Pres Athenry undone by strong St. Kieran's finish

ALL-IRELAND POST PRIMARY SENIOR A HURLING CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL

St. Kieran's 3-19

Pres Athenry 2-16

At Croke Park

DRIVING finishes have been the main calling card of St. Kieran's in this season's All-Ireland Post Primary Senior A Hurling Championship and the Kilkenny nursery once again powered home to deny Pres Athenry a first-ever Croke Cup at GAA headquarters.

Late goals from Fionn Mahony and Dan Carroll were telling blows for the 26-time winners after the Connacht champions went toe-to-toe and were on level terms as late as the 52nd minute.

St. Raphael's, Loughrea and Nenagh CBS were both undone by the St. Kieran's power game in the latter stages, and Pres Athenry suffered that same fate as a late purple patch yielded 2-6 for Kieran's with the concession of two points before Matthew Cloonan cracked home an injury-time consolation goal.

Mike Finn, Ronan Badger and Gary Moroney's side started brightly and were 1-5 to 1-2 in front despite conceding an eighth minute goal to man of the man Gearóid O'Shea.

Cian Hannon rifled home his third goal in four matches for Pres Athenry. Ronan Cahalan was in sparkling form from play and with free-taker Ciarán Leen finding the range, the Athenry students were playing with great confidence.

Fionn Mahony was the chief source of points for St. Kieran's as Pres Athenry held a slender 1-9 to 1-8 advantage at the change of ends.

Pres Athenry kept their noses in front after the restart and with points from Cahalan, his fifth, and the excellent Anthony Poniard, his fourth, they were 1-14 to 1-13 in front with 49 minutes on the clock. They were also indebted to goal-saving stops from defender Éanna McDonagh and 'keeper Cathal Mannion.

From there, though, St. Kieran's hit on a rich vein of scoring form. Jake Mullen, Gearóid O'Shea, Conor McEvoy and Dan Carroll sent over five of the next six points before Fionn Mahony broke through the cover for a 59th minute goal that ended Pres Athenry's hopes.

St. Kieran's captain David Barcoe strode forward to add his name to the scoresheet before Carroll blasted home the winners' third goal and Cloonan fired to the net for Pres Athenry in the dying seconds.

ST KIERAN'S COLLEGE, KILKENNY: Cian Dermody (James Stephens); Ben McEvoy (Graigue Ballycallan), Larry Phelan (James Stephens), David Barcoe (0-1, Clara); Bill McDermott (James Stephens), Louis Raggett (Dicksboro), Ben Nevin (0-1, Thomastown); Diarmuid Behan (James Stephens), Jake Mullen (0-3, 0-1 free, Ballyhale Shamrocks); Ned Spelman (Rower Inistioge), Fionn Mahony (1-4, Danesfort), Conor McEvoy (0-4, 0-1 free, 0-1 65, James Stephens); Gearóid O'Shea (1-3, St. Molleran's, Waterford), Conor Holohan (0-1, O'Loughlin Gaels), Eoghan Cahill (Graigue Ballycallan). Subs: Brian Hickey (0-1, Dunnamaggin) for Spelman, half-time; Dan Carroll (1-1, Dicksboro) for Cahill, 49 mins; Rob McEvoy (Lisdowney) for Holohan, 57 mins; Joe Power (Clara) for Conor McEvoy, 60+2 mins.

PRESENTATION COLLEGE, ATHENRY: Cathal Mannion (Athenry); Éanna McDonagh (Athenry), Michael Lewis (Killimordaly), Ronan McGlynn (Athenry); Cathal Donoghue (Clarinbridge), Robert Burke (Kilconieron), Shay Brady (Athenry); Áodhan McDonagh (Athenry), Iarlaith Leen (0-1, Craughwell); Ronan Cahalan (0-5, Killimordaly), Niall McCarthy (Athenry), Cian Hannon (1-0, Athenry); Ciarán Leen (0-6, 0-4 frees, 0-1 65, Craughwell), Anthony Poniard (0-4, Athenry), Niall Kelly (Athenry). Subs: Ronan Murphy (Clarinbridge) for Kelly, 40 mins; Matthew Cloonan (1-0, Craughwell) for McCarthy, 46 mins; Matthew Cox (Clarinbridge) for Iarlaith Leen, 56 mins; Jonathan Dunleavy (Turloughmore) for McGlynn, 60+3 mins.

REFEREE: Thomas Walsh (Waterford).

HERALD SPORT MAN OF THE MATCH:

Gearóid O'Shea (St. Kieran's, Kilkenny).