O'Loughlin Gaels won the Leinster hurling title for the first time in Portlaoise this afternoon, denying Birr their third title on a scoreline of 0-15 to 0-9.
The Kilkenny side, which boasted intercounty luminaries Andy and Martin Comerford and Sean and Brian Dowling, proved the critics wrong with a fine team performance which overturned the incumbent Offaly side.
In Munster, An Ghaeltacht (Kerry) did enough to hold out and take their first SFC title, on a 1-8 to 1-6 scoreline from St Senans (Clare).
In what was a close affair form the beginning, after eight minutes An Ghaeltacht led by three points to one. Things appeared to have turned the way of the Kilkee side soon after when Ger Keenan scored a fine goal, to leave the halftime score 1-3 to 0-6.
Three minutes after the restart the game turned, when An Ghaeltacht's Cathal Crowley scored a crucial goal. From there on in, it was all An Ghaeltacht, with the Kerry side's extra zip and power beginning to show. A fine individual performance from Dara O'Se in midfield proved to be in the difference between the teams.
Meanwhile, Caltra (Galway) won the Connacht Club SFC final 1-6 to 0-6 against Curry (Sligo), the first occasion on which the northeast Galway club has achieved provincial success.
Victory was all the sweeter for Caltra, as they won their first Galway title earlier this year.
The Galway team played the bulk of its football in the first half, registering only a single point in the second moiety - that from Matthew Killilea.
The talking point of the game proved to be a penalty miss for the Sligo team just after half time. The outstanding Gary May's saw his drive go over the bar for a point, missed a crucial goal opportunity.
A lot of poor wides for Curry, in both halves, did little to help their situation, and Caltra held out for a deserved victory.
In the other provincial finals of the day, Newtownshandrum (Cork) defeated Patrickswell (Limerick) by 2-18 to 2-9 in Thurles to win their first Munster SHC.
In Ulster, the Loup (Derry) won the SFC, defeating St Gall's (Antrim) by 0-11 to 1-5 in Clones.