Joe Canning laments critical Galway communication error in Leinster final loss

Kilkenny swept aside Galway in the Leinster SHC final at Croke Park this afternoon, winning 3-22 to 1-20.

The Cats built up what was an unassailable lead, on top by 13 points after 57 minutes, before Galway produced a mini fightback, scoring 1-6 without reply in seven minutes.

One of the most effective Kilkenny players on the day was Richie Reid, who made hay sweeping up balls.

On punditry duty with RTÉ, Galway legend Joe Canning lamented the inability of the Tribesmen to deal with Reid and communicate between themselves in order to stop him.

He said: “I think they did notice but the players didn’t notice it so quickly. They were hitting some aimless ball down on top of him.

“So I think that will probably annoy him because sometimes it’s very hard to get messages on here, at 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, the half-back line should be saying there’s a sweeper here behind us, go shorter, maybe run it a bit more.

“So probably it annoyed him that it took them a little bit longer to get used to how Kilkenny were set up.”

Teams:

Kilkenny: Eoin Murphy; Mikey Butler, Huw Lawlor, Tommy Walsh; Mikey Carey (0-02), Richie Reid, Paddy Deegan (0-01); Cian Kenny (0-02), Jordan Molloy (0-01); John Donnelly (captain) (0-01), Adrian Mullen (0-04), Billy Ryan (0-03); Stephen Donnelly (0-02), TJ Reid (1-04, 0-04f), Martin Keoghan (2-02).

Subs: David Blanchfield for Walsh (59), Luke Hogan for S Donnelly (59), Shane Murphy for Butler (66), Killian Doyle for Molloy (70), Harry Shine for Ryan (71).

Galway: Eanna Murphy; Padraic Mannion, Daithí Burke, Fintan Burke; Cianan Fahy, Gavin Lee, TJ Brennan (0-01); Seán Linnane (0-01), David Burke; John Fleming (0-01), Cathal Mannion (0-11, 0-07f), Tom Monaghan (0-01); Conor Whelan (captain), Brian Concannon (1-00), Kevin Cooney (0-03).

Subs: Darren Morrissey for F Burke (35), Darragh Walsh for Murphy (half-time), Ronan Glennon for David Burke (42), Tiernan Killeen (0-02) for Fleming (53), Anthony Burns for Monaghan (66)

Referee: Johnny Murphy (Limerick).