Golden Kilfeacle make history with back-to-back West U21 hurling titles

O’Dwyer Steel Engineering West U21A Hurling Championship Final

Golden Kilfeacle 0-16

Cashel King Cormacs 0-15

Golden Kilfeacle claimed back-to-back O’Dwyer Steel Engineering West U21A Hurling Championship titles for the first time in their history following a hard-fought battle with Cashel King Cormacs at Cappawhite on Saturday afternoon. The early winter sun gave way to a cold afternoon with a breeze blowing towards the village end, though both sides served up a warm, hearty contest in excellent conditions in Cappawhite.

The sides were meeting in the final for just the second time, having previously met in the 1987 decider, where a Tom Leamy hat-trick helped Golden Kilfeacle to their first title in their own right by just the minimum, 3-7 to 3-6. Two years ago, in the U19 equivalent, Cashel King Cormacs came out on top in a high-scoring affair after extra time by just two points.

This time around, the scores weren’t as plentiful, but neither side lacked endeavour and passion in an attempt to win. In the end, Golden Kilfeacle just had that better spread of scorers which got them over the line, though they could have been a bit more comfortable near the end, with the wide tally going fourteen to four in their favour.

There were a number of positional switches before the throw-in, with Oisín O’Donoghue going to midfield for the throw-in, Denis O’Callaghan going into the forwards and Anthony Walsh, named at corner-forward, reverting to a sweeper role. At the other end, Charlie Hall went into the forwards for Golden Kilfeacle, with James Finn going to the half-back line. Both players had a big influence on the overall result.

The sides were level six times over the first thirty minutes, the first of those after three minutes. Man of the match Ciaran Byrne, who was a central lynchpin in the Golden Kilfeacle defence, powered through to point after just sixteen seconds into the village end. Three minutes later, Oisín O’Donoghue tied the contest with his first of eight opening-half points, of which seven came from placed balls. Cashel would be overly dependent on O’Donoghue for scores over the sixty minutes.

By the tenth minute, two more from Charlie Hall, including his first from a placed ball, and another from Aaron Colohan pushed Golden 0-4 to 0-2 ahead. Cashel were soon level, with Cian Fitzgerald adding their first from play. Lee Hayes was forced into a save to keep the Golden Kilfeacle goal intact as scores were slow to come by for a period, with the sides level twice more by the twenty-third minute at six each.

This was a tough, physical contest with space at a premium. Charlie Hall and Gavin Dalton edged Golden Kilfeacle into a two-point advantage for the second time, but again Oisín O’Donoghue brought the sides level as neither side could gain a significant advantage. Hall and O’Donoghue again traded points before James Finn had the last say of the half to give Golden Kilfeacle a one-point lead at the break, 0-10 to 0-9.

Scores were very tight in the first ten minutes after the resumption. Tyler Barry and Oisín O’Donoghue did trade a point each in this period. Golden Kilfeacle, though, had the majority of the chances but failed to add to their tally, hitting a number of wides from both placed balls and play, while they were also denied by a save from Eoghan Dunne, his first of a number during the second half.

Neither side was stamping their authority on the game, with Jack Bergin, now on free-taking duty, extending Golden Kilfeacle’s lead, only for Oisín O’Donoghue to tie the game at twelve each early in the final quarter. Then O’Donoghue pointed from play to rouse the Cashel support as they now led for the first time.

By this time, Anthony Walsh had left his sweeper duties. Jack Bergin continued his accuracy from placed balls to restore his side’s lead, but again, as the game went into the final ten, O’Donoghue had levelled the game for the ninth and final time.

Again, scores remained sparse as both sides tackled with ferocity, with both struggling for clean possession. Two more from Jack Bergin, the last with three and a half minutes of ordinary time remaining, edged the defending champions two in front, and they would fail to score for the remainder. Denis O’Callaghan brought the deficit back to the minimum; however, Cashel couldn’t level.

In the last few minutes, including injury time, it was Golden Kilfeacle who had the majority of the chances, and while Cashel could have levelled, their defence played a huge part here, coming out with a number of possessions.

Following the game, West Board chairman Andrew Fryday presented the Tony Brennan Cup to Jack and Padraig Dalton in the presence of West Board secretary Conor English and Tarun Bezawada, representing O’Dwyer Steel.

Scorers: Golden Kilfeacle: Charlie Hall (0-6, 0-3f), Jack Bergin 0-5, Tyler Barry, James Finn, Gavin Dalton, Aaron Colohan, Ciaran Byrne all 0-1 each.

Cashel King Cormacs: Oisín O’Donoghue (0-13, 0-10f), Denis O’Callaghan, Cian Fitzgerald all 0-1 each.

Golden Kilfeacle: Lee Hayes; Cian Ryan (P), Cian Lonergan, Jack Dalton; Gavin Dalton, Ciaran Byrne, Charlie Hall; Jack Bergin, Eanna Ormond; James Finn, Padraig Dalton, Sam Hall; Tyler Barry, Aaron Colohan, Aidan Tuohy.

Subs used: Harry Fogarty for P Dalton (19); Jack Donnelly for T Barry (48); Nicholas O’Toole for E Ormond (63).

Cashel King Cormacs: Eoghan Dunne; Kyle Cully, Andrew Irwin, Aiden Skeffington; Harry O’Connor, Tommy O’Connor, Kieran O’Dwyer; Colm Ryan, Denis O’Callaghan; Callum Butler, Oisín O’Donoghue, Cian Fitzgerald; Anthony Walsh, Briain O’Donoghue, Eimhin Ryan.

Subs used: Colin Maher for H O’Connor (50); Ultan O’Donoghue for B O’Donoghue (53); Cormac McInerney for A Skeffington (54); Callum Byrnes for C Fitzgerald (60).

Referee: Anthony Owens (Solohead)