O'Loughlin's claim Under 19 Hurling League success

Another Sunday, another trophy for the O’Loughlin Gaels!

A week after the city club captured their fifth Kilkenny senior hurling title, the under-19s kept the winning run going when they won the under-19 Roinn A league title.

Just as with their seniors the previous week, again here the opposition were in the contest right to the death, and were only beaten by a single score (0-16 to 0-13).

Eleven points from O’Loughlin Gaels man of the match, full-forward Alex Sheridan, was vital to their success. Castlecomer had a hero of their own too in Michael Brennan, grandson of former Kilkenny star Cloney Brennan.

The city side were aided by the breeze in the opening half and led by 0-13 to 0-7 at the interval, which was key to their success.

Jake Connery opened the scoring for Castlecomer after two minutes before Mark Houlihan replied for the Gaels.

Michael Brennan put ’Comer back in front from a free, this one replied to by an Alex Sheridan free. Soon afterwards Brennan put ’Comer back in front again from a free, but then O’Loughlin’s took over with five unanswered points, these all coming from the outstanding Alex Sheridan, four frees and one from play.

Michael Brennan reduced the lead to 0-4 to 0-7, but the next five minutes consisted of four further O’Loughlin’s points, three more Sheridan scores and a point from Kieran Delaney. It was now 0-11 to 0-4 in O’Loughlin’s favour.

Good points from Brennan (free) and a fine score by Connery reduced the lead to five points, but O’Loughlin’s hit back through Eoghan O’Brien and Alex Sheridan (free) to make it 0-13 to 0-6.

Evan Harding ended the first half scoring with a nice point for Erin’s Own after a neat lay-off from Brennan, but at half-time they trailed by 0-13 to 0-7.

Erin’s Own began the new half with Michael Brennan’s fifth point from a free, replied to by a similar score by Alex Sheridan (free). Over the next quarter of an hour the ’Comer men got right back into the game with five unanswered points. Three Brennan frees were followed by a 60 metre score from play by the same player, before a close range shot over the bar by substitute John Kenny left it 0-13 to 0-14.

O’Loughlin’s realised they needed to go to battle again at this stage and did so with two fine scores from play by Greg Kelly (0-16 to 0-13).

Castlecomer had chances late on - the best was a goal shot from substitute James Comerford which was well saved by city ’keeper Daniel McCormack - but they couldn’t close the gap.

Best for O’Loughlin’s were Ruaidhri Galwey, captain Finn Hogan, Greg Kelly, Eoghan O’Brien and Alex Sheridan.

The home side’s second half performance nearly pulled the league title for Castlecomer. They had solid performers in Eoghan Moore, Joey Ryan, Conor Brophy and Michael Brennan.

Teams and scorers

O’Loughlin Gaels - Alex Sheridan (0-11, 0-8 frees), Greg Kelly, Eoghan O’Brien (0-2 each); Mark Holohan.

Erin’s Own - Michael Brennan (0-9, 0-7 frees); Jake Connery (0-2); Evan Harding, James Kenny (0-1 each).

O’Loughlin Gaels - Michael Bourke Lambert; Tadhg O’Meara, Ruaidhri Galwey, Harry O’Grady; James Holohan, Finn Hogan (captain), Eoghan Bennett; Luke Quigley, Jeff Tyrrell; Greg Kelly; Mark Holohan, CJ Poyntz; Eoghan O’Brien; Alex Sheridan, Fionn Lawlor.

Subs:  Jack Aylmer, Michael Butler, Conor Murphy, CJ McChancheu, Harry Roberts, Frank Noukou, Josh Owens.

Erin’s Own - Conor O’Sullivan; Alec Kerr, Eoghan Moore (captain), Jack Comerford; Bobby Brennan, Joey Ryan, Conor Brophy; Robert Coogan, Cathal Dunny; Jake Connery, Michael Brennan, James Coogan; John Kenny, Evan Harding, Jack Coogan.

Subs - Mark Kennedy, James Kenny, Darragh Normoyle, Aaron Fanning, Eoin Nolan, James Comerford, Ewan Connery.

Referee - Paul Hunston (Barrow Rangers).