Barry Cup bliss as Kilkenny CBS beat St Kieran’s

Kilkenny CBS got that Friday feeling as they captured the Leinster post-primary schools Second Year hurling spoils and took the Dr Barry Cup at UPMC Nowlan Park, beating their cross-city rivals St Kieran’s College in what turned out to be a very one-sided game. 

Remarkably, when the sides met in an earlier round league game, it was the Saints who came out on top with a few points to spare. Given those circumstances, the scale of the turnaround on Friday was remarkable.

It was Kieran’s who opened the scoring with a Cillian McElwee point in the second minute - incredibly it was the only time they would lead. After some close exchanges, the CBS burst into life when their impressive full-forward Ollie O’Donovan landed a brace of points. The CBS were now enjoying the bulk of the possession with their attack making big inroads through their opponent’s defence.

The placing of corner-forward Paddy O’Brien as a defensive sweeper was key to Kilkenny CBS winning the title. The young John Lockes player’s reading of the game was superb, as he cut out the bulk of the deliveries from the Kieran’s defence.

The pendulum swung strongly in favour of the CBS when O’Donovan broke through the Kieran’s defence to score his side’s first goal. He added a point almost immediately, pushing the lead out to seven points. 

A brace of pointed frees for Kieran’s from Cormac Neary briefly stopped the CBS momentum, but two goals in a minute for the winners from Oisín Henderson and Ollie O’Donovan five minutes before the interval left Kieran’s with a lot to do in the second half. Before the interval Kieran’s added points through Rory Glynn and Cormac Neary with Andrew Brennan replying for the CBS from a free to see the winners well in control at half time on a score of 3-9 to 0-5.

Gearoid O’Shea added another point for Kieran’s on the resumption, but the response from the CBS was swift as Sam O’Shea bagged a fourth goal for his school. Kieran’s could make little headway against a strong CBS defence and had to depend on pointed frees from sub Ruairi Power to make any dent in the margin. Eoin Moore scored a fifth goal for the CBS on 48 minutes when his low shot went in off the post, pushing his side closer to the silverware. 

The winners showed exceptional levels of skills, teamwork and pace throughout the game, but they also had a number of exceptional hurlers. Paddy O’Brien’s sweeper role was key to his side’s success and in forwards Ollie O’Donovan and Eoin Moore they had the two best attackers on view. Goalkeeper Rian Dowling was assured and confident with David McGee, Josh Dowling, Podge Meaney, Oisín Henderson and Sam O’Shea also to the fore for the winners. 

For Kieran’s College netminder Cian Dermody brought off many fine saves. Rory Glynn, Ben Nevin, Gearoid O’Shea, Cormac Neary, Jack Rhatigan and sub Ruairi Power tried hard for Kieran’s, but the game was effectively over at half-time, when a confident CBS led by 13 points.

Teams and Scorers

Kilkenny CBS - Ollie O’Donovan (2-7, 0-3 frees); Sam O’Shea (1-2); Oisín Henderson, Eoin Moore (1-1 each); Andrew Brennan (0-4, 0-3 frees); Podge Meaney (0-1). St Kieran’s College - Cormac Neary (0-3, 0-2 frees); Ruairi Power (0-3, frees); Gearoid O’Shea, Rory Glynn (0-2 each); Cillian McElwee (0-1).

Kilkenny CBS - Rian Dowling (Dicksboro); Ben Henderson (Dicksboro), David McGee (O’Loughlin Gaels), Luke McDonald (St Martin’s); Kealan Barcoe (Clara), Josh Dowling (Erin’s Own), Tommy Hoyne (John Lockes); Podge Meaney (Clara), Adam Maher (O’Loughlin Gaels); Oisín Henderson (Dicksboro), Andrew Brennan (James Stephens), Sam O’Shea (Dicksboro); Eoin Moore (Dicksboro), Ollie O’Donovan (John Lockes), Paddy O’Brien (John Lockes). Subs: Patrick Kennedy (Conahy Shamrocks), Diarmuid Considine (O’Loughlin Gaels), Noah Gibbons (Dicksboro), Patrick Sinnott (Danesfort), Luke Dobbyn (Bennettsbridge).

St Kieran’s College - Cian Dermody (James Stephens); Oliver Phelan (James Stephens), Jack Rhatigan (Conahy Shamrocks), Michael Tynan (Graigue-Ballycallan); Cillian Dunphy (Lisdowney), Ben Nevin (Thomastown), Dan Carroll (Dicksboro); Aidan Keating (Young Irelands), Rory Glynn (James Stephens); CJ Brennan (Clough-Ballacolla), Gearoid O’Shea (St Molleran’s), Kieran Bergin (St Patrick’s); Cillian McElwee (Thomastown), Ben McEvoy (Graigue-Ballycallan), Cormac Neary (Graigue-Ballycallan). Subs: Ruairi Power (James Stephens), Paul Kirwan (Rower-Inistioge), Jayden Maher (James Stephens), Jonathan Kenny (Danesfort), Noah Power (Carrick Swan).

Referee – Alan Doheny (Laois).