Defending champions Kilkenny, and TJ Reid in particular, turned the misery of the Leinster senior hurling championship in Salthill seven days ago into one big celebration at UPMCNowlan Park this afternoon ... Kilkenny.
Kilkenny 5-21 Wexford1-16... Kilkenny, having been wiped by Galway for the second time in six weeks, had to win if they hoped to be still involved when the Leinster championship ends ... Kilkenny’s Cian Kenny celebrates scoring their third goal ... Kilkenny.
They came from various hurling heartlands to HotelKilkenny on Thursday night to honour Eddie Keher... If hurling truly is a religion in Kilkenny, these past few days have been a test of faith ... Kilkenny’s Tommy Walsh ... But Kilkenny will always be Kilkenny.
On any given day at Kilkenny Pub in downtown Keene, regulars are bound to be gathered, playing a game of pool, throwing darts or catching up with friends over a beer ... .
Shane McGrath expects a huge Kilkenny performance this weekend when they look to get their Leinster title defence back on track against Wexford, but felt their defeat to Galway was reminiscent of a team without a plan or structure.
We need to talk about Kilkenny (33.00) and Shane would have worries about the set-up there after what he observed from the stands in Pearse Stadium on Saturday evening ... .
In Leinster, Galway followed in the footsteps of their senior counterparts by getting the better of Kilkenny and seal their place in the semi-final ... The other quarter-final pits Offaly against Kilkenny. .
After last year's jaded edition of the Leinster Hurling Championship, which ended with another colourless decider between Kilkenny and Galway in a half-empty Croke Park, the Leinster Council decided to tear up the script.