Kilkenny 5-32
Offaly 1-18
KILKENNY CRUSHED OFFALY by 26 points to issue a statement of intent in the 2014 championship opener in Nowlan Park tonight.
The Cats set a new scoring record in the process in a championship game under Brian Cody, bettering the previous best off 6-28 which was set back in 2005 against Offaly.
Kilkenny were in awesome form in this Leinster quarter-final tie at Nowlan Park and had already booked their berth in a semi-final against Galway by half-time when they led 2-22 to 0-6.
Eoin Larkin and championship debutant Mark Kelly both bagged a brace of goals while Colin Fennelly also hit the net as Kilkenny put on a stylish display for the first GAA game that broadcast live by Sky Sports.
There was no element of a contest as Kilkenny were far too strong for Offaly. The Faithful were grateful to goalkeeper James Dempsey for pulling off some superb saves and attacker Brian Carroll as he chalked up 1-10 in an outstanding one-man show in attack.
But it was a chastening experience for Offaly and Brian Whelehan, in charge as manager on championship day for the first time after a legendary playing career. They must now try to pick themselves back up for the qualifiers.
Scorers for Kilkenny: Eoin Larkin 2-4, Colin Fennelly 1-6, TJ Reid 0-6, Mark Kelly 2-0, Walter Walsh 0-5, Aidan Fogarty 0-3, Lester Ryan, Michael Fennelly 0-2 each, Paul Murphy 0-1.Scorers for Offaly: Brian Carroll 1-10, Sean Ryan, Daniel Currams, Shane Dooley, Rory Hanniffy, Cathal Parlon, Conor Mahon, Joe Bergin, Stephen Quirke 0-1 each.
Kilkenny
1. Eoin Murphy (Glenmore)
2. Paul Murphy (Danesfort)
3. JJ Delaney (Fenians)
4. Brian Kennedy (St. Lachtain’s)
5. Padraig Walsh (Tullaroan)
6. Jackie Tyrell (James Stephens)
7. Cillian Buckley (Dicksboro)
8. Lester Ryan (Clara) (Captain)
9. Richie Hogan (Danesfort)
10. Walter Walsh (Tullogher-Rosbercon)
11. Michael Fennelly (Ballyhale Shamrocks)
12. TJ Reid (Ballyhale Shamrocks)
13. Colin Fennelly (Ballyhale Shamrocks)
14. Mark Kelly (O’Loughlin Gaels)
15. Eoin Larkin (James Stephens)
Offaly
1. James Dempsey (Kinnitty)
2. Niall Wynne (St Rynagh’s)
3. Rory Hanniffy (Birr)
4. James Rigney (Kinnitty)
5. Barry Harding (Birr)
6. Derek Morkan (Shinrone)
7. Cathal Parlon (Coolderry)
8. Conor Mahon (Kilcormac-Killoughey)
9. Sean Ryan (Birr)
10. Joe Bergin (Seir Kieran)
11. Dan Currams (Kilcormac-Killoughey)
12. Peter Geraghty (Kilcormac-Killoughey)
13. Kevin Connolly (Coolderry)
14. Shane Dooley (Tullamore)
15. Brian Carroll (Coolderry)
Kk forwards were fantastic some of their movement was mesmerising … After saying that Offaly were like a junior b team !!!
That’s one for the people saying Mark Kelly ‘couldn’t do it at the highest level’
Kelly will only get better and better
I totally agree that Kelly is good enough but in fairness he was a good bit quiet tonight.Ino he got 2goals but he only got one touch in the first half,completely non existent(but in fairness colin and TJ were doing all the business!) Second half was better,got himself into better positions and got two goals.Other then that im sure he w
ould be disappointed by the way he played
In the first half nothing went right for him but once he got some room and made some runs he got his goals. I agree he will only get better but how much better??
Mark Kelly is quality! Attacks the goals every chance he gets. (Coming from a Galway man)
Im guessing a run out against this Offaly team isn’t going to be a good gauge. There is under 16s in Kilkenny, Cork and Tipp that would do well against them.
The Offaly goalkeeper should have got man of the match. It should have been a lot worse for them.
Tremendous goalkeeper. Brave, the score would have been 3 or 4 goals higher but for him
Ahem… That was an offaly big score
*cough*
Birr-illant….!
“Oh feck” – All of Galway
Sad to see a county that won an All Ireland as recently as 98 and produced some great teams fallen so far.
You swear they ran out of ash trees and only borrowed some hurleys on the day of the match. Really sad to see and that coming from a Corkman. Offaly have always been a good hurling county, producing some great players over the years. This was actually hard to watch.
Never seen the game but fat arses and fat legs poor ould offaly
Sad site to see.depressing not as a KK fan but as a hurling fan in general.One thing Offaly HAVE to notice is that it could have so easily been much more.If the Offaly goalkeeper wasn’t sharp another 3-4goals could(should on a KK point of view) have going in and the offaly goal was pretty embarrassing for the KK backs and goalkeeper.It was just a depressing game to be at for both sides,the score at half time would win a KK about 90% of their matches.Nit really the best match for Sky to start off on!Going to be some summer
I hope there weren’t many people watching for Offalys sake!
Oh wait…..
Ahem… That was an offaly big score
*cough*
What were the GAA thinking making that the debut game for sky viewers. It just made hurling look very very boring to 1st time viewers. After 20-25 mins that game was well over and there was no atmosphere, no pace to the game and no excitement of any kind, unless you include the slow goal build ups. Any Munster game would have been ideal for a debut or 2 of the Leinster super powers going at it, but that game was a joke of a debut. Made hurling look slow and boring. At least KK are back anyway, the championship wouldn’t be the same without their dominant presence haha
Tells us very little about Kilkenny. Cody knows it too.
Yet again offaly meet killkenny in the openers must be pretty demoralizing for offaly think the gaa should give the whole the thing a shake up.although high scoring game poor enough .turned it off after 45 min.all optics for sky …dub supporter