Mooncoin claim Junior D hurling title success over Young Irelands

Mooncoin made amends for their loss in the 2025 Junior D County final by emerging winners in this year’s version against Young Ireland of Gowran, at UPMC Nowlan Park.

In a well contested final that was in doubt for most of the evening, a strong final quarter saw Mooncoin victorious by a seven-point margin.

Their opponents here, Young Irelands, had won the D championship in 2024 and the E championship in 2025 but this latest step up proved just a little too much on this occasion.

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The first half was well contested with the sides level on six occasions, this despite Young Irelands starting the game with a second minute goal from David Holland.

A trio of points from Mooncoin’s Billy Delahunty, Ethan Ryan and JP Putcell had matters all square by the seventh minute, and it was very much ‘nip and tuck’ for the rest of the opening half.

At the break Young Irelands led by a single point, 1-9 to 0-11.

Two frees from Mooncoin’s Ethan Ryan got the Suirsiders ahead at the start of the new half-but they were back level when Ciaran Byrne pointed for Young Irelands.

Ryan with a Mooncoin free and Paul Kinsella (SM) exchanged scores, so they were still level 1-11 to 0-14 as the game reached its final quarter.

Four of the games next five points fell to Mooncoin, scored by Kieran Fagan, Ethan Ryan (2) and Mikey Ryan. A Paul Kehoe free was the Gowran sides only response (0-18 to 1-12).

Kehoe did point another Young Irelands free in the 55th minute but the next four minutes decided this D Final.

Points by Ethan Ryan and Mikey Ryan, followed by a Mooncoin penalty, dispatched to the Young Irelands net By Ethan Ryan.

Both sides added a point by games end, but Mooncoin’s more youthful team helped see them home as deserving winners, albeit against game opponents.

Teams and Scorers

Mooncoin: Ethan Ryan (1-11, 0-9 frees, 1-0 peno), Billy Delahunty (0-3), Stephen Brennan (0-3), Mikey Ryan (0-2), JP Purcell, Kieran Fagan (0-1 each).

Young Irelands: Paul Kehoe (0-5, 0-4 frees), David Holland (1-2), Ciaran Byrne (0-2), Johnny Dunphy (0-2), Tommy Carroll, Paul Kinsella, Eoin Phelan (0-1 each).

Mooncoin: Niall O'Hanlon, Zack Power, Niall Blanchfield, Lee Freyne, Jackie Ryan, Darragh Murphy, Eoin McGrath, Robbie Finn, Kieran Fagan (C), Mikey Ryan, Ethan Ryan, Stephen Brennan, JP Purcell, Billy Delahunty, Danny Purcell.

Substitutes: Ciaran Dillon for JP Purcell, Patrick Kinsella for Danny Purcell, Ray Wall for Billy Delahunty.

Young Irelands: Peter Hutchinson, Martin Carter (C) Thomas Drennan, Michael Lennon, Eoin O'Neill, Cathal Darcy, Jack Kennedy Byrne, Paul Kinsella, Tim Brennan, David Holland, Tommy Carroll, Paul Kehoe, Chris Nolan, Johnny Dunphy, Ciaran Byrne.

Substitutes: Ben Drennan for Chris Nolan, Philip Middleton for Johnny Dunphy, Eoin Phelan for Tommy Carroll.

Referee: Jack Miller (Piltown).