Heartbreak for Kilkenny as New York claim Junior Football Honours

Kilkenny's quest to win back to back All-Ireland Junior Football Championship titles fell short when losing out to New York earlier this afternoon in Croke Park.

A second half goal from Mick Kenny looked to have given the Cats the impetus to kick on to victory but a strong finish by New York saw the overseas visitors run out narrow one point winners.

Kilkenny were left chasing shadows for much of the opening half as they trailed 0-8 to 0-3 with only Mick Malone, Mick Kenny and James Carroll finding the target for the defeated side.

Malone also had a guilt-edged goal scoring opportunity go abegging in first half stoppage time when he shot past the post and had that gone in, it may have been a very different game.

New York were led by corner forward Shay McElligott who scored seven points in total and they timed their winning run to perfection.

After Mick Kenny goaled in the 43rd minute where he rounded New York goalkeeper Ryan Corrigan to shoot to an empty net, Christy Walsh's men had cancelled out the half-time deficit.

When James Carroll, Ciaran Quilty and Conor Hennessy added further points, the Cats looked set to prevail but New York scored four of the last five points to secure the win.

A pair of efforts from McElligot levelled matters at 1-8 to 0-11 and while Kilkenny sub Rory Monks edged the Cats back ahead, stoppage time scores from McElligot once again and impressive centre forward Brian Coughlan got New York over the line.

Teams and Scorers

New York- Shay McElligot (0-7, four frees), Thomas Shalvey (0-2), CJ Molloy (0-1, one free), Conor Mathers, Brian Coughlan, Emmet Loughran (0-1 each)

Kilkenny- Mick Kenny (1-3, three frees), James Carroll (0-3, one free), Mick Malone, Rory Monks, Ciaran Quilty (0-1 each)

New York- Ryan Corrigan; Peter Cronin, Dylan Curran, Paidi Mathers; Mikey Boyle, CJ Molloy, Colm Shalvey; Conor Mathers, Gearoid Kennedy; Danny Corridan, Brian Coughlan, Thomas Shalvey; Shane Slattery, Kevin Rafferty, Shay McElligot.

Subs- Emmet Loughran for T.Shalvey 39 mins, Chris Mulvihill for Rafferty 39 mins, Kaelan Walsh for Slattery 46 mins, Ian Kavanagh for C.Shalvey 49 mins, Aiden Lawler for Walsh 60 mins.

Kilkenny- Ciaran Farnan (Railyard); Shane Kelly (Mullinavat), Tom Kenny (Dicksboro), James Darmody (Fenians); Kevin Blanchfield (Bennettsbridge), Nathan Sherry (Thomastown), Ger Malone (Mullinavat); Conor Hennessy (Tullogher Rosbercon), Tom Aylward (Mullinavat); Mick Malone (Mullinavat), Jim Culleton (Mullinavat), Mick Kenny (Lisdowney); James Carroll (Bennettsbridge), Ian Duggan (Mullinavat), Jamie Holohan (Erins Own).

Subs- Joe Fennelly (Mullinavat) for Darmody h-t, Ciaran Quilty (Mooncoin) for Aylward h-t, Rory Monks (Thomastown) for Duggan 35 mins, Adam Mansfield (Mullinavat) for Kenny 44 mins, Mark Hender (Railyard) for Culleton 56 mins.

Referee- David Murnane (Cork)