THE CATS REIGNED supreme on the hurling stage in Croke Park this afternoon.
The All-Ireland club finals at junior and intermediate level took centre stage.
And it was Thomastown who triumphed in the junior decider while Clara made it a Kilkenny double in the intermediate equivalent.
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All-Ireland Club IHC final
Clara (Kilkenny) 1-16
St Gabriel’s (London) 0-11
Clara proved too strong for their London opponents in this afternoon’s intermediate decider in Croke Park. The Kilkenny club, who needed extra-time to overcome Tipperary’s Silvermines at the semi-final stage, were too strong as they produced a powerful display.
Clara lead by 0-6 to 0-1 after the opening quarter with captain David Langton and Keith Hogan amongst their point-scorers. They spurned chances to increase that tally during that time frame but still extended their advantage to be ahead by 0-11 to 0-4 at the interval with Hogan and Liam Ryan on target.
The contest was essentially killed off just after the interval with Hogan bagging a goal that pushed his side into an ultimately unassailable 1-11 to 0-4 lead.
St Gabriel’s fought on gallantly in the second-half and largely matched their opponents in the point-scoring department. But Clara ran out deserved eight-point winners with Langton, who captained Kilkenny when they lost the 2009 All-Ireland U21 final, had the honor of lifting the trophy afterwards in the Hogan Stand.
Clara captain David Langton lifts the trophy afterwards. Pic: INPHO/Cathal Noonan
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All-Ireland Club JHC final
Thomastown (Kilkenny) 2-17
Fullen Gaels (Manchester) 2-14
Thomastown emerged victorious after a titanic battle in the junior final against Fullen Gaels this afternoon in Croke Park.
Thomastown lead by 1-10 to 1-8 at half-time with Darren Burke giving them a boost as he raised a green flag but Fullen Gaels leading attacker Robbie Power helped keep them in touch when he found the net.
Fullen Gaels drew level after the break but Thomas O’Hanrahan bagged Thomastown’s second goal and at one juncture they were 2-14 to 2-8 to the good. Fullen Gaels kept battling but it was Thomastown who were celebrating at the final whistle as they became the second successive Kilkenny club, after St Patrick’s last year, to win this title.
Thomastown players celebrate with the cup after the game. Pic: INPHO/Cathal Noonan
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Corn Uí Mhuirí semi-final
St Brendan’s (Killarney) 0-15
Coláiste Chríost Rí 2-7
St Brendan’s booked their place in the final of the Corn Uí Mhuirí, the premier Munster Colleges football competition, with a two-point win in today’s semi-final against Coláiste Chríost Rí in Cloughduv.
The Cork school had lead the way at the break by 2-4 to 0-9 with Nemo Rangers Conor Horgan, a Cork minor last year, raising the green flag twice for them with strikes to the net.
However St Brendan’s overturned that deficit in the second-half with Tony Brosnan and Conor Keane, who shot 0-5 apiece, their leading scorers on the day.
The 2012 champions now await the outcome of next week’s second semi-final which will feature reigning champions Pobalscoil Chorca Dhuibhne against De La Salle (Macroom).
