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The Irish Sun
2 days ago
- General
- The Irish Sun
Kilkenny star weighs in on debate around moving Leinster hurling final out of Croke Park as Galway tussle looms
IF DEREK LYNG persists with his rewiring of Kilkenny's switchboard, Adrian Mullen is ready to be an adaptor. An All-Star midfielder in 2022, apprentice electrician Mullen has played most of his hurling in the half-forward line. 2 Kilkenny are hoping to be crowned Leinster kingpins for the sixth year in a row 2 As a player Derek Lyng won nine Leinster Championships to go with six All-Irelands But for the first time since his underage days, the Ballyhale Shamrocks man had No 6 on his back as Kilkenny With David Blanchfield, Mikey Carey and Richie Reid also occupying the position this season, Cats boss Derek Lyng continues to tinker with centre-back options. Speaking ahead of the Leinster final against Galway, Mullen said: 'I've no idea where I'm going to be playing. 'I'll be happy to play anywhere that I'm picked so we'll have to wait and see.' Read More On GAA As Kilkenny were already assured of a place in the provincial final before their seven-point loss to the Models, Lyng had scope to experiment. Mullen explained: 'I'll play anywhere I'm told to play. If you're told to play centre-back, you obviously just have to adapt to that. 'If you're closer to the goal, you have to be a threat up there and stuff like that. You have to be able to play anywhere with the way the game has gone. 'Given the circumstances of the round-robin — we were already through — it was probably a game to give lads a bit of game time and get minutes into the legs and stuff like that. I suppose that's just what you saw there.' Most read in GAA Hurling Plagued by injuries over the years, Mullen has declared himself fit and available for selection as Kilkenny take aim at a sixth straight Bob O'Keeffe Cup this weekend. He said: 'The body is holding up well for now. I suppose at this time of year, you're never really 100 per cent going into any games, especially with how tough and heavy training is. RTE pundit Joe Canning urges GAA to make huge change for Leinster hurling final as fans 'totally agree' 'I've kept it together for now and I'm looking forward to Sunday.' Heading into his seventh season on the panel, Mullen picked up a groin injury that sidelined him for the National League. His playing time for Kilkenny at senior level has also been curtailed by knee, hamstring and thumb injuries. The 2019 Young Hurler of the Year said: 'It's probably just a variety of different things. 'I suppose with the workload of pre-season at the time, you'd do well to come out of it injury-free. I was just unfortunate at that time to pick up kind of a groin injury or a groin issue. 'But it's all good now and I'm fit and ready to go.' FEELING FIT While a twisted ankle also forced Mullen off after just 17 minutes of the Leinster opener against Galway in April, he was back for the meeting with Offaly three weeks later. If given the nod, the former DCU student will make his 33rd Championship start against the Tribesmen at Croke Park on Sunday. And he insisted: 'I feel good. Training has been tough over the last couple of weeks and months. Once you put in that work and that foundation, it definitely stands to you. 'I feel good coming into the latter part of the Championship.' Mullen produced a man-of-the-match display in last year's Leinster final, racking up 0-7 from play as Joe Canning has But Mullen said: 'I suppose speaking as a player, there's no place you'd rather be than Croke Park. As a player, I'm happy that it's in Croke Park. 'Wherever it ends up being played, maybe in the years to come, you just have to get on with it. It makes no difference really once you're out on the pitch.' Asked about the bookies' forecast — which has been echoed by many pundits — that this year's All-Ireland is a two-horse race between Limerick and Cork, Mullen responded: 'I suppose it only seeps in if you're paying attention to it really. 'Obviously we have our own opinions and our own beliefs.'
Extra.ie
26-05-2025
- Sport
- Extra.ie
Lee Chin helps Wexford rescue some pride
With a place in the Leinster final already secured, Kilkenny manager Derek Lyng went with an experimental line-up against Wexford, who finished in that strange, mid-table limbo in the Leinster group where they were safe from relegation but outside of the top three that qualify for the All-Ireland. It was no surprise then that Keith Rossiter's side took control from early on, powering into a 0-12 to 0-5 lead by half-time. Lee Chin has been in red-hot form, even as his team struggled to get out of the group, and he was again prominent from play and from deadballs. Lee Chin shoots at goal. Pic: INPHO/Ken Sutton A six-point burst without reply in the run-up to half-time was crucial and, when Rory O'Connor found the net soon after the resumption, that was pretty much that. The gap was 11 when TJ Reid found the net at the end of normal time and it finished Wexford 2-19 to Kilkenny 1-15. Wexford then are out and will look back at the big call in the Dublin match at Parnell Park, where a goal was awarded despite replays showing the ball hadn't crossed the line.
Irish Times
18-05-2025
- Sport
- Irish Times
Billy Ryan goal saves Kilkenny from Dublin second-half resurgence
Leinster SHC Round 4: Kilkenny 5-19 Dublin 3-21 Kilkenny coughing up a 16-point lead against Dublin before eventually coming good to secure their Leinster SHC final place. Now where have we heard that one before? Rewind to Halloween night, 2020, and the circumstances were pretty much the same as the Cats ran up a huge lead before promptly handing it all back. They eventually prevailed on a narrow margin that evening to reach the provincial final, and it was the same outcome here as Billy Ryan capped a terrific game with a 69th-minute goal to win it for Kilkenny. With four wins from four, Derek Lyng's side are assured of a place in the Leinster final on June 8th despite still having a group game to go against Wexford next Sunday. READ MORE Whilst this game was a glimpse into the past on one hand, it could also be a peak into the future as Dublin will play Kilkenny again in the final if they beat Galway next weekend. Dublin will be at home to the Tribesmen at Parnell Park in what is now an effective Leinster semi-final. Dublin manager Niall Ó Ceallacháin wasn't so sure if they will approach that game with momentum, given their excellent second-half performance against Kilkenny, or disappointment. Dublin's Conor McHugh tackles Kilkenny's TJ Reid. Photograph: Leah Scholes/Inpho 'It's a fair question,' he reasoned. 'I think there's definitely disappointment there. If you walk in there to our dressing-room, there's absolutely disappointment there. We felt it was there for us and that we should have seen it out.' If someone told you at half-time that Ó Ceallacháin would be expressing disappointment afterwards about not winning, you'd have sent them on their way. Kilkenny led 4-12 to 0-10 at that stage. Ó Ceallacháin argued Dublin weren't actually playing that bad and any 'independent observer' would agree. But the goals were killer concessions with Adrian Mullen's, Kilkenny's first in the 16th minute, and Martin Keoghan's in the 32nd both the products of long deliveries to the danger area that broke kindly. Ryan and TJ Reid also struck first-half goals, though those two were more about two in-form players displaying their individual ability as they soloed in from either wing before netting. Dublin's Conor McHugh tackles Kilkenny's Martin Keoghan. Photograph: Leah Scholes/Inpho Ryan finished with 2-3, all from play, and displayed a razor-sharp edge whenever a scoring opportunity arose, like when Reid tossed him a pass in the 65th minute and he found space with a neat pirouette before pointing. Reid finished with 1-9, the points all from frees, though before any of Kilkenny's eight different scorers could celebrate their day's work, they had to endure a horror final 20 minutes or so. John Hetherton displayed the value of a big man on the edge of the square when he helped set up Dublin's first goal in the 39th minute, finished off by Sean Currie. Conor Donohoe came strongly into the game in midfield too, drilling back-to-back points and generally helping the Dubs gain a vital foothold in the middle third. But it wasn't until their second and third goals, scored in the 53rd and 54th minutes, by Currie again and Cian O'Sullivan as part of a 2-4 scoring siege, that a comeback seemed genuinely possible. Dublin's Chris Crummey attempts to block shot from Kilkenny's Luke Hogan. Photograph: Leah Scholes/Inpho Kilkenny went 13 minutes without scoring and winced as AJ Murphy, a star man in Na Fianna's All-Ireland club success under Ó Ceallacháin last winter, came off the bench and scored two points. Dublin trailed by just two in the 69th minute and eyed a most remarkable win before having the rug pulled from beneath them in the form of Ryan's late goal. Jordan Molloy took off through the centre and could have tapped over a point but showed both his ruthless streak and his confidence in Ryan by offloading to his right. 'We were playing a top-class team, we're not going to have it all our own way for 75 minutes,' said Lyng. 'But I think for a chunk of the second-half we'd be disappointed surely that their purple patch lasted as long as it did.' KILKENNY: E Murphy; M Butler, H Lawlor, P Deegan; D Blanchfield, R Reid, M Carey; C Kenny, J Molloy (0-1); A Mullen (1-0), J Donnelly, B Ryan (2-3); M Keoghan (1-3), TJ Reid (1-9, 9f), S Donnelly (0-1). Subs: K Doyle (0-1) for Blanchfield (24-25 mins, blood), L Hogan (0-1) for Mullen (45), Doyle for Kenny (48), F Mackessy for Hogan (59), L Connellan for S Donnelly (71), T Walsh for Blanchfield (72). DUBLIN: E Gibbons; C McHugh, P Smyth, J Bellew; P Doyle, C Crummey (0-1), P Dunleavy; C Burke, C Donohoe (0-4); C O'Sullivan (1-5), B Hayes, D Power (0-1); S Currie (2-6, 1-4f, 0-1 65), J Hetherton, C Currie. Subs: F Whitely (0-1) for Dunleavy, R Hayes for C Currie (both h-t), R McBride (0-1) for Burke (49 mins), A Jamieson-Murphy (0-2) for Power (65). Ref: M Kennedy (Tipperary).
Irish Times
10-05-2025
- Sport
- Irish Times
Kilkenny outclass Offaly as TJ Reid makes magic return
Leinster SHC: Kilkenny 4-25 Offaly 2-16 Kilkenny wrapped up a third successive win in the Leinster Senior Hurling Championship after claiming a 15-point victory over an outclassed Offaly side at Nowlan Park. TJ Reid was the star of the show as he notched 2-9 in his first appearance in this year's championship campaign and with Martin Keoghan and sub Adrian Mullen also finding the net, Derek Lyng's men were much too good for the Faithful County in a game that was practically over by the end of the first quarter. While well beaten in the windup, Offaly still had big displays from Oisin Kelly who got both their goals, Brian Duignan and Charlie Mitchell but when Kilkenny got going they had no real response. The Cats were in control from early on as they led 1-3 to 0-1 with Mossy Keoghan getting the goal after Stephen Donnelly claimed a long ball into the square. READ MORE Reid bagged a second goal for the home side in the 14th minute when he pounced on some defensive indecision and they were rampant at this point as Offaly struggled to keep pace with the defending Leinster champions. The Faithful County did have fleeting moments with the likes of Mitchell, Duignan and Dan Bourke adding to their tally but with Kilkenny registering points for fun the half-time difference was a big one as the Cats led 2-16 to 0-11. Kilkenny's Tommy Walsh. Photograph: Ken Sutton/Inpho Kilkenny continued to go through the gears in the second period with Reid and Adrian Mullen adding further goals to offset any opportunity of a Offaly comeback and while Oisin Kelly got a double himself it was very much only a consolation as Kilkenny ended the game in style. Reid's second major was very much in part due to Luke Hogan after the O'Loughlin Gaels man showed great pace before setting up the Kilkenny marksman. If that was impressive, Offaly could at least be content with Oisin Kelly's second goal proving a real highlight but they will need big improvement ahead of their final two games against Wexford and Antrim. Kilkenny even had the luxury of taking off Reid 10 minutes before the end and their attention will quickly turn to another home game with Dublin next Sunday, knowing that they now have one foot in the LeinsterFinal while Offaly are still chasing a maiden success on their return to competing at this level. KILKENNY: E Murphy; M Butler, H Lawlor, T Walsh; D Blanchfield, M Carey, P Deegan; C Kenny (0-3, 0-2fs), J Molloy; H Shine (0-1), J Donnelly (0-4), B Ryan (0-4); S Donnelly (0-3), M Keoghan (1-0), TJ Reid (2-9, 0-7fs). Subs: A Mullen (1-0) for Shine (34 mins); K Doyle for Blanchfield (49); L Hogan for S. Donnelly (52); B Drennan for Reid (59); F Mackessy (0-1) for Keoghan (62). OFFALY: M Troy; B Conneely, C Burke, J Mahon; R Ravenhill, D Shirley (0-2), J Sampson; C King, C Spain; K Sampson, D Bourke (0-1), O Kelly (2-2); D Ravenhill, C Mitchell (0-3), B Duignan (0-8, 0-8fs). Subs: E Burke for D Ravenhill (44 mins); D Nally for R Ravenhill (48); S Bourke for Sampson (48); P Cantwell for Conneely (59); B Kavanagh for Mahon (62). Referee: C McDonald (Antrim).
The 42
27-04-2025
- Sport
- The 42
Kilkenny shake off Antrim challenge with strong finish as Donegal return to Ulster final
Leinster SHC Antrim 2-12 Kilkenny 2-30 Advertisement Ulster SFC Donegal 1-19 Down 0-16 ****** KILKENNY EVENTUALLY SHOOK off the challenge of Antrim with a powerful finish in their Leinster SHC meeting, while defending Ulster champions Donegal have returned to the final. Kilkenny continued their winning run in the Leinster series with an 18-point win, but were trailing by one at the break. Derek Lyng's side took control in the second half, with Eoin Cody leading the way with 1-13 overall. The Cats started brightly, building up an 0-8 0-1 lead inside the opening 10 minutes. But Antrim reduced the gap to three before James McNaughton levelled the tie with a goal. Keelan Molloy added a second goal in the 33rd minute to push Antrim into a one-point lead. McNaughton briefly put them two in front before Eoin Cody had the last say of the half to leave the scoreline reading 2-8 to 0-13 at the break. Kilkenny opened a three-point advantage in the third quarter before Martin Keoghan lifted a green flag. Tommy Walsh, Stephen Donnelly and Cian Kenny added further points to put some daylight between the teams. Eoin Cody's goal was the last puck of the game as Kilkenny eased to victory. Donegal had six points to spare against Down as they booked their spot in another Ulster final. A 20th minute goal from Paddy McBrearty helped build the foundation for their victory as they held a 1-12 to 0-7 lead at half-time. A Pat Havern two-pointer helped reduce the difference to six in the early stages of the second half, but Donegal controlled the tie, with McBrearty helping himself to 1-4 while Michael Murphy and Daire Ó Baoill finished with three points apiece. Related Reads Hetherton's 2-3 helps Dublin power to victory against Wexford They will now advance to a repeat of last year's Ulster final against Armagh. Check out the latest episode of The42′s GAA Weekly podcast here
