So that’s three Leinster titles in a row for Kilkenny, as Brian Cody gets revenge on Henry Shefflin and Galway for the Salthill round-robin defeat. The Tribesmen go into the All-Ireland quarter-finals where they’ll face the winner of Cork and Antrim’s preliminary quarter-final, while Kilkenny go directly into the semi-finals on the other side of the draw.
Scroll down to follow the action as it happened. Malachy Clerkin’s match report is incoming on the homepage and we’ll be back tomorrow for the Leinster decider. For now though, thanks for joining us.
FT Galway 0-17 Kilkenny 0-22
A roar from the crowd as, after about five minutes of everyone at Croke Park including the TV cameras eagerly waiting for it, Henry Shefflin and Brian Cody shake hands. Two of the game’s greatest ever competitors, it was far from a warm embrace!
FT Galway 0-17 Kilkenny 0-22 - Three Leinster championships in a row for Kilkenny! They wanted it more, Galway didn’t take their goal chances, and TJ Reid with an exhibition of placed balls proved the major difference!
Galway 0-17 Kilkenny 0-22 (74′) It wasn’t an easy free but with TJ converting from everywhere for Kilkenny - Cooney’s latest miss seems huge. Padraig Mannion then tries to lob one into the square but it goes all the way over the bar. Substitute Padraig Walsh responds immediately for Kilkenny before Adrian Mullen sends over his fourth! That’ll be that.
Galway 0-16 Kilkenny 0-20 (70′) Four minutes added on as Cooney taps over a free. Four point game.
Galway 0-15 Kilkenny 0-20 (68′) Padraig Mannion sends his shot from distance wide, and that’s an 11th wide for a tired looking Galway facing what would be their first defeat of the 2022 championship.
Galway 0-15 Kilkenny 0-20 (66′) Another TJ free, this one from closer range. Five points in it!
Galway 0-15 Kilkenny 0-19 (64′) Adrian Mullen’s shot is blocked and out for a 65, TJ points it. Kilkenny are scrapping for everything. Mikey Butler has just lifted the whole team with a brilliant catch and drive out from his full back line.
Galway 0-15 Kilkenny 0-18 (60′) Cooney’s tap over free cuts the deficit back to two points as we approach the final 10 minutes . . . TJ then wins another long clearance, the referee awards a free and he converts it. What a player.
Galway 0-14 Kilkenny 0-17 (57′) Albeit from a tight angle, Conor Cooney misses a free Galway really needed. That’s their 10th wide. Joseph Cooney is then hooked on halfway - Kilkenny are on top all over right now.
Galway 0-14 Kilkenny 0-17 (53′) TJ is having one of those games, his latest free puts three points between the teams. Galway need to up it and quickly, the wind isn’t going to win it for them!
Galway 0-14 Kilkenny 0-16 (52′) Goal chance for Kilkenny after a magical catch by TJ. Baseball style! Keoghan’s shot is off target under savage pressure from Galway’s scramble defence.
Galway 0-14 Kilkenny 0-16 (50′) TJ’s eighth point is another free from his own 65, making a mockery of the wind. Fahy responds with a tap over point for Galway.
Galway 0-13 Kilkenny 0-15 (45′) TJ from a tight angle points another free. Two in it again.
Galway 0-13 Kilkenny 0-14 (43′) Eoin Murphy denies Galway again. Conor Cooney’s free comes down off the post and is gathered by Whelan who strikes into the ground but his effort is saved at the near post. Cooney slots the resultant 65. That’s his seventh point.
Galway 0-12 Kilkenny 0-14 (41′) Fintan Burke has all the time in the world and makes no mistake with his shot to leave two between them again.
Galway 0-11 Kilkenny 0-14 (39′) Adrian Mullen floats over his third point to restore the two point lead for Kilkenny. Before TJ defies the wind advantage to send a free over from his own half!
Galway 0-11 Kilkenny 0-12 (37′) Kilkenny win a free from the second half throw-in. TJ from halfway sends it into the wind and over the bar. Conor Whelan responds with two in a row. He makes it look easy!
HT Galway 0-9 Kilkenny 0-11 Cooney points his free from distance despite the big wind facing him. Just the two points in it at the interval and the Tribesmen will have the wind advantage after the break.
Galway 0-8 Kilkenny 0-11 (36′) A third missed goal chance for Galway - Fahy pulls on a dropping ball and it’s just wide. Inside the opening minute of the four added on.
Galway 0-8 Kilkenny 0-11 (32′) Conor Cooney breaks the Kilkenny momentum with his first from play, a beauty on the loop from 65m after a TJ Reid free.
Galway 0-7 Kilkenny 0-10 (29′) TJ Reid sends a free over the black spot. Before Martin Keoghan gets on the end of a powerful running move to tap over a 10th Kilkenny point.
Galway 0-7 Kilkenny 0-8 (25′) Hawk-Eye has a look at TJ Reid’s effort but can’t make its mind up - “Hawk-Eye is unavailable” appears on the big screen. Galway go down the other end and cut the deficit to one point via Cianan Fahy.
Galway 0-6 Kilkenny 0-8 (20′) Galway register their fourth wide but given the strength of the wind they’ll be content to be just two points behind after the opening 20 minutes.
Galway 0-6 Kilkenny 0-8 (16′) Into the wind, Conor Cooney’s sideline cut floats over the bar. Beautiful. He then adds another free before Éanna Murphy makes a good save in the Galway goal.
Galway 0-4 Kilkenny 0-8 (15′) Conor Cooney sends over a well taken free before Paddy Deegan floats over his second point.
Galway 0-3 Kilkenny 0-7 (11′) Conor Whelan twists one way and points over his shoulder the other way for his second point. Mullen responds with an excellent score judging the wind perfectly. Billy Ryan then puts four points between the teams.
Galway 0-1 Kilkenny 0-4 (7′) TJ Reid sends over a free and Adrian Mullen points as Eoin Murphy denies Galway two goals with excellent saves. The first from the foot of Joseph Cooney.
Galway 0-1 Kilkenny 0-2 (3′) GAME ON! Paddy Deegan and Richie Leahy grab two early points for Kilkenny after a couple of early misses. Kilkenny are playing with a strong wind at their backs in the first half.
Some pre-match reading:
[ Galway camp too focused to think about any frosty Brian Cody handshakeOpens in new window ]
[ Keith Duggan: Galway already showing the signs of Henry Shefflin’s singular focusOpens in new window ]
Galway’s forwards have better potential whereas the champions have been fitful. There may be a response from them to the poor display against Wexford but that doesn’t change the probable outcome.
<b>Verdict:</b> Galway
Check out Sean Moran’s preview in full here
Leinster hurling final - Galway v Kilkenny, Croke Park, 7pm
Starting teams (Johnny Coen replaces David Burke for Galway, Kilkenny play as selected)
GALWAY: Éanna Murphy; Jack Grealish, Daithí Burke, Darren Morrissey; Padraic Mannion, Gearóid McInerney, Fintan Burke; Joseph Cooney, Johnny Coen; Tom Monaghan, Conor Cooney, Cathal Mannion; Conor Whelan, Cianan Fahy, Brian Concannon.
KILKENNY: Eoin Murphy; Mikey Butler, Huw Lawlor, Tommy Walsh; Michael Carey, Richie Reid, Paddy Deegan; Conor Fogarty, Adrian Mullen; Billy Ryan, TJ Reid, Richie Leahy; Cian Kenny, Martin Keoghan, Eoin Cody.
Referee: James Owens
