Now that the dust has settled, we can take a look back with a clearer view at what exactly happened at the end of Kilkenny vs Galway in the Leinster Hurling Championship final.
Galway's defence was lambasted after their inability to clear their lines, and they failed numerous times in a few seconds to hit or kick the ball down the pitch.
The last Galway player to touch the ball, before it fell to goalscorer Cillian Buckley, was Padraic Mannion, whose kick sent the sliotar straight into the hands of the opposing player.
However, Mannion, who was without his hurl at the time, has defended his decision to kick the ball, and in fact pointed out that it was the quality of his strike that was his undoing.
Straight away after it I was thinking I had made a terrible error that I kicked it but then, looking back, I probably wouldn’t change a whole lot about it either. It is just one of those things that happens.
If I had scuffed it maybe they wouldn’t have got a goal. If I tried to flick it up and lost it you’d be saying the same thing. That’s the way it is. Such fine margins.
If you gave them a line ball though, TJ (Reid) or someone would have chipped it straight into the square. You don’t know. You don’t want to do that either.
It’s easy looking back now. Kilkenny had it and they lost it. Then we had it and we lost it. Then they had it and they’d lose it again.
Kilkenny's Epic Finish Against Galway
Cillian Buckley will never have to buy a pint again in his life!
What a way to win a Leinster final 🤯pic.twitter.com/lNUsNuRR7U— Balls.ie (@ballsdotie) June 11, 2023
READ HERE: Joe Canning Demands Leinster Final Change After Galway vs Kilkenny Scenes
"I know (John) Donnelly hit it across and the two of us contested it and I lost my hurl," added Mannion
“I contested with my hurl kind of in front of me and just whatever way we collided it just slid out of my hand. Maybe my hands were probably a bit sweaty and greasy as well because it was so warm.
"I could have got it. It popped out of my hand. All the small things, sure you could drive yourself mad thinking about them all. Just a freak.”
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