Kilkenny have landed a sixth successive Leinster Senior Hurling Championship title after a commanding 3-22 to 1-20 victory over Galway at Croke Park.
Derek Lyng’s men appeared to be cruising when TJ Reid struck Kilkenny’s second goal in the 57th minute, pushing them into a 12-point lead. However, Galway mounted a spirited comeback, with Brian Concannon’s goal igniting a run of 1-6 without reply, cutting the deficit and raising hopes of a dramatic turnaround.
But the Cats held firm. Mossy Keoghan sealed the win with his second goal of the game, ensuring Kilkenny not only retained the Bob O’Keeffe Cup for a record 77th time, but also secured direct passage to the All-Ireland semi-finals.
The champions’ performance was underlined by the inclusion of five Kilkenny players in the GAA Team of the Week: Huw Lawlor, Mikey Carey, Richie Reid, Cian Kenny and Martin Keoghan.
As the focus now shifts to the All-Ireland series, Kilkenny legend Tommy Walsh says the hunger to reclaim the Liam MacCarthy Cup is burning across the province.
“Leinster people and Kilkenny people, they’ll be absolutely determined to bring the Liam MacCarthy Cup back to the province. When you see the likes of the Limericks and Tipperary winning those All-Irelands, you’d say, wouldn’t it be great if it came back over this side again?”
“So they will be very determined. But to win an All-Ireland final, as the great Willie Mullins said after one of the Cheltenham races – you have to be in it, you have to turn up to win it.
Well, as regards hurling, you have to be in an All-Ireland final to win it. So that semi-final is going to be huge.”
