Kilkenny IHL- Gowran secure decisive victory over 2023 county finalists

Young Irelands of Gowran put in an impressive display as they put Mooncoin to the sword in the Intermediate Group B opener on Friday night.

Barry Power’s outfit were the dominant side throughout and first half goals from Sean Carey, Killian Carey and Tommy Phelan gave them an early cushion that they never surrendered.

Mooncoin did battle abck at the start of the second half with Killian Hogan leading the charge but despite the midfielder tacking on 1-5 of which 1-3 came from play, they were very much second best on the night with a fourth Gowran goal from Ted Drea ending the game as a contest.

Mooncoin are down a number of players from the squad that reached the Intermediate final with Thomastown last year and that vulnerability was always likely to be tested by a decent Gowran side and the team in red and white wasted no time in going for the kill with Killian Carey netting after only a minute’s play.

Ted Drea was instrumental in setting up that goal and he nearly doubled that tally seconds later whe n a close in attempt was brilliantly saved by Donnacha Hogan.

James Aylward did reply with Mooncoin’s first score but it would only be one of five first half points for the South Kilkenny side.
went clear

Gowran went further clear with efforts from Drea, Tomy Phelan and Padraig O’Neill before Sean Carey got their second goal in the 19th minute but again he had a lot to thank Drea for who set him up for an easy opportunity.

Mooncoin plugged away with scores from Cormac Daly and Liam Hogan but they’d a mountain to climb by the half-time interval when Tommy Phelan buried a third goal for the winners to leave Gowran ahead on a 3-6 to 0-5 scoreline.

Mooncoin were a different team in the third quarter and on the back of points from Cormac Kinsella and Stephen Wall and a cracking individual goal from Killian Hogan, the deficit was back to five points.

Gowran eventually put the tie beyond any doubt when Ted Drea deservedly got his name on the goal card inside the final ten minutes after Seamus Farrell attracted a couple of defenders towards him.

Subs Ethan Ryan and Diarmuid Langton got scores on both sides before the end but come the final whistle it was only Gowran eyes smiling as they grabbed the crucial two points.

Teams and Scorers

Young Irelands- Sean Carey (1-3, 1f); Killian Carey (1-2); Ted Drea, Tommy Phelan (1-1 each); Jimmy Lennon, Padraig O’Neill (0-2 each); Paddy Langton (0-1, 1 ‘65); Diarmuid Langton, Seamus Farrell (0-1 each)

Mooncoin- Killian Hogan (1-5, 2fs); Stephen Wall, Cormac Kinsella, Sean O’Dwyer, Oisin Henebery, Liam Hogan, James Aylward, Cormac Daly, Ethan Ryan (0-1 each)

Young Irelands- Jason Brennan; Geoff Brennan, Bobbie Brennan, Sean Farrell; Michael Walsh, Mikey Carey, Paddy Langton; Killian Carey, Padraig Naddy; Jimmy Lennon, Seamus Farrell, Padraig O’Neill; Sean Carey, Ted Drea, Tommy Phelan.

Subs: Jake Byrne for O’Neill, 45 mins; Diarmuid Langton for Phelan, 51 mins; Pat Farrell for S.Farrell, 56 mins.

Mooncoin- Donnacha Hogan; Luke Ramaswamy, Cormac Daly, Ryan Carroll; Jim Delahunty, Paul Henebery, James Aylward; Killian Hogan, Stephen Crowley; Liam Hogan, Oisin Henebery, Sean O’Dwyer; Kieran Dunphy, Cormac Kinsella, Stephen Wall.

Subs: James O’Keeffe for O.Henebery, 35 mins; Ethan Ryan for Dunphy, 49 mins.

Referee - Gay Rafter (Threecastles).