Galway V Kilkenny, 22 June, 4pm RTÉ One and Radio 1.

Lapin

In the first championship meeting between these old enemies since the three epic encounters of two years ago, Galway and Kilkenny arrive at the unfamiliar surroundings of Tullamore with the intention of regaining some of the pride they lost last year. Kilkenny are without Michael Fennelly after he suffered with back trouble at training earlier this week. The on form Mark Kelly steps in.


Galway make two changes in personnel from the team which defeated Laois in the Leinster SHC quarter-final. Andrew Smith comes in for Aidan Harte, while Jason Flynn starts instead of Jonathan Glynn.


The mood in Galway is quietly confident. There is an admission that the performance against Laois was poor and that serious improvement is needed. Who better to raise their game against than the Cats who themselves weren't tested by Offaly.


Galway have had the measure of Kilkenny in recent years when least expected and today could just be one of those days.


My prediction - Galway by a point.

Galway: C Callanan; F Moore, R Burke, D Collins; Daithi Burke, I Tannian, J Coen; A Smith, P Brehony; David Burke, N Burke, C Cooney; C Mannion, J Canning, J Flynn.


Kilkenny: E Murphy; P Murphy, JJ Delaney, B Kennedy; K Joyce, J Tyrrell, C Buckley; P Walsh, R Hogan; W Walsh, M Kelly, TJ Reid; C Fennelly, R Power, E Larkin.

Mantis Toboggan

How is it that there is no rte 1 hd on Sky yet it's available on evision?

Ridiculous.

Fireball07

I just can't see Galway being quite good enough to beat KK. It will take a serious improvement, although KK are still trying to find their best team too.

The likes of the two Burkes in defence, Mannion & Flynn, as well as the maturing of Conor Cooney does strengthen Galway, but I'm still in no way convinced by Tannion at centre-back, particularly if Fennelly or Hogan end up playing there. And the two Burkes at half-forward really need to step up.


On paper, KK have too much scoring power and I think they'll win by 4 or 5.

glued

Kilkenny by 7/8 points.

Mantis Toboggan

Kilkenny by at least 10

Nib

Kilkenny by 18.

TCDStudent1

Lapin wrote: »

In the first championship meeting between these old enemies since the three epic encounters of two years ago, Galway and Kilkenny arrive at the unfamiliar surroundings of Tullamore with the intention of regaining some of the pride they lost last year. Kilkenny are without Michael Fennelly after he suffered with back trouble at training earlier this week. The on form Mark Kelly steps in.


Galway make two changes in personnel from the team which defeated Laois in the Leinster SHC quarter-final. Andrew Smith comes in for Aidan Harte, while Jason Flynn starts instead of Jonathan Glynn.


The mood in Galway is quietly confident. There is an admission that the performance against Laois was poor and that serious improvement is needed. Who better to raise their game against than the Cats who themselves weren't tested by Offaly.


Galway have had the measure of Kilkenny in recent years when least expected and today could just be one of those days.


My prediction - Galway by a point.

Galway: C Callanan; F Moore, R Burke, D Collins; Daithi Burke, I Tannian, J Coen; A Smith, P Brehony; David Burke, N Burke, C Cooney; C Mannion, J Canning, J Flynn.


Kilkenny: E Murphy; P Murphy, JJ Delaney, B Kennedy; K Joyce, J Tyrrell, C Buckley; P Walsh, R Hogan; W Walsh, M Kelly, TJ Reid; C Fennelly, R Power, E Larkin.

Seriously brave prediction!

I cannot see Galway winning this. They have to improve hugely and there have been no indication that they can. For me, Kilkenny are about 10 points a better team. Lets hope I am wrong though.....

Professey Chin

Fine rendition of the national anthem :pac:

nice_guy80

Tannion taken out of it.
no card? no free?

wp_rathead

Phwoar - some hit there on Irlaith!
Good start

Lapin

Galway 0-1 Kilkenny 0-0.

Blow it up ta fuk ref :pac:

Mantis Toboggan

Tanion is too slow for this level.

TCDStudent1

David Collins looks way off the pace here. :-(

The White Feather

i thought Joe Canning took the frees for Galway

Lapin

Galway conceding stupid frees.

Blowing the good start they needed.

TCDStudent1

The White Feather wrote: »

i thought Joe Canning took the frees for Galway

Cooney took over the frees during this years league when Canning wasnt available. He was very reliable so they left him on them.

wp_rathead

Great point from Burke - needed that

Lapin

Man Joe !

Lapin

Good fight back from Galway.

Then they give away another soft one.

Lapin

Great work by Burke to get that down to Flynn !

The White Feather

wprathead wrote: »

Great point from Burke - needed that

For a few secs I thought you could see the future as i read that before he scored the point and then realised that i had paused Sky earlier so was behind real time !!

Lapin

Never a free.

Cards coming out now.

Lapin

Great save

Ompala

Woeful decision for the free out there

Lapin

How the hell is that a free out. :mad:

TCDStudent1

feckin ref cause of that goal :-(

The White Feather

What the hell? That was a fair shoulder by the Galway man and then Kilkenny go down and get a goal.

Outrageous!

Professey Chin

Some diabolical calls by the ref in this game

spiritcrusher

Referee making a shite of this match.

andyman

Referee giving Kilkenny everything.

Both teams are disgraceful by the way. There's passion leading to the odd scuffle but these two are at it every 30 seconds.

Lapin

Nice one Cooney.

Mountainlad

He's the worst ref in the Country. Two games hes completely lost a handle of in a row now, stupid frees he's giving. All the same Smyth is lucky he's still on the field.

Galway going well though.

The White Feather

At least Galway are not being bullied out of it. Kilkenny like to bully their way over teams. I dont mean unfairly just by being dominant and physical

wp_rathead

GETTINTAFUQ

megadodge

The ref thinks he's in the World Cup. Disgraceful decisions, mainly against Galway - especially that perfect shoulder to shoulder.

Lapin

GET IN !!!

TCDStudent1

Mountainlad wrote: »

He's the worst ref in the Country. Two games hes completely lost a handle of in a row now, stupid frees he's giving. All the same Smyth is lucky he's still on the field.

Galway going well though.

Why? I dont think he has done anything to warrant a sending off. The yellow card was quite harsh on him actually.

Not sure David Burke deserved a yellow either (but it was a definite foul)

Lapin

Ah Jesus Mannion.

wp_rathead

Cooney hitting em like a baws

EDIT: jinxed him

Lapin

Cooney is on fire.

ceegee

TCDStudent1 wrote: »

Why? I dont think he has done anything to warrant a sending off. The yellow card was quite harsh on him actually.

Not sure David Burke deserved a yellow either (but it was a definite foul)

Got spoken to by the ref about a minute after his yellow for a scuffle with Walsh where he gave him a dig of the hurl. Instigating off the ball stuff immediately after a yellow deserves a sending off for stupidity alone

The White Feather

Between this Ref and the hard tackling, I think its a matter of time before someone is sent off

TCDStudent1

ceegee wrote: »

Got spoken to by the ref about a minute after his yellow for a scuffle with Walsh where he gave him a dig of the hurl. Instigating off the ball stuff immediately after a yellow deserves a sending off for stupidity alone

If you were to send off every GAA player for stupidity on the pitch, you wouldnt be left with many players to play the game!

Lapin

Happy enough to be going in level at the break.

Not happy with some of those ref decisions though.

nice_guy80

blowing for a fair shoulder to shoulder challenge

but letting a load of other stuff go

donnem33

Good gutsy performance by galway..hopefully will keep it up for the second half! terrible decision by the referee to give a free out which led to the kilkenny goal!!

The White Feather

Galway missed the last 65 but i think Kilkenny missed a good few frees or was it 65s which is unusual for them. Very even game

Fireball07

Bit stop-start, bit bad-tempered, some good play in between. Very physical encounter, some great fielding, some good scores but it hasn't opened up at all and neither side are playing as well as they are able.

Lapin

Ref giving us something back there.

Lapin

Should have buried that.

wp_rathead

Some save tbf