Joe Canning Explains Why Donoghue Had Right To Be 'Annoyed' With Galway Players
Kilkenny have won a sixth successive Leinster hurling title, running out as 3-22 to 1-20 winners over Galway at Croke Park this afternoon.
The first half was a rather drab affair, with very little action to speak. There was certainly a lack of intensity in the game, with a scrappy Mossy Keoghan goal just before the interval the main highlight.
KILKENNY GOAL - 32 minsMossy Keoghan the scorer after TJ Reid's initial effort was savedHT: Kikenny 1-09 Galway 0-08
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The second half was played at a largely similar pace, with Kilkenny looking like the more comfortable side.
In truth, it was an incredibly poor performance from Galway. At one stage they would go over half an hour of play without scoring from play, pointing towards their struggles on the day.
When TJ Reid netted Kilkenny's second goal of the afternoon, the game was all but over as a contest.
KILKENNY GOAL - TJ REID - 58 minsIcing on the Kilkenny cake #rtegaa📺Watch LIVE on @RTE2 and @RTEplayer 🎙️ Listen on @RTERadio1📱 https://t.co/XiqbRXEd8V pic.twitter.com/ivVz9qwYYO
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Galway would rally somewhat in the final ten minutes or so, at one stage getting to within four points of the leaders.
However, it would prove to be too little too late as Kilkenny would go on to run out as winners and claim their sixth successive Leinster title in the process.
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Canning Explains Why Donoghue Had Right To Be 'Annoyed' With Galway PlayersThis was a hugely frustrating afternoon for Galway. The fact that they managed to put up a large score during the closing period of the game would have added even further to that dynamic, having failed to perform for the opening hour or so of the contest.
Micheál Donoghue cut a frustrated figure during his post-match interview on RTÉ, with Joe Canning believing that one issue in particular would have annoyed him.
Galway manager laments the fact that his team did not 'implement the style we want to play' against Kilkenny in the Leinster final #rtegaa📱 https://t.co/XiqbRXEd8V pic.twitter.com/4fMFCr640f
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Richie Reid caused a huge amount of issues for Galway, with the Kilkenny man finding plenty of joy in his role as a sweeper. Canning feels that the lack of reaction to this problem is something that would have been a major point of annoyance for the Galway boss.
I think (the management) did notice it, but I don't think the players noticed it so quickly. They were hitting some aimless ball down on top of [Reid].
I think that will probably annoy him. Sometimes it's very hard to get messages on here, but as the same time players should be well able to see what's in front of them and talk to each other.
The half-forward line should be telling the midfield and half-back line 'lads there's a sweeper here behind us, go short or run it a little bit more'.
It probably annoyed him that it took a little bit longer to get used to how Kilkenny were set up...
When Galway have the chance to get rid of the ball up the field and then get turned over, that's the sickening part really. That's the disappointing part that I think Micheál will reflect on and the players will reflect on.
If they can take that out and maybe move the ball a little bit quicker and stop making those mistakes, they will be well in games. They showed that in patches late on, that they can get up a score all of a sudden.
It was certainly an issue that hindered Galway throughout the game.
The beaten Leinster finalists will now prepare for an All-Ireland quarter-final, where they will take on either Laois or Tipperary.
If they do not improve on their performance from this afternoon in that one, it could be a very short summer for Micheál Donoghue's men.
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- Hurling
- Kilkenny
- Galway
- Joe Canning
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