle for Shortall (36); R Reid for Deegan (45); S Murphy for Carey (48); Byrne for Molloy (53).
Referee: Colm Lyons (Cork).
