Kilkenny IHL- Fast finish hands league shield spoils to Dunnamaggin

Dunnamaggin scored the final eight points to defeat Young Irelands of Gowran in a weather affected Michael Lyng Moors Hyundai IHL Shield Final on Saturday afternoon.

Prior to Dunna’s late surge which was spearheaded by the excellent Denis Walsh, Gowran looked to be the ones in control but they failed to score at all inside the final quarter as Noel Lahart’s men gained control all over the field.

A Killian Carey goal at the start of the second half appeared to have given Gowran the initiative but they will be disappointed at the way they let the game slip away especialy when they had a strong wind at their backs.

Even wth a championship quarter-final just a week away for both sides, the two teams went relatively strong in the quest for early season silverware.

Gowran made the brighter start with Killian Carey registering his side’s first two points from a free and play.

Dunnamaggin soon responded in kind however with Paul Kirwan on targetin the 5th minute before a Denis Walsh 65 levelled up matters.

Walsh and Ted Drea then exchanged efforts to leave nothing between them approaching the halfway mark of the half in what proved to be a fairly low-scoring affair.

Goals were going to be worth their weight in gold given the underfoot conditions and Young Irelands had the first big opportunity with Ted Drea having an attempt well saved by James Logue in the Dunnamaggin goal.

Walsh and John Fitzpatrick then took advantage of that missed opportunity with successive points leaving Dunnamaggin 0-5 to 0-3 ahead.

Gowran came back again with scores from Killian Carey and Seamus Farrell deadlocking the game for a third time but the rest of the half belonged to the victors.

Three points on the spin from Andy Hickey, Joe Fitzpatrick and Paul Kirwan gave Dunnamaggin a bit of breathing space on the scoreboard and while Killian Carey landed a free before the interval, it was the South Kilkenny oufit that led 0-8 to 0-6 at the break.

When Gowran reeled off 1-1 without reply within four minutes of the resumption, everything looked to be rosy in the 2024 county finalists garden as Seamus Farrell grabbed his second point of before Killian Carey scored the only goal of the game a couple of minutes later.

Carey then followed up with two further frees but remarkably, Gowran wouldn’t score again in the remaining 15 minutes or so as Dunnamaggin finished with a flourish.

Trailing on a 1-9 to 0-9 scoreline, Dunnamaggin threw off the shackles and Denis Walsh really came into his own at this stage with successive frees in the 46th and 47th minutes leaving just the minimum between the teams.

A well taken John Fitzpatrick effort levelled matters soon afterwards before another Walsh free edged Dunnamaggin into the lead.

Gowran weren’t without opportunities to get back into the game but Killian Carey’s accuracy on placed balls went astray in the final few minutes albeit the weather conditions made things increasingly difficult for free-takers.

While Young Irelands remained within a puck of the ball for a period as soon as the clock ticked into what proved to be three added on minutes, Dunnamaggin took over with another four points before the end.

Walsh’s fifth and sixth free of the afternoon made it a three point game and the winners then rounded off in style with sub Ruaidhri Holden and Denis Walsh himself adding on excellent scores from play as Dunnamaggin ran out 0-17 to 1-9 winners in the end.

The win means ‘Dunna go into a championship quarter-final against Tullogher Rosbercon this weekend in buoyant mood.

Gowran on the other hand will have to dust themselves down on the back of a disappointing display that saw them only register 1-4 from play of which only included three different scorers in total. Last year’s All-Ireland junior winners St Lachtain’s now await in the last eight of the championship.

Teams and Scorers
Dunnamaggin: Denis Walsh (0-9, 6fs and 1 ‘65); John Fitzpatrick, Paul Kirwan (0-2 each); Joe Fitzpatrick, Andy Hickey, Ross O’Neill, Ruaidhri Holden (0-1 each)

Young Irelands; Killian Carey (1-6, 5fs) Seamus Farrell (0-2); Ted Drea (0-1)

Dunnamaggin: James Logue; Darragh O'Keeffe, Ian Walsh, Pierce Costello; Michael Cody, Eoghan Kearney, Alex Moore; Ray Cody, Denis Walsh; Ross O’Neill, John Fitzpatrick, Peter Kenneally; Andy Hickey, Joe Fitzpatrick, Paul Kirwan.

Subs: Ciaran Hickey for O'Keeffe, 23 mins; Dylan Crehan for Kenneally, 43 mins; Noah Cahill for O'Neill, 46 mins; Ruaidhri Holden for Kirwan, 57 mins; Colin Fitzpatrick for J.Fitzpatrick, 62 mins.    

Young Irelands: Sean Kehoe; Geoff Brennan, Michael Walsh, Bobbie Brennan; Jim Conlon, Mikey Carey, Paddy Langton; Killian Carey, Jake Byrne; Padraig O’Neill, Seamus Farrell, Tommy Phelan; Sean Farrell, Ted Drea, Padraig Naddy.

Subs; David Langton for Walsh, 25 mins, Diarmuid Langton for Farrell, 37 mins; Cian Phelan for T.Phelan, 37 mins; Pat Farrell for Byrne, 43 mins; Dylan Carey for Naddy, 43 mins.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   
Referee: Julian O’Dwyer