Rampant St Kieran's win 60th Leinster Colleges Hurling Title
St Kieran's 2-24 Kilkenny CBC 0-11
St Kieran's College are Leinster PPS Corn Ui Dhuill Senior Hurling champions for a fourth year on the trot after they ran out huge winners over city rivals Kilkenny CBC in a very disappointing decider at UPMC Nowlan Park.
The defending champions were always in a degree of control with goals in either half from Fionn Mahony and Diarmuid Behan putting the seal on a 60th title in history for the famed Kilkenny school.
CBC only scored four points from play over the course of the hour with their main marksman Patrick Lacey well marshalled by Kilkenny senior star David Barcoe.
While the challengers led early on, once Kieran's gained a grip on proceedings there was no looking back with Fionn Mahony, Gearoid O'Shea, Conor McEvoy and Diarmuid Behan all pointing before Mahony grabbed the opening goal in the 19th minute with a drilled finish past Rian Dowling.
Kieran's went into the break with a 1-12 to 0-7 advanatge as a result and although Lacey did his best with eight points in total, there was no stopping Brian Dowling's men with Diarmuid Behan's goal on the back of a CBC defensive mistake crowning the success.
The winners outscored CBC 0-10 to 0-1 in the final ten minutes with Joe Power and Jake Mullen finding their range and in this sort of form they will be a huge test for anyone in the All-Ireland series as they ran out 19 point victors come the final whistle.
Both schools will return to action in two week's time with St Kieran's meeting either Loughrea or Athenry and Kilkenny CBC facing St Flannan's of Ennis in the All-Ireland Quarter-Finals.
Teams and Scorers
St Kieran's College: Conor McEvoy (0-9, 6fs and 1 '65); Fionn Mahony (1-3); Diarmuid Behan (1-2); Eoghan Cahill (0-4); Gearoid O'Shea (0-3); Jake Mullen (0-2); Joe Power (0-1)
Kilkenny CBC: Patrick Lacey (0-8, 6fs and 1'65); Joe Dowling, Ollie O'Donovan, Paddy O'Brien (0-1 each)
St Kieran's College: Cian Dermody (James Stephens); Ben Nevin (Thomastown), David Barcoe (Clara), Larry Phelan (James Stephens); Bill McDermott (James Stephens), Louis Raggett (Dicksboro), Ben McEvoy (Graigue Ballycallan); Brian Hickey (Dunnamaggin), Diarmuid Behan (James Stephens); Conor McEvoy (James Stephens), Jake Mullen (Shamrocks Ballyhale), Conor Holohan (O'Loughlin Gaels); Eoghan Cahill (Graigue Ballycallan), Gearoid O'Shea (St Molleran's, Waterford), Fionn Mahony (Danesfort).
Subs: Dan Carroll (Dicksboro) for Hickey, 49 mins; Joe Power (Clara) for Holohan, 52 mins; Eoin Walpole (Bennettsbridge) for Mahony, 54 mins; Conor Heffernan (James Stephens) for Behan, 56 mins; Killian Ryan (Shamrocks Ballyhale) for Phelan, 58 mins.
Kilkenny CBC: Rian Dowling (Dicksboro); Ben Henderson (Dicksboro), Oisin Henderson (Dicksboro), Conor Barcoe (Thomastown); Kealan Barcoe (Young Irelands), Josh Dowling (Erin's Own), Paddy O'Brien (John Lockes); Adam Maher (O'Loughlin Gaels), James Bergin (James Stephens); Ollie O'Donovan (John Lockes), Anthony Clifford (Dicksboro), Joe Dowling (Dicksboro); Zac Scanlon (James Stephens), Patrick Lacey (Dicksboro), Cian Byrne (O'Loughlin Gaels).
Subs: Zak O'Halloran (John Lockes) for C.Barcoe, h-t; Luke McDonald (O'Loughlin Gaels) for Maher, 43 mins; Robbie Lacey (Dicksboro) for O.Henderson, 43 mins; Padraic Meany (Clara) for B.Henderson, 53 mins; James Kavanagh (Dicksboro) for Byrne, 55 mins.
Referee; Eamon Furlong (Wexford)