’Bridge under-19s claim league title

Bennettsbridge clinched the under-19 B hurling league with a five-point victory over Young Irelands Gowran at a windy Bennettsbridge on Saturday.

This was a historic contest in that, with age grades returning to even years in Kilkenny next year, this was the last competitive game in this six-year-old under-19 grade, which commenced in 2019.

Bennettsbridge had previously recorded a 2019 B championship victory at under-19, so this league final victory was their second visit to the under-19 honours list.

The home side started against the strong Saturday afternoon wind and opened the scoring with a Bill Hughes point from play.

Young Irelands were 0-3 to 0-1 ahead at the quarter hour mark with scores from Ben Phelan, James Hughes (free) and a Charlie Fitzgerald minor.

A Paddy Langton 65 kept Young Irelands going but Bennettsbridge, who were still operating well against the wind, struck points from two of their better players on the afternoon, Billy Nolan and Kyle Ryan.

Young Irelands needed scores by the interval and got a badly needed goal and a point by corner-forward Mikey Keating in the last five minutes of the half, leaving things all square at the interval (Bennettsbridge 0-6, Young Irelands 1-3).

The home side started the second half with a very fortuitous, but crucial, goal as a long range Bill Hughes free went all the way to the Gowran net. They built on this, James Hughes adding a Bennettsbridge free two minutes later.

Young Irelands again needed scores to stay in the game and, in the next 10 minutes, they recorded three unanswered points, two from Patrick Langton, one from play, the other from Jim Conlon (1-6 to 1-7).

James Hughes (BB) and Killian Carey (YI) exchanged points, as did Kyle Ryan, a fine score from distance, with the same player. There was just a point between them as the game headed towards the final 10 minutes, Bennettsbridge 1-9 to 1-8 clear.

Bennettsbridge outscored their opponents six points to two in the final 12 minutes, with Hughes points from frees, while Charlie Fitzgerald, Jack Campion, and Bill Nolan were also among the scorers. Diarmuid and Patrick Langton were the Young Irelands scorers.

Bennettsbridge deserved their victory, with the strong second half showing against the wind being particularly noteworthy.

Players such as Billy Hughes, goalkeeper Jack Forristal, Kyle Ryan, Bill Nolan, and Charlie Fitzgerald being their strongest performers.

Young Irelands as a club have had a great year in 2023, and players such as Patrick Langton, and Killian Carey will certainly feature at adult level in the very near future.

Bennettsbridge - Jack Forristal; Conor Molloy, Kyle Ryan (0-2), Eoin O’Connor; Paddy Walsh, Joe Hughes, Oran Lavery; Billy Hughes (1-1, 1-0 free, captain), James Hughes (0-7, 0-6 frees); Charlie Fitzgerald (0-2), Timmy Kelly, Bill Nolan (0-2); Jack Campion (0-1), Noah Walsh Brennan, Stephen King.

Young Irelands - Tim Brennan; Charlie Brennan, Bobbie Brennan, Charlie Fitzgerald (captain); Jake Byrne, Patrick Langton (0-4, 0-1 65, 0-1 free), David Langton; Luke Phelan, Diarmuid Langton (0-1); Ben Phelan (0-1), Padraig Naddy, Jim Conlon (0-1); Cian Phelan, Cillian Carey (0-2, 0-1 frees), Mikey Keating (1-1).

Referee - Conor Everard (Graigue-Ballycallan).