Galway 1-12 Kilkenny 2-8
An Enda Fahy point three minutes into second-half stoppages edged Galway into next month’s All-Ireland SHC, writes Eoghan Cormican.
The Tribesmen had not led this semi-final contest beyond the second minute and with the sides having drawn level on three occasions coming down the stretch, it was the Tribesmen, through second-half sub Fahy, who landed the decisive score right at the death.
They should have pushed two ahead thereafter but Shane Ryan was off target from close range.
James Brennan and Jack Kelly both had chances for Kilkenny to equalise. Neither amounted to anything.
Kilkenny led 1-6 to 0-6 at the break, the score which separated them arriving in the third minute.
Jim Ryan fielded a crossfield ball and his turn took him clear of Galway’s Mark Gill before he calmly dispatched the sliotar past Darach Fahy.
Kilkenny should have had a second goal on 21 minutes but Fahy got down very well to keep out Adrian Mullen’s low drive.
Mullen, having clipped 1-9 in the Leinster final, was the dangerman of the Kilkenny attack, but he cut a relatively subdued figure in the opening half an hour as Galway captain Darren Morrissey, detailed to watch the Kilkenny full-forward, made a number of superb catches.
Galway pared the margin back to the deficit on four occasions in the first-half, but points from Niall Brassil and Mullen (free) nudged Kilkenny three clear at the change of ends.
Eoin Cody punished an error in the Galway full-back line to strike their second goal on 36 minutes. Galway’s response, though, was swift.
Donal Mannion’s surging run was halted, illegally so, in the Kilkenny squad. Jack Canning, a nephew to Joe, slotted the resulting penalty and while they should have moved ahead earlier than the 63rd minute, they got there eventually.
Scorers for Galway: J Canning (1-4, 1-0 pen); S Bleahane (0-3); C Walsh (0-2 frees); C Molloy, D Mannion, E Fahy (0-1 each).
Scorers for Kilkenny: A Mullen (0-4, 0-2 frees); E Cody (1-1); J Ryan (1-0); E O’Shea, C Flynn N Brassil (0-1 each);
Galway: D Fahy (Ardrahan); D Loftus (Turloughmore), D Morrissey (Sarsfields), C Killeen (Loughrea); R Glennon (Mullagh), C Caulfield (Kilconieron), M Gill (Castlegar); C Fahey (Pádraig Pearses), J Fleming (Meelick Eyrecourt); M McManus (Loughrea), C Walsh (Turloughmore), B Moran (Tynagh/Abbey Duniry); S Bleahane (Ahascragh/Fohenagh), C Molloy (Kilnadeema/Leitrim), J Canning (Portumna).
Subs: D Mannion (Cappataggle) for Molloy, S Ryan (Clarenbridge) for Fleming (both 35 mins); C Elwood (Liam Mellows) for Moran (46); E Fahy (Michael Cusacks) for McManus (53).
Kilkenny: D Mason (Ballyhale Shamrocks); T Ronan (Graigue Ballycallan), M Carey (Young Irelands), D Walsh (Piltown); J Brennan (Erin’s Own), C Flynn (Graigue Ballycallan), J Molloy (O’Loughlin Gaels); J Dowd (Erin’s Own), N Brassil (James Stephens); E O’Shea (O’Loughlin Gaels), C Heary (O’Loughlin Gaels), J Ryan (The Rower Inistioge); E Cody (Ballyhale Shamrocks), A Mullen (Ballyhale Shamrocks), S Ryan (Graigue Ballycallan).
Subs: D Barron (Thomastown) for S Ryan (49); J Kelly (Barrow Rangers) for O’Shea (51); N Brennan (Lisdowney) for Ryan (56)
Referee: J Murphy (Limerick).