Conor McDonald leads the way as DIT tame a young Kilkenny side

Kilkenny 0-16 DIT 4-14

A top-class performance from Conor McDonald saw DIT teach a young Kilkenny side a Walsh Cup lesson in Dunmore.

McDonald, who scored 1-11 for Wexford when they beat Kilkenny in the Leinster under-21 final last year, hit the Cats for 2-5 as his college side scored a good win at the MW Hire Training Centre.

Kilkenny, who fielded a team of under-21 players, opened well and with the help of their half-forward line they fashioned a 0-9 to 0-3 lead by the 27th minute.

However, a scoring burst before the break saw DIT take control of the game. McDonald, who scored their opening three points, followed a Jack Guiney point with a close-range finish to raise the first green flag of the game. McDonald added another point before Guiney grabbed goal number two, catching a high ball and blasting it to the net (2-5 to 0-9).

Both sides tacked on points early in the second half before the Students strengthened their grip on the game. A Guiney shot brought a good save from Kilkenny goalkeeper Darren Brennan, but McDonald was there to turn the rebound home.

Kilkenny refused to give in, but were left facing an uphill task when their opponents plundered a fourth goal. Ironically it came from a Kilkennyman, sub Cian O’Donoghue – that made it 4-10 to 0-16, giving DIT a lead they would not lose.

SCORERS – DIT: Conor McDonald (2-5, 0-2 frees); Jack Guiney (1-2); Derek McNicholas (0-4); Cian O'Donoghue (1-0); Jude Sweeney, Robbie Greville, Conor Sheehan (0-1 each). Kilkenny: Michael Kenny (0-6, frees); Gary Tynan, Ciaran Ryan (0-3 each); Eoin Brennan, Billy Ryan (0-2 each).

DIT: P McKenny; S McClelland, T Doyle, C Robinson; C Byrne, J Henderson, G Whelan; D Byrne, R Greville; J Sweeney, J Guiney, C Sheehan; B Kelly, C McDonald, D McNicholas. Subs: C O'Donoghue for B. Kelly; D Guinan for Henderson.

KILKENNY: D Brennan; P Kirwan, C Delaney, M Carroll; JP Treacy, E Cody, P Cass; L Scanlon, N Mullins; E Brennan, G Tynan, M Kenny; C Ryan, B Ryan, K Farrell. Subs: S O'Farrell for Kenny; S Dowling for Scanlon; R Bergin for M Carroll; N Walsh for E Brennan; P Lyng for Tynan.

Referee: P. Murphy (Carlow).

Galway 1-21 NUIG 1-12

Galway made it two wins from two under new manager Micheál Donoghue as the holders remain on course for a semi-final spot in the Walsh Cup.

Galway were on top throughout but the accuracy of Clare's Bobby Duggan kept the students in contention during an entertaining encounter at Ballinasloe.

It was the first competitive match that Galway hurlers have played under floodlights in their own county and they never trailed as they backed up their win over DCU on Sunday.

A goal from Brian Molloy after 11 minutes helped the Tribesmen lead by 1-10 to 0-8 at the interval.

Galway, with Éanna Burke finishing with 0-5 from play and Pádraig Brehony landing 0-4, kept pulling away in the second-half and led by eight points after 48 minutes.

However, NUIG rallied after that and a couple of more points from Duggan was followed by a goal from the Clare player to cut the gap to three.

But with Joe Canning tacking on frees, Galway pulled away to win with ease.

GALWAY: J Skehill; J Coen, R Burke, C Flynn; Daithi Burke, G Lally, P Claffey (0-1); A Harte, P Hoban; P Brehony (0-4), David Burke, N Burke; E Burke (0-5), J Canning (0-9, seven frees, one sideline), B Molloy (1-2).

Subs: S Moloney for N Burke (55 mins), R Cummins for Molloy (58 mins), D Collins for David Burke (60 mins), K Hussey for Daithi Burke (65).

NUIG: C Tuohy; L Kilcline, B Fitzpatrick, G Forde (0-1); C Hanbury, J Hanbury, P Mannion; K McHugo (0-1), O Donnellan; C Mannion (0-1), B Duggan (1-9, eight frees), M Mullins; C Whelan, N O'Brien, J Fox.

Subs: C Ryan for Mullins (45 mins), R Taylor for O'Brien (50 mins), S Conlon for Fox (56 mins), S Whelan for C Hanbury (65).

Referee: T Carroll (Offaly).