Eoin Murphy Showed True Class With Comments After Young Galway Goalie's Leinster Final Error
After the huge drama in Limerick on Saturday night, the Leinster final was something of a let-down on Sunday afternoon, as Kilkenny ran out comfortable winners against Galway in Croke Park.
The Cats secured a sixth consecutive provincial crown in dominant fashion, with Micheál Donoghue's Galway hugely disappointing for the vast majority of the Leinster final.
At one stage, Galway went over half an hour without a score from play, as Kilkenny romped away with the game.
However, the Tribesmen did threaten a late comeback in the closing stages, with Brian Concannon's goal and a string of points bringing them within four points entering injury-time.
Their momentum was killed as injury time started by a costly error by young goalkeeper Darragh Walsh.
Walsh was introduced as a substitute when first-choice Éanna Murphy took a blow to the head and had generally been solid on a massive occasion for his county.
However, as a looping high ball dropped in on top of the sub goalie, Walsh made a mess of collecting the ball. The sliotar bounced off his helmet, allowing Martin Keoghan to score his second goal of the day - Kilkenny's third - and secure Leinster final victory.
FT: Kilkenny 3-22 Galway 1-20 Mistake from Galway's sub keeper Darragh Walsh results in a third goal for Kilkenny
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It was a moment to forget for the Turloughmore youngster but, in truth, the eight-point margin was a fair reflection of the gulf in class in Croker, and Walsh had done a solid job of limiting the damage as Kilkenny ran riot.
At full-time, his Galway teammates consoled the goalkeeper, while his opposite number Eoin Murphy had some wonderful words of encouragement on RTÉ.
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Eoin Murphy had encouraging words for Galway goalie after error in CrokerEoin Murphy has long stood as the best goalkeeper in hurling and has been the most consistent shot-stopper in the sport for over a decade now.
His opposing goalkeeper, Darragh Walsh, is at the opposite end of his career. Murphy was asked by Joanne Cantwell on RTÉ's post-match coverage to comment on Walsh's late error, and the Kilkenny hero offered some brilliant perspective on how the Galway man will grow from this moment.
I went up to him there. You do feel for him. It's quite a lonely place if you make a mistake like that.
On the other side of it, I probably should have gotten something to their goal and that might have stopped the fightback.
You know he's going to have a big career ahead of him. You're not defined by one moment either, so I think it's important that he sort of washes his hands of it and he's prepping again for the next couple of weeks.
I know Éanna got a bang on his head, you just don't know now with concussion protocol how long that's going to be. He might have to play in two weeks' time or whatever it is.
There is no doubt that Darragh Walsh has a big future ahead of him.
A star of previous Galway minor and U20 teams, his breakthrough to the senior team may be accelerated by long-time number one Éanna Murphy's injury.
Galway have an All-Ireland quarter-final to look ahead to in two weeks' time, where they will play one of the two preliminary quarter-final winners (Laois v Tipperary and Kildare v Dublin).
SEE ALSO: New Footage Of Munster Final Touchline Row Shows Why Cork Were So Riled
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