Galway put the disappointment of an average and losing performance last week behind them when they roared to a battling victory over Kilkenny at UPMC Nowlan Park.
Eight minutes from the finish a driving Eoin Cody completed a great run of seven scores for flying Kilkenny when he powered through for a terrific goal that put his side in front for the first time, 1-19 to 2-15.
Galway never flinched. They dragged themselves up off the floor and with an unanswered run of three points from frees by sub Jason Flynn, followed by one from play in the 72nd minute from Conor Whelan, they took the spoils to put the Tipperary performance from last week behind them.
Home fans in the 5,460 crowd must have thought their favourites were on course for a second success when Cody goaled, but Galway bounced back brilliantly.
The first half action was largely low key, with Galway punishing their opponents for loose marking all over the pitch. There was a foretaste of what was to come before the second minute was reached. Galway's late call up, Declan McLoughlin, who replaced Oisin Lohan in attack, was given way too much room to the right of the home goal. He casually picked his spot when driving a dipping shot to the net.
Breeze backed Galway were up and running. They worked handsome returns from the half-back and midfield areas where Padraic Mannon (2), Gavin Lee (2) and flying midfielder Tom Monaghan (3) often found oceans of space as they harvested seven scores between them before the break.
For Kilkenny, wing-forward Martin Keoghan was the only man functioning on full power. He bagged five points from play as the generally out of sorts Cats did well to keep the arrears to 1-11 to 0-10 at the break.
Galway continued to make the pace after the rest. Good scores from Declan McLoughlin, Ciarán Fahy, Gavin Lee and John Cooney saw them extend their lead (1-15 to 0-11) by the 42nd minute.
Things got even better four minutes later when John Cooney drove through the home defence and blasted a shot at goal. Home goalie Aidan Tallis blocked the ball out, but the alert Declan McLoughlin pounced and shot home his second goal to push the visitors into their biggest lead of the match, 2-15 to 0-13.
Kilkenny dragged their game back together, pulling back six points in-a-row before Cody shot the goal that put them in front for the first time with eight minutes to play. However, Galway stood firm, and scores from Flynn (3) and team skipper Whelan saw them home.
Kilkenny: A Tallis; M Butler, H Lawlor, P Moylan (0-01); M Carey, D Blanchfield, Z Bay, Hammond; P Deegan, P McDonald (0-01); M Keoghan (0-07), C Kenny (0-03), L Connellan; L Hogan (0-01), E Cody (1-06fs), G Dunne.
Subs: S Murphy for Bay Hammond (inj 23rd min); B Ryan for L Hogan (ht); B Drennan for Connellan (46th min); H Shine for Deegan (52nd min); E Lyng for Moylan (60th min).
Galway: D Fahy; S Morgan, F Burke, D Morrissey; P Mannion (0-02), G Lee (0-03), TJ Brennan; C Fahy (0-01), T Monaghan (0-03); J Cooney (0-01), T Killeen (0-01), D McLoughlin (2-02); C Whelan (0-01), C Cooney (0-01f), J Fleming (0-01).
Subs: D Burke for Brennan (52nd min); J Flynn for J Cooney (53rd min); K Cooney for C Cooney (56th min); S Linnane for J Fleming (65th min); A Burns for McLoughlin (68th min).
Referee: T Walsh (Waterford).
