Ballygiblin (Cork) 1-16

Easkey (Sligo) 0-11

ONE OF THE quickest goals ever scored in Croke Park sent Ballygiblin on their way to AIB All-Ireland Junior club hurling glory against a valiant Easkey side.

Defeated last year by Mooncoin, Darragh Flynn’s major after just nine seconds made sure the Cork men finally made certain of glory at the second time of asking.

In the build up to that blistering opener, former AFL player and current Cork hurler Mark Keane really set the tone, scorching down the centre from the throw-in to lay off to goalscorer Flynn.

The 12 months of pent-up hurt was dissolved in that lightning start and there was more to come.

Easkey were shaken but thanks to Andrew Kilcullen were not stirred. The Sligo star responded and kept his side in touch in the final throughout.

Kilcullen and impressive Joe McHugh in fact pulled it back to three points but that was as close as it got for the Connacht men.

After the break, Joe O’Sullivan landed three scores in a row to firmly sway the contest in the way of the two time finalists.

In a one-sided finish, Cork football panelist Cathail O’Mahony also caught the eye after the break with two stunning scores near the sideline.

Scorers for Ballygiblin: Joe O’Sullivan 0-10 (5f, 165’) Darragh Flynn 1-0, Cathail O’Mahony 0-3, Shane Beston 0-2, Dean Barry 0-1.

Scorers for Easkey: Andrew Kilcullen 0-5 (3f), Joe McHugh 0-2, Rory McHugh 0-1, Mikey Gordon 0-1, Dónall Hanley 0-1 and Thomas Cawley 0-1.

Ballygiblin:

1. Christopher Noonan

2. Lorcan Finn, 3. Fionn Herlihy, 4. James Mullins

7. Micheal Lewis, 6. Mark Keane, 5. Barry Coffey

8. Ryan Donegan, 9. Killian Roche

15. Dean Barry, 10. Darragh Flynn, 12. Shane Beston

11. Joe O’Sullivan, 14. Seán O’Sullivan, 13. Cathail O’Mahony

Subs: 20. Kieran Duggan for Barry (34), 21. Dillon Sheehan for S O’Sullivan (55), 24. Patrick Molloy for Beston (60), 22. Aaron O’Brien for Roche (62), 17. Cian O’Brien for Finn (63)

Easkey:

1. Jimmy Gordon

3. James Weir, 6. Eoghan Rua McGowan, 4. Shane Molloy

5. Ronan Molloy, 9. Niall Kilcullen, 10. Rory McHugh

8. Finnian Cawley, 7. Dónall Hanley

13. Fionn Moylan, 11. Mikey Gordon, 12. Thomas Cawley

2. Fionn Connolly, 15. Joe McHugh, 14. Andrew Kilcullen

Subs: 19. Gavin Connolly for Hanley (46), 18 Éanna Moylan for Moylan (51), 17. Bernard Feeney for S Molloy (55), 22. Luke Reddy for R Molloy (61), 26. Thomas Rolston for F Cawley (64)

Referee: Caymon Flynn (St. Loman’s)