Leinster Senior Hurling Championship, Round Two

Antrim 2-12 Kilkenny 2-30

In the end it was a one sided affair with eighteen points separating the sides but the Antrim fans will care to remember the second quarter of the game when Saffrons came from 0-8 to 0-1 behind to lead by 2-08 to 0-13 at half time.

Spirits were high as the teams went to the changing rooms at and for the first ten minutes of the second half they showed well, but the concession of two quick goals turned the game on its head as they appeared to knock the stuffing out of the home side.   

Kilkenny flew from the traps at the start of the game and after Stephen Donnelly hit the first score inside a minute Martin Keoghan, John Donnelly, Fionán Macakessy and Paddy Deegan all picked off points as star-struck Antrim were left chasing shadows. James McNaughton settled things a little with a pointed free but the Leinster champions stretched the lead to 0-8 to 0-01, despite playing against the stiff breeze.

Antrim couldn’t get their hands on the ball but three quick points from James McNaughton, Keelan Molloy and Conall Bohill settled them into the game and suddenly the tide began to turn.

A great pass from Conor Johnston sent James McNaughton away in the left corner and the Shamrocks speedster showed the Cats defence a clean pair of heels before firing past Eoin Murphy in the Kilkenny goal and suddenly the sides were level.

McNaughton seemed set for a second goal soon afterwards but his shot came back of the butt of the post and Murphy got it clear, but Keelan Molloy showed great skill just before the break to squeeze the ball home to complete an eight point turnaround and send the Saffrons in with a one point advantage. (2-08 to 0-13)

Three Eoin Cody points in reply to one by McNaughton early in the second half saw the visitors open a two point gap. Antrim looked set to take the lead again when Nigel Elliott made a brilliant run from midfield, but Murphy was equal to the shot as he turned it over the bar for a point which tied the scores yet again. The blow that started the Kilkenny avalanche of scores came on 52 minutes when Kilkenny Martin Keoghan disposed ad Antrim defender who was soloing up the field, Keoghan the racing through to fire past the helpless Ryan Elliott in the Antrim goal.

Suddenly from being in a very competitive position it appeared that the rug had been pulled from under the Antrim team and incredibly they went on to add a further 1-13 to a single Antrim point. The Saffrons introduced four of their Under 20 team who had run Dublin close during the week, but to be honest they never really saw the ball as the Kilkenny midfield and half-back line totally dominated possession and with man of the match Eoin Cody leading the charge the Cats pulled away to win by 18 in the end.

ANTRIM: R Elliott; S Rooney, N O’Connor, P Burke; C Boyd, J Maskey, C Bohill (0-1); E Campbell, G Walsh; K Molloy (1-1), N Elliott (0-1), S Walsh; R McCambridge, J McNaughton (1-9, 0-9f), C Johnston.

Subs: C McKeown for C Johnston (HT), S McKay for R McCambridge (52), J McLaughlin for S Walsh (55), E O’Neill for E Campbell (69), A McGarry for G Walsh (69).

KILKENNY: E Murphy; M Butler (0-1), H Lawlor, T Walsh (0-1); M Carey, R Reid, P Deegan; C Kenny (0-2), J Molloy (0-2); F Mackessy (0-1f), J Donnelly (0-1), B Ryan (0-1); S Donnelly (0-3), M Keoghan (1-2), E Cody (1-13, 1-9f).

Subs: H Shine (0-1) for F Mackessy (40), L Hogan for S Donnelly (64), B Drennan (0-1) for J Donnelly (67), K Doyle for M Carey (67), E Lyng for C Kenny (70).

REFEREE: S Hynes (Galway)

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