O’Loughlin Gaels 0-20
Ballyhale Shamrocks 0-19
BALLYHALE SHAMROCKS’ FIVE-YEAR reign of the Kilkenny senior hurling championship is at an end after O’Loughlin Gaels produced a magnificent performance to dethrone the defending All-Ireland champions in UPMC Nowlan Park.
A Paddy Deegan point in the second minute of injury time helped the Kilkenny city side claim a first title in seven years — which incidentally also came against Ballyhale — and a fifth success in total.
It was a pulsating meeting that could have gone either way and drifted one way to the other throughout, but O’Loughlin’s had more in the tank coming down the final straight.
Shamrocks’ lack of depth really came back to bite as the absence of a number of key men including Ronan Corcoran, Joey Holden and Darren Mullen eventually told as they didn’t make any substitutes over the course of the game.
TJ Reid had another massive outing for the Shamrocks but ultimately it wasn’t enough in the end as O’Loughlin Gaels captain Mark Bergin produced a man-of-the-match performance to see his team over the line.
The Gaels didn’t make it easy on themselves either as they squandered a number of late opportunities to put a better gloss on the scoreboard but team manager and former player Brian Hogan won’t care as his side made up for defeat against the same opposition two years ago.
Hogan’s team made a brilliant start to the game and were quickly four points to the good through points from Mark Bergin, Sean Bolger and Paddy Deegan.
Shamrocks’ first point came in the eighth minute via Evan Shefflin and they kept ticking away with TJ Reid and Eoin Cody adding to their tally and despite being very much second best for much of the opening half they were still level at the half-time whistle (0-10 to 0-10).
Eoin Cody then gave his team the lead for the first time in the opening minute of the second half and the vibes looked ominous, but there was no sign of O’Loughlin’s wilting and they continued to play their game which caused Shamrocks so many problems.
It was point-for-point all the way through the second 30 minutes with the only real goal chance of the game arriving to Sean Bolger, who was denied by Dean Mason.
Reid and Colin Fennelly pushed Shamrocks into a two-point lead late on before O’Loughlin’s impact subs Conor Kelly and Luke Hogan levelled the game once more.
It was a frantic finale with both sides proving careless in front of goal and when Colin Fennelly pointed his second effort of the afternoon, Shamrocks looked primed to see the game out.
Not on O’Loughlin’s watch however, and an equalising score from David Fogarty was followed by Deegan’s superb winner as the club located just across the road from Nowlan Park claimed an unlikely, yet fully deserved, victory.
Scorers for O’Loughlin Gaels: Mark Bergin 0-10 (6fs, 1 ‘65), Paddy Deegan 0-2, Jack Nolan 0-2, David Fogarty 0-1, Conor Heary 0-1, Owen Wall 0-1, Sean Bolger 0-1, Conor Kelly 0-1, Luke Hogan 0-1.
Scorers for Ballyhale Shamrocks: TJ Reid 0-9 (7fs), Eoin Cody 0-3, Colin Fennelly 0-2, Adrian Mullen 0-2, Evan Shefflin 0-1, Conor Walsh 0-1, Eoin Kenneally 0-1.
Ballyhale Shamrocks: Dean Mason; Dara Mason, Darragh Corcoran, Killian Corcoran; Evan Shefflin, Richie Reid, Paddy Mullen; Conor Walsh, Liam Barron; Adrian Mullen, TJ Reid, Eoin Cody; Eoin Kenneally, Colin Fennelly, Niall Shortall.
O’Loughlin Gaels: Stephen Murphy; Tony Forrsital, Huw Lawlor, Mikey Butler; David Fogarty, Paddy Deegan, Jordan Molloy; Jack Nolan, Cian Loy; Mark Bergin, Eoin O’Shea, Conor Heary; Owen Wall, Paddy Butler, Sean Bolger.
Subs: Conor Kelly for O’Shea (40 mins), Luke Hogan for P.Butler (49 mins), Jamie Ryan for Nolan (55 mins).
Referee: Peter Burke (Emeralds)