Cats got their claws into Galway with early goals blitz

Kilkenny .4-16 Galway .2-15 THIS was more than an All-Ireland semi-final defeat at Semple Stadium, Thurles on Saturday evening. It was a warning to the Galway senior team, too. Kilkenny may have been surprisingly weak in minor hurling this year but they're fiercely determined to make it a senior and under-21 double. Galway U-21s have the same management team as the seniors, Anthony Cunningham, Tom Helebert and Mattie Kenny, and there was considerable senior experience in the U-21 line-up, including star names such as Johnny Coen, Niall Burke, James Regan and Conor Cooney, along with Fergal Flannery, Brian Flaherty, Darragh Burke, Joseph Cooney, Tadhg Haran, Jonathan Glynn and Davy Glennon. Going for back-to-back titles, Galway U-21s had high hopes but they were chasing the game after three Kilkenny goals in the opening 23 minutes and a 10-point lead at one stage despite playing against the wind. It was 3-9 to 0-11 at half-time and although Davy Glennon and Joseph Cooney got in for second-half goals to keep the game alive as a contest, Kilkenny were comfortable winners. Their All-Ireland final opponents will be Clare, 4-24 to 0-8 semi-final winners over an outclassed Antrim team. Galway's defeat has already fuelled discussion on their absence from the Leinster U-21 Championship, but from various quotes coming out of the Galway camp in Thurles their preference is for an open draw â€â€ a proposal which would have no chance of winning support from Leinster or Munster. Kilkenny: D. Walsh; J. Corcoran, W. Phelan, B. Kennedy; L. Harney, R. Doyle, J. Lyng; G. Brennan, C. Buckley (0-2); O. Walsh (1-0), J. Power (2-1, 1-0 penalty), K. Kelly (0-6, four frees); G. Aylward (1-3), P. Walsh (0-2), W. Walsh (0-2). Sub., M. Gaffney, for P. Walsh, 59 mins. Galway: F. Flannery; J. Coen, Daithí Burke, B. Flaherty; J. Grealish, Darragh Burke, J. Cooney (1-0); P. Brehony, T. Haran (0-3, two frees); R. Cummins (0-1), N. Burke (0-8, five frees), J. Regan; C. Cooney, J. Glynn (0-2), D. Glennon (1-1). Subs., D. Fox, for Brehony, 19 mins; P. Huban, for Grealish, 22 mins; P. Killeen, for Darragh Burke, half-time; S. Moloney, for Cummins, 45 mins. Referee: John Sexton (Cork).