Guinan plays captain's role as Kilkenny coast

ALL-IRELAND IHC SEMI-FINAL: Kilkenny 0-24 Galway 0-10 KILKENNY’S INTERMEDIATE hurlers joined their senior and minor counterparts…

ALL-IRELAND IHC SEMI-FINAL: Kilkenny 0-24 Galway 0-10KILKENNY'S INTERMEDIATE hurlers joined their senior and minor counterparts in the All-Ireland final with an emphatic win at O'Connor Park, Tullamore, yesterday. Eoin Guinan played a captain's part, accounting for 0-11, including 0-7 from play.

Galway were level on 0-4 apiece after 17 minutes but Kilkenny began to get on top in the half-back line and midfield and they led by 0-10 to 0-6 at the break.

A pointed free from Galway captain Brian Murphy left a goal between the sides on the restart, but Kilkenny responded with five points in succession from Eoin Guinan, Niall Walsh, Bill Beckett (two) and Nicky Cleere to open up a 0-15 to 0-8 advantage.

Such was Kilkenny’s dominance their manager Pat Hoban was able to look at a number of his substitutes ahead of the final against Cork, at a venue yet to be confirmed, in a fortnight’s time.

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KILKENNY: L Tierney; M Phelan, P Murphy, K Mooney; R Cody, P Hogan (0-2, frees), N Doherty (0-1); P Hartley (0-1), N Walsh (0-1); B Beckett (0-4), R Dollard (0-2), N Cleere (0-2); M Grace, P Cleere, E Guinan (0-11, four frees). Subs: A Healy for P Cleere (38 mins), J Cotterell for Cody (47 mins), B Lennon for N Cleere (49 mins), N Doherty for Grace (51 mins), I Duggan for Phelan 53 mins.

GALWAY: N Murray; K Hardiman, B Lohan, P Shiel; C Coen, E Duane, P Burke; J Gilsen, D Africano; M Coughlan (0-1), G McInerney (0-1), B Murphy (0-6, four frees, one 65); S Lambert, G Sheedy, M Dolan. Subs: R O'Brien for Hardiman (15 mins), A Carey (0-1) for G Sheedy (half-time), J Regan (0-1) for Africano (37 mins), D Geraghty for Dolan (42 mins), R Madden for Coughlan (49 mins).

Referee: D O'Driscoll (Limerick).