Thurles end their long wait

Thurles CBS 1-17 Good Counsel 1-15:MICHAEL O'BRIEN scored 1-5 from play as Thurles CBS defeated New Ross side Good Counsel to claim the Croke Cup for the first time at Semple Stadium yesterday

Last year’s beaten finalists Thurles crowned a memorable season by adding the All-Ireland Colleges ‘A’ hurling title to the Harty Cup, collected last month for the first time in 53 years.

Thurles produced another fine attacking display as they scored 1-15 of their winning tally from play, with O’Brien the leading forward on show. O’Brien scored a crucial goal after 22 minutes after two well-matched teams had been level five times earlier in the half.

Leinster champions Good Counsel had drawn first blood after 12 minutes when Kilkenny’s Walter Walsh netted but Thurles responded with three unanswered points to lead by 0-8 to 1-4.

James Cassin was in good free-taking form in the first half for Good Counsel but his touch deserted him somewhat after the break as his side hit seven wides.

Some of the long-range point-taking was of the highest order in an entertaining game, watched by 3,676 fans and while Thurles hit five wides in each half, they were more economical in attack.

Good Counsel were reliant on Cassin’s free-taking to remain in touch at half-time, 1-11 to 1-8 in arrears. Ger Aylward, who shot two lovely first half points, could have ensured parity from a penalty in stoppage time but he couldn’t get the lift right as he attempted to strike and Thurles survived.

Thurles edged a fiercely-fought second half but Aylward cut the gap to a single point in stoppage time from a 20-metre free.

But Kieran Morris secured the trophy for Thurles when he drilled over a 65 in injury time and last year’s heartbreak against De La Salle can now finally be forgotten.

THURLES CBS: P Ryan; S Harty, R O’Shea, M Doyle; P Molloy, D Maher (0-1, a free), J Meagher (0-1); D Butler (0-1), M Bracken; K Morris (0-3, one 65), M Russell, J O’Neill (0-3); D Fogarty (0-3), A McCormack, M O’Brien (1-5). Subs: J Barry for Harty (h/t), P Ralph for McCormack (44 mins), P Greene for Russell (58), P Looby for Bracken (60).

GOOD COUNSEL: K Kehoe; M Cody, J Breen, M Furlong; J Lyng, Matthew O’Hanlon, I Duggan (0-1); A Nolan (0-1), L French; M Crowdle (0-1), J Cassin (0-7, five frees, one 65), G Aylward (0-3, one free); D Murphy (0-1), W Walsh (1-0), Michael O’Hanlon (0-1). Subs: C Foran for French (54 mins), G Foley for Michael O’Hanlon (57 mins), S Barron for Duggan (60 +2m).

Referee: A Kelly (Galway).

GALWAY OUTFIT St Brigid’s, Loughrea claimed the All-Ireland Vocational Schools senior ‘A’ hurling title for the second time in three years with an ultimately comfortable 3-18 to 1-14 victory against Roscrea CC in Thurles yesterday.

St Brigid’s powered away towards the finish but needed a stroke of luck nine minutes after half-time as midfielder Paul Hoban’s goal proved the crucial score.

Hoban was shooting for a point from halfway but the sliotar ended up in the back of the Killinan End net as unlucky Roscrea goalkeeper Jason Sampson attempted to bat it clear.

Before Hoban’s goal, St Brigid’s led by just two points but that strike opened up a five-point gap, 3-9 to 0-13, and the winners never looked back from there.

St Brigid’s had legitimate claims for another goal waved away 11 minutes after half-time as umpires deemed that Anthony Kelly’s ferocious shot rebounded back into play off the crossbar although TV evidence suggested that the sliotar cannoned off the back stanchion of the goal.

ROSCREA CC: J Sampson; D Coonan, L Hegarty, R Moloney; C Larkin, E Cleary, M Cleary; G Burke, S McKelvey (0-2); D Flynn (0-2), J Carroll, J Fitzpatrick (1-7, 1-0 pen, 0-6f); E Ryan, S Cleary (0-2), P Moloney. Subs: J McMahon (0-1) for P Moloney (25m), J Bergin for Ryan (52m).

ST BRIGID’S LOUGHREA: P Skehill; P McHugo, S Skehill, M Kelly; M Horan (0-3f), C Burke, D Burke; J Cooney, P Hoban (1-2); C Kelly, S Dolan (1-3), E Clarke; C Larkin (0-2), D Herlihy (1-7 0-6f), A Kelly. Subs: S Sweeney for D Burke (40m), M Donoghue for C Kelly (59m), G Curley (0-1) for A Kelly (60 +2m), S Farrell for Clarke (60 + 3m).

Referee: S Whelan (Wexford).