Kilkenny Under 18's celebrate historic first ever Leinster Cup success

Kilkenny’s u-18 boys produced a stirring second-half comeback to defeat Portlaoise 21–20 in the Tom Darcy Cup final at Energia Park on Sunday claiming the prestigious trophy for the first time in the clubs history.

The Tom Darcy cup is the premier underage competition of the Leinster Club season, and the final delivered.

Kilkenny arrived with momentum and belief into the final after edging Navan 15–12 in a semi-final decided by Scott O’Shea’s late drop goal, completing a remarkable run to the trophy that also saw them come through knockout wins over Skerries, Balbriggan, and Dundalk.

Portlaoise had powered their way to the showpiece after a bye, then wins over Enniscorthy, Mullingar and holders Wicklow.
From the outset, the game had all the hallmarks of a proper cup final: heavy collisions, nervous energy and little room for error.

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Portlaoise settled quicker and opened the scoring in the 7th minute when out-half Daniel Whelan calmly slotted a penalty from in front of the posts for a 3–0 lead.

That early score lifted the Laois side.

Portlaoise continued to ask the bigger questions and were rewarded on 14 minutes when No 8 Eanna Moynihan powered over for the game’s opening try.

Suddenly 8–0 in front, they looked sharp, direct and full of confidence.

When a second try arrived in the 23rd minute to stretch the lead to 13–0, Kilkenny were in real trouble.

Kilkenny, who had already shown throughout this campaign that they could survive tight moments, finally found their rhythm.
In the 27th minute, No. 8 Cillian McElwee crashed over after a sustained spell of forward pressure, giving his side the foothold they desperately needed.

Scott O’Shea added the conversion, and from 13–0 down Kilkenny had cut the deficit to 13–7 by the interval.

That scoreline felt significant.

The gap was now manageable, but more importantly the momentum had shifted.

Kilkenny finished the first half on the front foot, carrying greater purpose and beginning to win the collisions that had gone Portlaoise’s way early on.

They carried that energy straight into the second half. Just four minutes after the restart, second-row Alex Dooley crossed for Kilkenny’s second try, capping another strong passage of pressure.

O’Shea converted again, and in the space of a few minutes Kilkenny had transformed the scoreboard, moving from six points down at halftime to a 14–13 lead.

Portlaoise, to their credit, did not buckle. Their run to the final had been built on attacking power and resilience, and they responded in kind midway through the half.

Winger Cullan Kirwan finished off a strong move with a crucial try, and Whelan added the conversion to put Portlaoise back in front, 20–14, with around 20 minutes left.

For Kilkenny, who had worked so hard to claw back control, it was another major test of nerve. What followed said everything about this Kilkenny side.

Rather than panic, they went back to work. Territory was earned the hard way.

Possession was protected. The forwards kept driving, the backs stayed patient, and gradually Portlaoise were forced deeper and deeper into their own half.

The pressure built phase by phase until, with just two minutes remaining, McElwee struck again, burrowing over for his second try of the afternoon and Kilkenny’s third of the final.

It left O’Shea with the sort of kick every young out-half dreams about and dreads in equal measure.

With the game on the line and the cup within touching distance, he held his nerve magnificently.

The conversion sailed over, Kilkenny moved 21–20 ahead, and suddenly Portlaoise needed one last score to snatch the trophy back.

There was still time for one final attack, and Portlaoise threw everything at it.

But Kilkenny’s defence stood up again when it mattered most.

They repelled the late pressure, cleared their lines, and when the final whistle came, a famous victory was sealed.

It was a triumph built not just on talent, but on character.

Kilkenny had already shown in earlier rounds that they could win in different ways — with attacking flair against Dundalk and with grit and game management against Navan.

In the final, they needed both.

They absorbed an early storm, overturned a 13-point deficit, and found the composure to finish the job in the closing minutes.

For Kilkenny, this was more than just a one-point win in a final.

It was a day that delivered silverware, history, and a performance that will live long in club memory.

Kilkenny- Theodore Drennan, Ian McDonald, Rory Dunne, Alexander Dooley, Patrick McDonnell, Ollie Molloy, Oisín Barry, Cillian McElwee, Patrick Kennedy, Scott O'Shea, Cooper Delaney, Jack Rhatigan, Sean Daly, Liam Davis, Fearghus O'Connor.

Replacements: Ryan Jackman, Michael Lawler, Kirills Dovbijenko, Paul Murphy, Conor Deegan, Dylan Brennan, Danny O'Callaghan, Conor Marry.

Portlaoise- Brando De Donatis, Dennis Phelan, Excel Onosedeba Ekemhenrekhian, Shane Foley, Josh Carney, Joe Carroll, Conor Deegan, Eanna Moynihan, Daniel Maunsell, Daniel Whelan, Cullan Kirwan, Padraig Culleton, Daithi Quirke, Matthew Cunningham, Paul Byrne.

Replacements: Jack Dowling, Bill Rigney, Mark Fennell, Fionn Hanley, Adam McCabe, Oran Darcy, Zach Maginness, Aaron Fitzpatrick.