Kilkenny scored 2-2 in an eight-minute spell towards the end of this All-Ireland SHC quarterfinal to see off the challenge of a spirited Galway side by 3-22 to 1-18 at Croke Park. Kilkenny 3-22 Galway 1-18 The result flattered Kilkenny somewhat as Galway were matching the Cats in every department for the majority of the match, but two goals by Eddie Brennan in the last ten minutes killed off the Tribesmen. As expected there were many positional changes on the Galway side as Ger Loughnane continued his mind games with counterpart Brian Cody, who sent out his side as expected. The build up to the match was rather low key as the death of James McGarry's wife, Vanessa overshadowed events and rightly so. However, as soon as the ball was thrown in, both sides focused on the task in hand and earning a place in the All-Ireland semi final. With only a minute on the clock, Henry Shefflin came out in to the middle of the field and converted a free to open the scoring in this eagerly awaited contest between these two fierce rivals. Damien Hayes and David Collins started in midfield for the Tribesmen, while Martin Comerford was switched to left half forward for Kilkenny in just some of the positional changes made. Galway were awarded a free which Kerrill Wade duly pointed to level matters after three minutes and Alan Kerins put the Connacht side in front shortly after before Wade and Aidan Fogarty exchanged points to leave it 0-3 to 0-2. Loughnane's charges were battling for every ball and Kerins put three between the sides when he scored two points in succession as JJ Delaney found the Clarinbridge man hard to cope with. The Galway defence was well on top at this stage and you could see the determination oozing throughout the side. Shefflin kept his side in touch with another pointed free to make it 0-5 to 0-3, but Galway's tactics were working well at this stage of the match. However, a good run by Derek Lyng finished with Eoin Larkin pointing and the same player fired over his second of the afternoon to level matters. A third free by Shefflin from close range and a Comerford point put Kilkenny two in front as they got to grips with the game. Iarlaith Tannion hit back with a fine point, but Comerford replied immediately. Galway received a massive boost when Richie Murray broke through and fired past PJ Ryan as the Tribesmen went back in front and then Niall Healy got his first score of the match to make it 1-7 to 0-8 as the game swung around. James 'Cha' Fitzpatrick and Fergal Healy exchanged points before Shefflin pointed two frees to draw the sides level yet again. Galway's early pressure seemed to have dwindled slightly as Kilkenny's experience saw them produce some excellent play and no more so than Eddie Brennan's points from under the Cusack Stand. It was left to Shefflin to score the last score of the half as he pointed a free after a foul on Brennan as the Cats left the field leading by 0-13 to 1-9 with it all to play for in the second half of this intriguing contest. Once again, it was a Shefflin free that added to Kilkenny's tally as he fired over his seventh point from placed balls and Galway needed to cut out the fouling as they were being punished nearly every time. The Connacht side's main scoring threat was Kerins and he scored his fourth of the afternoon to reduce the gap to one-point. The sides were level for the fourth time when Galway goalkeeper Colm Callinan sent over a long range free. The Cats hit back through a Willie O'Dwyer point and from the resultant puck out, Wade was fouled and the same player stood up and knocked over the bar as the tempo of the match increased. Tommy Walsh and Tannion received yellow cards for separate incidents as the game threatened to spill over slightly, but credit must go to referee Dickie Murphy, who kept control throughout. Fitzpatrick hit over a free from distance and this was cancelled out by Niall Healy when he scored firstly from the middle of the park and then from out on the wing while on the run. As was the case in the first half, Kilkenny were able to turn things around when Eddie Brennan fed substitute Richie Power who tapped the sliothar past Callinan to put the All-Ireland champions two points in front. James Ryall replaced Delaney in the half back line before Wade converted his fifth free to keep Galway in touch. Eugene Cloonan was introduced in place of the injured Richie Murray but the Cats' momentum was high as Lyng made it 1-17 to 1-15 with fifteen minutes remaining. It was the tightest of matches at this stage and no one could have predicted the winner. A further free and '65 by Wade brought the sides level for the eighth time in the match as John Tennyson replaced Brian Hogan and Kevin Broderick came in for Tannion. An excellent point by Fitzpatrick, his third in the match saw Kilkenny edge in front once again, but Galway hit back straight away through Fergal Healy, who pointed following a fine run through the middle. Cody made another substitution when Michael Fennelly was brought in for Willie O'Dwyer as they went in search of another score. It duly came when Brennan was amazingly left alone on his own inside with no one within of 20 metres of him and he fired past Callinan, who had no chance to make it 2-18 to 1-18 with seven minutes remaining. Brennan's confidence was brimming at this stage and he fired over a fine point, which was followed by a Power point to move five points in front as the Cats began to turn on the style. Galway needed to respond quickly, but the game was over when Brennan raced through and fired into the back of the net to make it 3-20 to 1-18 in an electrifying five minutes of play. Galway had many star men on the day including Niall Healy and Alan Kerins, but centre back John Lee was outstanding and is certainly a star of the future. Nonetheless, the Cats proved yet again that they are a step above everyone else at the moment and it will take a huge performance by any team to defeat them. Shefflin converted his eighth free of the match in injury deep as the crowds began to leave Croke Park. Lyng smashed a shot off the crossbar, which deflected over the bar to leave ten points between the sides, although this was an unfair reflection of a brave performance by Galway. Kilkenny - PJ Ryan; M Kavanagh, N Hickey, J Tyrrell; T Walsh, B Hogan, JJ Delaney; D Lyng (0-2), J Fitzpatrick (0-3, free); E Brennan (2-2), H Shefflin (0-8, 8 frees), E Larkin (0-2); W O'Dwyer (0-1), M Comerford (0-2), A Fogarty (0-1). Subs - R Power (1-1) for Fogarty (ht), J Ryall for Delaney (49), J Tennyson for Hogan (58), M Fennelly for O'Dwyer (61). Galway - C Callanan (0-1, free); G Kennedy, G Mahon, F Moore; S Kavanagh, J Lee, D Hardiman; F Healy (0-2), D Collins; A Kerins (0-4), R Murray (1-0), I Tannian (0-1); K Wade (0-7, 6 frees, 1 '65'), N Healy (0-3), D Hayes. Subs - D Forde for Hardiman, (35) D Joyce for Moore (ht), E Cloonan for Murray (52), K Broderick for Tannian (58). Referee - D Murphy (Wexford) Tweet

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