Kilmacow cruise to win over weakened Slieverue in Junior Championship

Kilmacow made a faultless beginning to the JJ Kavanagh Junior Hurling Championship when running out comprehensive winners over Slieverue at Pairc na Ratha in Glenmore last Sunday afternoon.

​The winners had too much quality, pace and class all over the pitch as their South Kilkenny neighbours failed to fire with their sizeable injury list really affecting them throughout the 2026 club season.

Kilmacow lined out without James Walsh in attack but his absence wasn’t really felt on this occasion at least with Willie Coogan’s men proving too powerful in all areas and in this form they are bound to be a challenge to anybody who faces them in the remainder of the championship.

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Despite the big final scoreline, it was a tightly matched contest for a large part of the first half with the sides level on three occasions inside the opening eight minutes.

Speaking afterwards, Kilmacow manager Willie Coogan summed up his feelings as his team got over the first hurdle in the championship.

"There was aspects in the first half where we maybe got turned over a bit unnecessarily but the seeds of the victory were still laid down in that opening period as Slieverue started the game well and we just had to build the scoreboard. When the second half wore on, we then looked more and more comfortable so we’d be happy enough.

"Championship is just all about getting the win and as a result we didn’t look any further than that game today as we had to win and we’re in the draw for the nexr round so that’s where we want to be and we look forward to going again next weekend.

"We are one game away from a quarter-final and if you get there, everyone has a chance at that point but we know that we need to put our best foot forward the next day as they will be a step up on what we’ve faced thus far", he finished.

Kilmacow got off the mark with Paddy Dollard getting the first of his 12 points in the 2nd minute before Slieverue equalised through an Evan Cullen score from distance.

Rian McDonald and Jack O’Neill (Kilmacow) and Shane Wall and Adrian Rockett (Slieverue) then exchanged further efforts as the nip and tuck nature of the round 1 affair continued apace.

It wouldn’t take long till Kilmacow wrestled control of the game and they opened up the first bit of a gap between the teams when Paddy Dollard and Jack O’Neill scored in succession for the winners.

Kilmacow led 0-5 to 0-3 as a result and while Adrian Rockett narrowed the gap back to the minimum, it was only brief respite with further scores from Dollard on the double and John Hayes meaning it was now a double scores game.

The tit for tat nature of the game then resumed at the end of the first half with Jack Frisby and Adrian Rockett scoring two points apiece for Slieverue with the Kilmacow reposte arriving via a quartet of points from Paddy Dollard as the winners led 0-12 to 0-8 at the break.

The second half proved to be very one sided with Kilmacow outscoring their opponents 0-13 to 0-2 over the course of the 30 minutes as they really flexed their muscles.

Slieverue’s two scores both came from the hurl of Evan Cullen while sub Craig Phelan also went close witha goal opportunity but in truth Kilmacow had it all their own way as they put the recent defeat to St Patrick’s Ballyragget firmly behind them.

A couple of players really showed well during the second period for Kilmacow as they finished the game scoring the final eight points in a row. Early second half scores from Dollard, Sean Dowling and Liam Lacey gradually pushed out the lead and with a tame response down the other end, there was time for Kilmacow to test out their entire squad as they ran put 15 point winners come the final whistle.

Teams and Scorers

Kilmacow: Paddy Dollard (0-12, 8fs); Sean Dowling (0-4); Jack O'Neill (0-3); John Hayes, Sean Blanchfield, Rian McDonald, Liam Lacey, Aaron Cass, Richie McNamara (0-1 each)

Slieverue: Adrian Rockett (0-4, 4fs); Evan Cullen (0-3); Jack Frisby (0-2); Shane Wall (0-1, 1f)

Kilmacow: Kieran Dowling; Calum Regan, Niall Bowe, Donnacha Williams; Tadhg Connolly, Rian McDonald, Tom Butler; Sean Dowling, Fergal Suffin; Tom Reddy, Sean Blanchfield, Liam Lacey; Paddy Dollard, John Hayes, Jack O’Neill.

Subs: Ian Ahearne for Reddy, h-t; Aaron Cass for Lacey, 39 mins; Richie McNamara for McDonald, 52 mins; Jack Power for Hayes, 55 mins; Fionn Blanche for S.Dowling, 60 mins.

Slieverue: Shane Wall; William Haberlin, Ian Ahern, Olly Mullally; Kieran Connolly, Jack Frisby, Evan Cullen; Pat Kennedy, William Halpin; Adrian Rockett, Callum Cleary, Martin Dowling; Conor Wall, Bem Alcock, Donnacha Griffin.

Subs: Craig Phelan for Haberlin, 36 mins; Jack Knox for Griffin, 40 mins; Callum Moore for Wall, 45 mins.

Referee: Raymond Byrne.