THE DOOR WAS open for Tullaroan to balance the record books in Kilkenny and to claim a SHC title success that would have left them level at the head of the roll of honour with Shamrocks.
It was an intriguing situation and a romantic narrative ahead of Tullaroan’s first county final since 1994, but Shamrocks, if the point hadn’t already been rammed down our throats from their various successes over the years, don’t do sentiment.
Adrian Mullen, with 1-3, headed up a 13-strong list of scorers for a Shamrocks side that simply blew underdogs Tullaroan away, racing to a 22-point win and a 22nd title and retaining the silverware that they claimed in 2025.
Veteran TJ Reid, with 0-5, and teenage goalscorer Jake Mullen, Adrian’s younger brother, were among a long list of those who influenced proceedings.
Adrian Mullen’s goal arrived in the opening seconds and indicated the sort of torment that lay ahead for an outthought and badly outfought Tullaroan, the very first winners of this competition.
Shamrocks scored virtually at will and, defensively, restricted a heretofore excellent Tullaroan team to just eight points, and only four points from open play.
Managed by Mark Aylward, record Leinster and All-Ireland winners Shamrocks will return to the provincial scene on 8 November to play Laois winners The Harps in a Portlaoise quarter-final.
With a strong wind blowing down the pitch towards the O’Loughlin Gaels clubhouse, in favour of the holders initially, it was a question of how much of a lead Shamrocks could build up.
They set about their task immediately, securing possession from the throw-in and working a move that ended with Adrian Mullen following up on a blocked shot and sweeping the ball home.
Just 23 seconds had elapsed and already Shamrocks were on the front foot.
Tullaroan didn’t score until the 15th minute, at which point they’d already coughed up 1-6, and the underdogs’ first point from play, which was their only other score in the entire half, didn’t come until the 25th minute.
That was one of the few times that Tullaroan actually broke Kilkenny’s defensive line with a series of passes, clearing John Walton to tap over.
County star Martin Keoghan wore number 10 for Tullaroan but started in the inside forward line. He was well shackled by Killian Corcoran and didn’t get much delivery his way anyway.
The few first-half chances that did fall Tullaroan’s way weren’t taken either, with free-taker Shane Walsh driving two of his three point attempts wide in the opening 30 minutes.
In Walsh’s defence, he was shooting from an angle into a powerful breeze for the two that skewed wide.
Meanwhile, Shamrocks continued to rack up the scores at the other end, seven different players in white registering points by the interval.
Wing-back Evan Shefflin scored three of those, all booming scores which underlined just what an advantage the wind was to them.
The number five let out a huge roar after the third of those points in the 28th minute. It came after a turnover in the Tullaroan attack and only confirmed that, with or without the wind, Shamrocks were on top in pretty much all departments.
Adrian Mullen wore number 13 for Shamrocks but played at midfield while TJ Reid, mainly stationed in the full-forward line, was marked by Tomás Dunne. Eoin Cody had former Kilkenny colleague Padraig Walsh for company. On the right wing, Brian Cody got through a tonne of great work when the game was still a contest.
Tullaroan clearly needed a lightning start to the second half, but when Shamrocks registered another 1-3 without response, the game was already up.
Jake Mullen, still a minor and a Leinster U-20 finalist with Kilkenny last summer, scored Shamrocks’ second goal after clever buildup play down the left by Eoin Cody and Reid.
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Eoin Cody and Richie Reid added points as Shamrocks turned the screw. It told a tale of Tullaroan’s difficulties and how far they were off it that both players had time, and acres of space down the left, to get their strikes away.
Shamrocks went for further goals but Tullaroan goalkeeper Niall Holland pulled off a series of exceptional stops, twice from Adrian Mullen and twice from Eoin Cody.
It hardly mattered because Shamrocks kept chipping away with the singles and subs Liam Barron, Dylan Aylward and Michael Barron all sniped scores.
The closest Tullaroan came to any sort of purple patch was a three-in-a-row of points between the 48th and 50th minutes from Dylan Simpson and Shane Walsh.
4. Brian Butler for Ryan (43)
18. Cathal Coogan for Jake Mullen (49)
21. Dylan Aylward for Ronan Corcoran (53)
24. Michael Barron for Brian Cody (55)
17. Cian Cullen for Richie Reid (55)
TULLAROAN:
1. Niall Holland
5. Tommy Walsh
3. Tomás Dunne
2. Joe Coughlan
18. Charlie Cleere
6. Padraig Walsh
7. Bill Walton
15. John Walton
10. Martin Keoghan
11. Peter Walshe
SUBS:
17. Ciallin Brennan for Padraig Walsh (36)
13. Mark Simpson for John Walton (40)
4. Eamon Holland for Cleere (53)
20. Jim Moore for Walshe (53)
19. Tommy Walton for Coughlan (56)
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Ballyhale Shamrocks cruise to 22nd Kilkenny hurling title
Ballyhale Shamrocks 2-24
Tullaroan 0-8
THE DOOR WAS open for Tullaroan to balance the record books in Kilkenny and to claim a SHC title success that would have left them level at the head of the roll of honour with Shamrocks.
It was an intriguing situation and a romantic narrative ahead of Tullaroan’s first county final since 1994, but Shamrocks, if the point hadn’t already been rammed down our throats from their various successes over the years, don’t do sentiment.
Adrian Mullen, with 1-3, headed up a 13-strong list of scorers for a Shamrocks side that simply blew underdogs Tullaroan away, racing to a 22-point win and a 22nd title and retaining the silverware that they claimed in 2025.
Veteran TJ Reid, with 0-5, and teenage goalscorer Jake Mullen, Adrian’s younger brother, were among a long list of those who influenced proceedings.
Adrian Mullen’s goal arrived in the opening seconds and indicated the sort of torment that lay ahead for an outthought and badly outfought Tullaroan, the very first winners of this competition.
Shamrocks scored virtually at will and, defensively, restricted a heretofore excellent Tullaroan team to just eight points, and only four points from open play.
Managed by Mark Aylward, record Leinster and All-Ireland winners Shamrocks will return to the provincial scene on 8 November to play Laois winners The Harps in a Portlaoise quarter-final.
With a strong wind blowing down the pitch towards the O’Loughlin Gaels clubhouse, in favour of the holders initially, it was a question of how much of a lead Shamrocks could build up.
They set about their task immediately, securing possession from the throw-in and working a move that ended with Adrian Mullen following up on a blocked shot and sweeping the ball home.
Just 23 seconds had elapsed and already Shamrocks were on the front foot.
Tullaroan didn’t score until the 15th minute, at which point they’d already coughed up 1-6, and the underdogs’ first point from play, which was their only other score in the entire half, didn’t come until the 25th minute.
That was one of the few times that Tullaroan actually broke Kilkenny’s defensive line with a series of passes, clearing John Walton to tap over.
County star Martin Keoghan wore number 10 for Tullaroan but started in the inside forward line. He was well shackled by Killian Corcoran and didn’t get much delivery his way anyway.
The few first-half chances that did fall Tullaroan’s way weren’t taken either, with free-taker Shane Walsh driving two of his three point attempts wide in the opening 30 minutes.
In Walsh’s defence, he was shooting from an angle into a powerful breeze for the two that skewed wide.
Meanwhile, Shamrocks continued to rack up the scores at the other end, seven different players in white registering points by the interval.
Wing-back Evan Shefflin scored three of those, all booming scores which underlined just what an advantage the wind was to them.
The number five let out a huge roar after the third of those points in the 28th minute. It came after a turnover in the Tullaroan attack and only confirmed that, with or without the wind, Shamrocks were on top in pretty much all departments.
Adrian Mullen wore number 13 for Shamrocks but played at midfield while TJ Reid, mainly stationed in the full-forward line, was marked by Tomás Dunne. Eoin Cody had former Kilkenny colleague Padraig Walsh for company. On the right wing, Brian Cody got through a tonne of great work when the game was still a contest.
Tullaroan clearly needed a lightning start to the second half, but when Shamrocks registered another 1-3 without response, the game was already up.
Jake Mullen, still a minor and a Leinster U-20 finalist with Kilkenny last summer, scored Shamrocks’ second goal after clever buildup play down the left by Eoin Cody and Reid.
Eoin Cody and Richie Reid added points as Shamrocks turned the screw. It told a tale of Tullaroan’s difficulties and how far they were off it that both players had time, and acres of space down the left, to get their strikes away.
Shamrocks went for further goals but Tullaroan goalkeeper Niall Holland pulled off a series of exceptional stops, twice from Adrian Mullen and twice from Eoin Cody.
It hardly mattered because Shamrocks kept chipping away with the singles and subs Liam Barron, Dylan Aylward and Michael Barron all sniped scores.
The closest Tullaroan came to any sort of purple patch was a three-in-a-row of points between the 48th and 50th minutes from Dylan Simpson and Shane Walsh.
Shamrocks Ballyhale scorers: Adrian Mullen 1-3, TJ Reid 0-5 (3f, 1 65), Eoin Cody 0-4, Jake Mullen 1-0, Evan Shefflin 0-3, Darragh Corcoran 0-2, Ronan Corcoran 0-1, Niall Shortall 0-1, Brian Cody 0-1, Richie Reid 0-1, Liam Barron 0-1, Dylan Aylward 0-1, Michael Barron 0-1.
Tullaroan scorers: Dylan Simpson 0-3 (1f, 165), Shane Walsh 0-2 (0-1f), John Walton 0-1, Martin Keoghan 0-1, Niall Holland 0-1 (0-1f).
BALLYHALE SHAMROCKS:
1. Dean Mason
2. Killian Ryan
7. Killian Corcoran
3. Joey Holden (Captain)
5. Evan Shefflin
6. Darragh Corcoran
9. Richie Reid
8. Ronan Corcoran
13. Adrian Mullen
10. Brian Cody
11. Eoin Cody
19. Liam Barron
15. Niall Shortall
12. TJ Reid
14. Jake Mullen
SUBS:
4. Brian Butler for Ryan (43)
18. Cathal Coogan for Jake Mullen (49)
21. Dylan Aylward for Ronan Corcoran (53)
24. Michael Barron for Brian Cody (55)
17. Cian Cullen for Richie Reid (55)
TULLAROAN:
1. Niall Holland
5. Tommy Walsh
3. Tomás Dunne
2. Joe Coughlan
18. Charlie Cleere
6. Padraig Walsh
7. Bill Walton
8. Martin Walsh
9. Bill Gaffney (Captain)
14. Gearóid Dunne
23. Shane Walsh
12. Dylan Simpson
15. John Walton
10. Martin Keoghan
11. Peter Walshe
SUBS:
17. Ciallin Brennan for Padraig Walsh (36)
13. Mark Simpson for John Walton (40)
4. Eamon Holland for Cleere (53)
20. Jim Moore for Walshe (53)
19. Tommy Walton for Coughlan (56)
Referee: Owen Beehan (Fenians).
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Ballyhale Shamrocks Club Hurling GAA Hurling Kilkenny Kilkenny Senior Hurling Championship October