Leinster GAA Hurling Senior Championship- Round 2
Antrim v Kilkenny
Sunday 27 April at Corrigan Park, Belfast – Throw in: 2pm
Referee: Shane Hynes (Galway)
Brendan McTaggart looks ahead to Sunday’s Leinster Championship game between Antrim and Kilkenny at Corrigan Park.
After the disappointment of last week’s trip to the sunny south-east, Antrim welcome Kilkenny to Corrigan Park on Sunday in search of their first win of the Leinster championship campaign.
It’s always a huge occasion when the Cat’s come to town and when you throw in a championship match into the mix, Sunday will be no different. What Antrim hope will be different is the quality of officiating from their contest against Wexford. When we spoke with Davy Fitzgerald after the game, to say he was irate would be the understatement of the century. Apoplectic may come closer to best describing the Saffrons Bainisteoir but Antrim’s performance against the ‘Yella Bellies’ while good for long periods, will need serious improving if they are to come close to a Kilkenny side who are on the hunt for major honours.
It’s been 10 years since Liam McCarthy visited the banks of the River Nore, the longest barren spell for the Black and Amber for almost 70 years but they are chasing their sixth Leinster Championship in a row.
Sunday will be the third year in a row Antrim will line up against Kilkenny and they won’t need reminding of those past results…. We’re going to do it anyway. In 2023, Kilkenny had 17 points to spare while last year the final score read 5-30 to 0-13 in Nolan Park. The Saffrons bounced back from that game to defeat Wexford in what was a quite brilliant performance – can they bounce back again after last Saturday’s defeat? That would be a massive ask.
They will be without Niall McKenna again as he continues his recovery from injury while it may come too soon for Conor Johnston. Seaan Elliott was taken off with a knock picked up against Wexford and Fitzgerald said himself that it wasn’t looking good for him to be ready for Sunday’s game.
Kilkenny are forced into two changes from their win over Galway seven days ago with Tommy Walsh and Stephen Donnelly coming in for Shane Murphy and Adrian Mullen. Both men picked up injuries during that game in Nolan Park and they continue to be without the experienced duo of TJ Reid and David Blanchfield.
The 15 that Derek Lyng has chosen still reads like a who’s who of hurling, however. Huw Lawlor and Richie Reid form the spine of their defence with Mikey Carey and Paddy Deegan making up a strong half back line. Eoin Cody has shook off the knock picked up against Galway to start in a full forward line that will have Martin Keoghan while Kerry native Fionan Mackessy will line out on the ’45 – a talented hurler and a man that needs no introduction to this group of Antrim players.
Against Galway, Kilkenny had 13 different scorers and out of the 3-24 hit, 3-21 came from open play. Quite an astonishing stat with their goals coming from Adrian Mullen, Martin Keoghan and Eoin Cody as they ran out comfortable winners with 12 points to spare.
For Antrim, they had prolonged periods of being competitive against Wexford at the beginning of each half. Soon after the restart, just two points separated the sides and Antrim looked to be gaining some momentum, indeed with 12 minutes remaining they trailed by just five points. Some of their interplay was excellent but the home sides goals proved to be sucker-punches. Too often, they were on the wrong side of questionable calls from the official as frustration became apparent from the side line.
The dominance of Lee Chin and Antrim’s inability to curtail his influence will have been a concern for the Saffrons management team as they prepare to come up against a side who are another step up in class.
Antrim continued to battle however, something you would always associate with a Davy Fitzgerald side and they will have to bring those same battling qualities when Kilkenny come calling on Sunday.
