Galway 2-19

Kilkenny 1-19

THE danger of making rash judgements based on early Spring form was underlined at Nowlan Park on Sunday when a transformed Galway outfit pulled off a surprise and morale-boosting National Hurling League victory over Kilkenny.

Having limped off the field at Pearse Stadium with their tails between their legs after a first round trimming from Tipperary just a week previously, the Tribesmen banished that poor display from their system in the best way possible.

With the team management tearing that team apart – there were 10 changes for the trip to Kilkenny – Galway showed what they were capable of in a Division 1A clash that they basically had to win twice.

Eight points clear (2-15 to 0-13) and in command by the 46th minute, Micheál Donoghue’s charges seemed to have the league points in the bag, but a Kilkenny surge saw the hosts hit 1-6 without reply to edge into the lead.

In front of a 5,460 attendance, the hosts had all the momentum but Galway admirably regrouped, hitting the last four points of the match, including a hat-trick of frees from Jason Flynn, to take the spoils.

Any day you beat Kilkenny in Nowlan Park is a positive experience and Galway were unrecognisable from the callow outfit which had failed to raise much of a gallop in suffering a dozen-points loss to Tipperary.

The team management had taken an understandable gamble in throwing so many novices into battle at the same time, but that bold approach failed spectacularly. Lesson learned: Galway reverted to more of the tried and trusted against Kilkenny.

Yet, they looked like they were taking a risk by pitching regular attacker Gavin Lee into the centre-back role, but Donoghue and company were rewarded in spades as the Clarinbridge clubman had a whale of a match in the number six jersey.

Apart from his excellent positioning and reading of the game, Lee also stormed forward to pick off three rousing points. His stickwork was immense and if this is a sign of what Lee is capable of at the heart of the defence, Galway could already have solved a problem position for 2025.

The return of Padraic Mannion to the half-back line was also critical. He was outstanding, particularly in the first-half when he landed two fine points; while restoring the energetic Tom Monaghan to a best-suited midfield role was instrumental in Galway’s win too.

Between them, Lee, Mannion and Monaghan rattled over eight points from play and with late call-up Declan McLoughlin – he replaced Oisín Lohan who sustained a serious hand injury in training – expertly bagging 2-2, Galway possessed most of the game’s influential performers.

Pictured: Galway’s Gavin Lee in control of this situation against Kilkenny in Sunday’s National Hurling League clash at Nowlan Park.