Leinster Senior Hurling Championship – Round 1 – Sunday 21 April
Antrim 0-13 Kilkenny 5-30
Brendan McTaggart studies from UMPC Nolan Park, Kilkenny
A demolition job.
Antrim got here to Nolan Park with hope and left with extra questions than solutions on Sunday afternoon because the Cats tore them asunder.
It was a medical, skilled efficiency from Kilkenny who performed with unimaginable depth, accuracy and only a degree above something Antrim may produce.
32 factors – a little bit of a beating in any man’s ebook however when you think about that they had 13 totally different scorers and 4-11 off the bench, maybe this was a press release efficiency from final years overwhelmed All Ireland finalists?
They had the posh of taking off TJ Reid with 25 minutes of the sport remaining however the ace marksman was on the sphere lengthy sufficient to attain 1-3 and present that there’s life within the old canine but. His motion off the ball and aerial capability left these in attendance drooling if not purring. It was a masterclass that Antrim couldn’t include however he was that good, there was a lot within the nation who wouldn’t.
Antrim arrange with a sport plan the place they regarded to suffocate the center third and defence. They regarded to interact in a brief passing sport, have runners off the shoulder to try to penetrate the Kilkenny defence however they regarded lacklustre compared to the Cats. Too many passes went astray, too many passes misplaced, some would argue too many passes?
Any pleasure that did are available in a Saffron shirt was short-lived however there have been events when the footwork of James McNaughton and crafty of Eoghan Campbell had the Kilkenny defence scampering. Those moments have been fleeting, at greatest.
They may and doubtless ought to have had a penalty within the 10th minute when Eoghan Campbell had a sight of Eoin Murphy’s purpose. He was introduced down with the Kilkenny defence on his heels, referee Shane Haynes gave a free and yellow card. From the angle I used to be watching, it definitely regarded like Campbell was felled within the sq., not so within the eyes of the Galway referee.
After a stable opening quarter the place Antrim trailed by only a level, the home aspect regarded to click on into a better gear. 1-4 within the area of three minutes with midfielder Cian Kenny and Martin Keoghan discovering their vary however it was TJ Reid who produced the second of magic to present his aspect the injection of momentum. A excessive ball from Paddy Deegan was fetched from the Kilkenny City sky as Reid leapt above Ryan McGarry. An unimaginable catch that was matched along with his end on the 17th minute. He had been comparatively quiet up till that second however he oozed class from then on.
Kilkenny had their foot on the proverbial Antrim throat at that stage and have been awarded a penalty simply two minutes later when Tom Phelan was felled by Ryan Elliott. The referee gave the Antrim ‘keeper a black card and awarded the home side a penalty – further compounding the frustration at Campbell’s incident merely minutes earlier. Tiarnan Smyth got here on for Niall McKenna as a brief substitution and with the young Ballycastle native coming in for some flack along with his performances between the sticks for Antrim this 12 months however he pulled off a fairly sensible save to disclaim TJ Reid from including to his tally from the ensuing penalty.
Any time Antrim regarded to interrupt free, Kilkenny have been their match however Conal Cunning’s frees saved the scoreboard turning. He would end with 0-5 from placed ball within the first half with additional scores coming from James McNaughton and Conor McCann – the Creggan man ending a properly labored transfer within the 23rd minute.
An 11 level deficit at half time which was in all probability a good reflection of the primary 35 minutes. Antrim did appear to be they have been irritating Kilkenny at totally different occasions within the first half however Derek Lyng’s expenses have been merely irresistible within the second half. The lack of Eoin Cody quickly after the restart will fear the Kilkenny administration with what regarded like a knee harm however his alternative gave a surprising efficiency. Owen Wall’s 30 minute cameo noticed him rating 3-2 whereas fellow substitute Billy Drennan completed with 1-6 in a 25 minute efficiency.
Kilkenny lorded the second half and Antrim chased shadows in what felt like a procession. The Cats ranges forward of Antrim with the Saffron’s seemingly missing vitality, depth and simply couldn’t match the work price wanted to compete with the Cats.
A impolite awakening? We all wish to see how we match up in opposition to the likes of Kilkenny. On this exhibiting, we’re a way off it. It’s adequate to say that there’s work forward if Antrim are going to make any inroads within the Leinster Championship. Wexford journey to Corrigan Park subsequent Saturday reeling from conceding two late objectives in opposition to Dublin to solely share the factors on supply. They’ll include some extent to show, on this exhibiting, so do Antrim.
TEAMS
Antrim: Ryan Elliott; Phelim Duffin, Ryan McGarry, Paddy Burke; Scott Walsh, Eoghan Campbell, Conal Bohill; James McNaughton, Niall O’Connor; Michael Bradley, Nigel Elliott, Niall McKenna; Conal Cunning, Conor McCann, Seaan Elliott
Scorers: C Cunning 0-7 (7 fs); J McNaughton 0-2; E Campbell 0-1; C Bohill 0-1; N Elliott 0-1; C McCann 0-1
Kilkenny: Eoin Murphy; Mikey Butler, Huw Lawlor, Shane Murphy; David Blanchfield, Paddy Deegan, Mikey Carey; Cian Kenny, Richie Reid; Adrian Mullen, Eoin Cody, John Donnelly; Martin Keoghan, TJ Reid, Tom Phelan
Scorers: Owen Wall 3-2; Billy Drennan 1-6 (1-00 pen, 2 f’s 1’65); TJ Reid 1-5 (1f 1’65); M Keoghan 0-3; J Donnelly 0-3; C Kenny 0-3; P Deegan 0-2; S Murphy 0-1; M Carey 0-1; R Reid 0-1; A Mullen 0-1; Jordan Molloy 0-1; Gearoid Dunne 0-1
