TJ Reid fires 2-9 as Kilkenny ease past Offaly
Kilkenny 4-25
Offaly 2-16
Kevin Egan at UPMC Nowlan Park
THE MAIN STORY from Nowlan Park this evening wasn't what happened on the field, so much as who was on it.
Kilkenny manager Derek Lyng gave TJ Reid his first start of the championship and the veteran attacker wasted no time in slipping into the groove, firing in 2-2 from play and 2-9 in all, including a 12th-minute goal that effectively put an end to Offaly's challenge before it got started.
Add in Adrian Mullen coming back from injury to come off the bench and hit the net at the start of the second half, and the Cats are gathering steam nicely in advance of the business end of the Leinster Championship.
Not that any such firepower was really needed here, as Offaly showed all the signs of their inexperience, their youth and the fatigue that comes with three of their starters having had a full campaign with the U20s, culminating in last Monday's quarter-final defeat to Dublin.
Add in the weight of their disappointing showing against Galway last time out and they needed a fast start to feed their dwindling confidence. Instead a couple of early wides set them back, Stephen Donnelly set up Martin Keoghan for a goal in the fourth minute, TJ Reid whipped in a second after 12 minutes to push the lead out to nine points, and unlike the fare in Ennis where there was always likely to be a fightback from the All-Ireland champions, that was never on the cards here.
Even allowing for a tricky breeze that was aiding Kilkenny, they were too dominant in too many sectors of the pitch to be reeled in.
Billy Ryan picked off some excellent scores from the right wing, while they lorded matters at half-back, with Offaly struggling to compete up front due to their use of a sweeper.
Daniel Bourke and Charlie Mitchell were among the leading lights for the Faithful County, notching some good points and an Oisín Kelly score from close range cut the lead to seven points on the half hour mark.
Perhaps that only served to rouse Kilkenny, as they kicked on again with six points before half-time, including three from John Donnelly at centre forward.
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A slow start to the second half saw the Stripey Men continue to enjoy the lion's share of possession but they shot the first couple out of seven second half wides in a scoreless five minutes.
Adrian Mullen put any lingering doubt about the result to bed when he powered through a tackle to add the third goal after 41 minutes, and while Oisín Kelly replied in kind for Offaly immediately, that was to be their only score in the third quarter.
Kilkenny's profligacy, plus the general lack of intensity that might be expected in a game where the result was never in doubt, was a key factor in the lead not extending much further, though there were a couple of impressive scores at both ends in the final quarter.
TJ Reid whipped in Kilkenny's fourth goal and Fionán Mackessy also caught the eye with a superb point in his short spell on the field, while at the other end Shirley hoisted one over from distance and Kelly's second goal was the highlight of the game as he exploded past the Kilkenny cover and blasted a shot inside Eoin Murphy.
For both of these counties, however, more important tests lie in store.
Scorers for Kilkenny: TJ Reid 2-9 (0-7f), Billy Ryan 0-4, John Donnelly 0-4, Martin Keoghan 1-0, Stephen Donnelly 0-3, Adrian Mullen 1-0, Cian Kenny 0-3 (0-2f), Harry Shine 0-1, Fionán Mackessy 0-1.
Scorers for Offaly: Brian Duignan 0-8f, Oisín Kelly 2-1, Charlie Mitchell 0-3, Daniel Bourke 0-2, Donal Shirley 0-2.
Kilkenny
1 Eoin Murphy (Glenmore)
2 Mikey Butler (O'Loughlin Gaels), 3 Huw Lawlor (O'Loughlin Gaels), 4 Tommy Walsh (Tullaroan)
5 David Blanchfield (Bennettsbridge), 6 Mikey Carey (Young Irelands), 7 Paddy Deegan (O'Loughlin Gaels)
8 Cian Kenny (James Stephens), 9 Jordan Molloy (O'Loughlin Gaels)
12 Billy Ryan (Graigue Ballycallan), 11 John Donnelly (Thomastown), 10 Harry Shine (Dicksboro)
13 Stephen Donnelly (Thomastown), 15 TJ Reid (Shamrocks Ballyhale), 14 Martin Keoghan (Tullaroan)
Subs: 20 Adrian Mullen (Shamrocks Ballyhale) for Shine (33), 18 Killian Doyle (Emeralds) for Blanchfield (49), 21 Luke Hogan (O'Loughlin Gaels) for S Donnelly (51), 23 Billy Drennan (Galmoy) for Reid (59), 22 Fionán Mackessy (O'Loughlin Gaels) for Keoghan (61).
Offaly
1 Mark Troy (Durrow)
2 Ben Conneely (St. Rynagh's), 3 Ciarán Burke (Durrow), 4 James Mahon (Kilcormac-Killoughey)
7 Jason Sampson (Shinrone), 6 Donal Shirley (Tubber), 5 Ross Ravenhill (Durrow)
8 Cathal King (Carrig & Riverstown), 9 Colin Spain (Kilcormac-Killoughey)
10 Killian Sampson (Shinrone), 11 Daniel Bourke (Durrow), 12 Oisín Kelly (Belmont)
13 Dan Ravenhill (Durrow), 15 Brian Duignan (Durrow), 14 Charlie Mitchell (Kilcormac-Killoughey)
Subs: 17 Eoin Burke (Coolderry) for D Ravenhill (44), 19 David Nally (Belmont) for R Ravenhill (48), 18 Sam Bourke (Durrow) for J Sampson (48), 23 Pádraig Cantwell (Shamrocks) for Conneely (58), 22 Brecon Kavanagh (Kilcormac-Killoughey) for Mahon (62).
Referee: Colm McDonald (Antrim).
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