Sport

Against all the odds Nenagh take an historic victory

ALL-IRELAND COLLEGES SH A FINAL/Nenagh CBS 3-10 Kilkenny CBS 2-11: NENAGH CBS claimed their first All-Ireland Colleges Senior…

Mon Apr 02 2012 - 01:00

ALL-IRELAND COLLEGES SH A FINAL/Nenagh CBS 3-10 Kilkenny CBS 2-11:NENAGH CBS claimed their first All-Ireland Colleges Senior A hurling title with a deserved victory over Kilkenny CBS at Semple Stadium, Thurles, on Saturday.

“We couldn’t have dreamed of this at the start of the year, looking at our record over the last few years nobody could have forecast that we would be here doing it but sheer guts and determination got us here,” said victorious captain Jason Forde.

Kilkenny CBS will be disappointed that they failed to build on their strong start with Philly Campion opening the scoring, followed by a fourth minute Shane Cuddihy goal after Nenagh goalkeeper Will Power misjudged a high ball which dropped into the net.

James Mackey got Nenagh off the mark a minute later but for the opening quarter Kilkenny CBS dominated. The Leinster side stretched their lead with two points from Morgan Clifford before Nenagh went on a storming finish to the half which yielded 2-3 in a five-minute spell. Firstly Jason Forde played in Paudie Fogarty in the 26th minute and two minutes later Forde scored another.

READ MORE

Further points from Forde and Stephen O’Brien helped Nenagh into a three-point lead at the break, however Kilkenny started the second half the better with points from Kevin Kenny and Morgan Clifford.

The crucial third goal for Nenagh came in the 37th minute when Forde latched onto a pass from Tadhg Gallagher and pulled first time to the corner of the net. Stephen O’Brien and two points each from James Mackey and Killian Gleeson put Nenagh firmly in control, leading by six points at the three quarter mark.

Kilkenny CBS produced a strong finish with Robbie Buckley causing problems while surging attacks ending with frees of which Owen McGrath converted three, and when wing back Niall Mullins got on the end of a sideline ball to crash home a goal in the final minute, Kilkenny had hope.

However, Nenagh held out lift the Croke Cup.

NENAGH CBS: W Power; S Cleary, K Gubbins, D Quinn; E Hynes, J Peters, J Flaherty; J Loughnane, S Geaney (0-1); T Gallagher, S O’Brien (0-2), K Gleeson (0-2); P Fogarty (1-0), J Forde (2-2, 0-2 frees), J Mackey (0-3). Subs: D Peters for Quinn (inj, 52 mins), C Delaney for Gubbins (59 mins).

KILKENNY CBS: D Houlihan; S Cassin, E Cody, C McGrath; N Mullins (1-0), O McGrath (0-3, frees), R Fitzpatrick; D Sheehan, J Langton; C Doyle, S Cuddihy (1-0), P Campion (0-1); K Kenny (0-1), M Clifford (0-4), E Fennelly (0-1). Subs: L Scanlon for Campion (40 mins), D Bolger for Sheehan (46 mins), R Buckley (0-1) for Cuddihy (46 mins), P Delahunty for Fennelly (58 mins).

Referee: C McAllister (Cork).