Kilkenny hold off late Galway rally to win a sixth straight Leinster title - As it happened

Micheál Donoghue’s side got to within four points but Martin Keoghan goal saw Cats pull clear late on

Kilkenny’s Billy Ryan and Adrian Mullen in action against with Cianan Fahy and Gavin Lee of Galway. Photograph: James Crombie
Kilkenny’s Billy Ryan and Adrian Mullen in action against with Cianan Fahy and Gavin Lee of Galway. Photograph: James Crombie

Sunday’s fixtures

Leinster Senior Hurling Final:

FT: Kilkenny 3-22 Galway 1-20

Joe McDonagh Cup Final:

FT: Kildare 2-26 Laois 1-19

Tailteann Cup:

FT: Wexford 5-23 Antrim 2-21

FT: Sligo 1-27 Carlow 2-19


4 hours ago

There’ll be more coverage of today’s final later on, with Ian O’Riordan’s match report from Croke Park. There’ll also be further analysis of all the weekend’s hurling on irishtimes.com throughout the next few days. That’s all from me on today’s blog, thanks for joining us for today’s Leinster final.


4 hours ago

John Donnelly had a fine showing at wing forward for Kilkenny, and accepted the Bob O’Keefe Cup as captain.


4 hours ago

Goalkeeper Eoin Murphy tells RTÉ that Kilkenny were focused on winning the Leinster Championship to get into the semi final of the All-Ireland:

“We’re delighted with the six in a row. That was our main focus point from the very start of the year, we wanted to go through the direct route.”


4 hours ago

Kilkenny are through to the All-Ireland semi finals now, while Galway will play a quarter final against the winner of Laois and Tipperary.


4 hours ago

Kilkenny are Leinster hurling champions for the sixth time in a row! Galway made a game of it in the latter stages of the second half, but Kilkenny were deserving winners. Likewise, Huw Lawlor was a deserving man of the match.


4 hours ago

Full Time: Kilkenny 3-22 Galway 1-20


4 hours ago

71 Mins: GOAL for Kilkenny! A bad mistake from the new goalkeeper sees Keoghan profit again. Kilkenny 3-22 Galway 1-20


4 hours ago

69 Mins: Huw Lawlor clutches a high ball out of the sky, then drives out of the Kilkenny defence. He hands off to Billy Ryan who pops it over. Cooney makes the gap four again though. Kilkenny 2-21 Galway 1-20


4 hours ago

68 Mins: Adrian Mullen takes a shot under pressure when he had men in space beside him. But it goes over anyway, a brilliant score. Cathal Mannion hits back for Galway, another great strike. Kilkenny 2-20 Galway 1-19


4 hours ago

66 Mins: Suddenly the energy all around Croke Park is up massively. TJ Brennan scraps away and gets a free for his efforts. Mannion strikes it over and the gap is just four points. Kilkenny 2-19 Galway 1-18


4 hours ago

63 Mins: GOAL for Galway! Brian Concannon got the ball a short free from Cathal Mannion and hit the back of the net. Kilkenny 2-19 Galway 1-17


4 hours ago

62 Mins: Killeen gets another point for Galway. Kilkenny 2-19 Galway 0-16


4 hours ago

60 Mins: Tiernan Killeen scores another for Galway, coming off the bench. That’s three in a row for the Tribesmen. Kilkenny 2-19 Galway 0-15


4 hours ago

59 Mins: Galway have their first score from play in the second half from Seán Linnane. Cathal Mannion adds another then. Kilkenny 2-19 Galway 0-14


4 hours ago

57 Mins: GOAL for Kilkenny! TJ Reid peels away from Daithí Burke and fires it past the new man in goal, Darragh Walsh. Keoghan did so well to feed the full forward when he could have taken the shot on himself. Kilkenny 2-19 Galway 0-12


5 hours ago

55 Mins: A Stephen Donnelly effort sends us to Hawk-Eye, and it’s over the bar again. Kilkenny 1-18 Galway 0-12


5 hours ago

52 Mins: Cian Kenny hits another great score. Kilkenny look in control as Martin Keoghan hits a fine score. Kilkenny 1-17 Galway 0-12


5 hours ago

50 Mins: Cathal Mannion reduces the gap to five again from a free. Kilkenny 1-14 Galway 0-12


5 hours ago

47 Mins: Adrian Mullen has been left in acres of space on multiple occasions today, and this time he punishes Galway with a great score from right out on the sideline. Kilkenny 1-14 Galway 0-11


5 hours ago

45 Mins: Cathal Mannion scores a monster of a free, but Cian Kenny hits a quality score in reply. Kilkenny 1-13 Galway 0-11


5 hours ago

41 Mins: Billy Ryan plays a somewhat unconventional one-two with Mossy Keoghan and then strikes over from 45 metres. Keoghan did so well to keep hold of the ball under heavy pressure. Mannion points a free for the Tribesmen. Kilkenny 1-12 Galway 0-10


5 hours ago

39 Mins: Mikey Carey slings a lovely effort up and over the bar. TJ Reid pops a simple free over to give Kilkenny a bigger cushion. His influence on the game is growing. Kilkenny 1-11 Galway 0-9


5 hours ago

37 Mins: Cathal Mannion points a free. Kilkenny 1-9 Galway 0-9


5 hours ago

36 Mins: Éanna Murphy has come off after those knocks he got at the end of the first half, with Darragh Walsh replacing him. TJ Reid misses the first shot of the second half. Kilkenny 1-9 Galway 0-8


5 hours ago

It’s been a pretty flat first half at Croke Park. Huw Lawlor’s superb display of high catching had been the highlight of the half until Keoghan got the goal.


5 hours ago

Half time: Kilkenny 1-9 Galway 0-8


5 hours ago

35 Mins: Galway’s Éanna Murphy went down after that goal but carries on. John Donnelly puts a high tackle on the goalkeeper very shortly after and gets a yellow.


5 hours ago

33 Mins: GOAL for Kilkenny! A good bit of poaching from Martin Keoghan as he follows in TJ Reid’s saved effort. Kilkenny 1-9 Galway 0-8


5 hours ago

30 Mins: Neither side has really got much of a rhythm, and it’s not being helped by the wides that both teams are hitting. Cathal Mannion gets Galway back on track with a free. Kilkenny 0-9 Galway 0-8


5 hours ago

27 Mins: David Burke is penalised for throwing the ball, but Reid hits the free wide into Hill 16. Kilkenny 0-9 Galway 0-7


5 hours ago

25 Mins: TJ Reid hits back to back frees for the Cats to put them two in front. Kilkenny 0-9 Galway 0-7


5 hours ago

22 Mins: Kilkenny get back in front again, but Cathal Mannion replies from long range. Kilkenny 0-7 Galway 0-7


5 hours ago

19 Mins: Billy Ryan strikes over the bar. The half forward was left in acres of space. Cian Kenny gets a yellow and Cathal Mannion puts the resulting free wide. Kilkenny 0-6 Galway 0-6


5 hours ago

17 Mins: Cathal Mannion hits a beauty from the Hogan side to put Galway in front again. Kilkenny 0-5 Galway 0-6


5 hours ago

15 Mins: Kilkenny are winning a lot of the balls into the Galway forward line and break Galway’s early momentum with three scores in a row. Tom Monaghan breaks the Cats’ streak with his own score. Kilkenny 0-5 Galway 0-4


6 hours ago

11 Mins: Martin Keoghan shoots an uncharacteristic wide from out near the Cusack stand. After Kilkenny win the ball back Keoghan gets another go and this time slots it over. Kilkenny 0-2 Galway 0-3


6 hours ago

7 Mins: TJ Brennan and Cathal Mannion both add points for Galway. Kilkenny 0-1 Galway 0-3


6 hours ago

5 Mins: TJ Reid misses a free within his range. Kevin Cooney pops one over from close range. Kilkenny 0-1 Galway 0-1


6 hours ago

2 Mins: Kilkenny hit the first point of the game through John Donnelly. Kilkenny 0-1 Galway 0-0


6 hours ago

The national anthem is on, and we’re nearly underway at Croke Park.


6 hours ago

The last Leinster final between the Cats and the Tribesmen was a classic, with Kilkenny snatching the victory in the final moments with a goal. Galway’s Cathal Mannion didn’t play in that 2023 final, but spoke to Ian O’Riordan about that game and this year’s renewal of the rivalry.

[ Galway’s Cathal Mannion only too aware of Kilkenny’s extra-time threat ]


6 hours ago

Galway and Kilkenny have some game to live up to after yesterday’s other provincial final between Cork and Limerick. Both teams are now out warming up with just over 15 minutes left until throw in.


6 hours ago

The focus now turns to the Leinster final. Kilkenny’s Adrian Mullen spoke to Gordon Manning during the week about a campaign affected by injuries and being shifted into new positions.

[ ‘I’ll play anywhere I’m told to’: Adrian Mullen keen to shine in Leinster final after beating injury demons ]


6 hours ago

Full time: Kildare 2-26 Laois 1-19. Kildare are the winners of the Joe McDonagh Cup! They’ve beaten Laois by 10 points in Croke Park.

Kildare will face Dublin and Laois will play Tipperary next week in the All-Ireland preliminary quarter finals.


7 hours ago

66 Mins: Another goal for Kildare! Jack Sheridan tucks it into the bottom corner and looks to have finished the job for the Lilywhites. Kildare 2-22 Laois 1-17


7 hours ago

62 Mins: Kildare hit the back of the net and now lead by seven in the Joe McDonagh final. Kildare 1-22 Laois 1-15


7 hours ago

In the McDonagh Cup final, Laois have failed to capitalise on their early second half goal. Kildare battled their way back into the game and now lead by two points with 58 minutes played. Kildare 0-20 Laois 1-15


7 hours ago

Malachy Clerkin spoke to Galway captain Conor Whelan ahead of today’s final. The 28 year old spoke about the match up with Kilkenny, as well as opening up on mental health.

[ Galway’s Conor Whelan: ‘Mental health is not as abstract as people sometimes make it sound’ ]


7 hours ago

Seán Moran looks ahead to today’s Leinster final in an age where Munster hurling dominates.

[ Leinster hurling final and the battle for relevance ]


7 hours ago

The Joe McDonagh Cup final is on currently in Croke Park. The teams went into the break level, but in the first play of the second half Laois score the opening goal of the game. Kildare 0-11 Laois 1-11


7 hours ago

Today’s teams are as follows:

Kilkenny: Eoin Murphy, Mikey Butler, Huw Lawlor, Tommy Walsh, Mikey Carey, Richie Reid, Paddy Deegan, Cian Kenny, Jordan Molloy, John Donnelly, Adrian Mullen, Billy Ryan, Stephen Donnelly, TJ Reid, Martin Keoghan

Galway: Éanna Murphy, Padraic Mannion, Daithí Burke, Fintan Burke, Cianan Fahy, Gavin Lee, TJ Brennan, Seán Linnane, David Burke, John Fleming, Cathal Mannion, Tom Monaghan, Conor Whelan, Brian Concannon, Kevin Cooney


7 hours ago

Hello and welcome to live coverage of today’s Leinster hurling final between Kilkenny and Galway.

The Cats are aiming to make it six provincial titles in a row today, while Micheál Donoghue’s team are in search of a first title since 2018.

Derek Lyng’s side won comprehensively in their first meeting in the Leinster championship this year, but Galway have picked up form since that match.

Throw in at Croke Park for the Leinster final will be at 4pm.

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