Kilkenny IHC- Langton leads the way as Gowran advance past Freshford

Young Irelands put in a commanding display as they saw off Freshford with 12 points to spare in Saturday’s Michael Lyng Motors Hyundai IHC Quarter-Final.

The Gowran side produced a devastating second half period to blow away the All-Ireland junior champions and they are now back within one win of reaching the county final for a second successive season.

Paddy Langton was the undoubted star of the show as he knocked over five points from play and the former Kilkenny under-20 star was ably assisted by Jim Conlon and Mikey Carey as they dominated that end of the pitch.

Freshford competed well in the first half and got further hope when Shane Donnelly goaled in the 42nd minute but they were outclassed in most areas with Young Irelands knocking over points from all angles.

Gowran started the brighter and opened the scoring via Thomas Langton and a well taken sideline cut from Padraig O’Neill before Freshford battled back.

After a Cathal O’Leary free and a Brendan Quinn effort from play levelled up matters, Cian Donnelly then edged St Lachtain’s into the lead for what proved to be the only time in the game.

Young Irelands then replied with scores from Killian Carey and Jake Byrne and while Cathal O’Leary soon made it 0-4 apiece, it wasn’t long till last year’s county finalists took over on the scoreboard.

Paddy Langton with the first of his five points from play and Ted Drea made it 0-6 to 0-4 at the halfway mark of the half as the winners proved more efficient in front of goal.

While Cathal O’Leary nabbed three more points before the break and midfielder Mark Donnelly scored on the break, it was Gowran who still maintained the initiative with Seamus Farrell, Paddy Langton and two fine efforts from Jim Conlon meaning the Gowran men led by two at the change of ends.

The game was then all but ended as a realistic contest within the first 12 minutes of the second half as Young Irelands scored six points without reply in a stunning spell.

A Killian Carey free which was Gowran’s first placed ball effort got the ball rolling and if it wasn’t for a last ditch tackle by Cathal Hickey then Ted Drea may have goaled in the next attack.

That didn’t overly deter the side in red and white with Carey and Diarmuid Langton finding the target before Paddy Langton went on a spree with three excellent efforts from play.

Freshford needed a swift response if they were to have any hope of a revival and they got it when Shane Donnelly drilled a ground shot past Sean Kehoe and into the net.

Points from Killian Carey and Padraig O’Neill helped Gowran rediscover some momentum before Cian Dawson and Mark Donnelly responded in kind for Freshford.

The North Kilkenny outfit then had another goal opportunity when Cathl O’Leary found space in the Gowran danger area but his shot was well stopped by Sean Kehoe. That missed opportunity came back to bite St Lachtain’s as they failed to score at all in the remaining minutes.

Gowran led on a 0-19 to 1-10 scoreline at this stage and they gradually eased clear with Cian Phelan scoring two points off the bench either side of Ted Drea, Padraig Naddy, Padraig O’Neill and Thomas Langton also splitting the posts as they scored at will in the final stages.

It’s the end of the road for St Lachtains’s while Gowran now face up to the James Stephens challenge in the semi-finals.

Teams and Scorers

Young Irelands: Killian Carey (0-5, 3fs); Paddy Langton (0-5); Padraig O’Neill (0-3); Cian Phelan (0-2, 2fs); Thomas Langton, Ted Drea, Jim Conlon (0-2 each); Jake Byrne, Seamus Farrell, Diarmuid Langton, Padraig Naddy (0-1 each)

St Lachtain's: Cathal O’Leary (0-5, 3fs); Shane Donnelly (1-0); Mark Donnelly (0-2); Brendan Quinn, Cian Donnelly, Cian Dawson (0-1 each)

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

Subs: Michael Walsh for B.Brennan, 10 mins; Diarmuid Langton for Byrne, h-t; Cian Phelan for K.Carey, 52 mins; Sean Langton for T.Phelan, 55 mins.

St Lachtain’s: Darren Brennan; Simon Rafter, Croimthann Bergin, Shane Dawson; Padraig Donnelly, Cathal Hickey, Brian Kennedy; Brendan Quinn, Mark Donnelly; Alexander Rafter, Darragh Maher, Cathal O’Leary; Paddy Killeen, Shane Donnelly, Cian Donnelly.

Subs: Cian Dawson for Killeen, 47 mins; Cathal Power for A.Rafter, 52 mins; Alan Rafter for D.Maher, 52 mins; John Fitzpatrick for C.Donnelly, 54 mins.

Referee: Stephen Delaney