Masita All-Ireland Post Primary Schools Junior A Hurling Niall McInerney Cup Final – Kilkenny CBS 1-7 Midleton CBS (Cork) 0-7

Kilkenny CBS defeated Midleton CBS (Cork) by 1-7 to 0-7 in the Masita All-Ireland Post Primary Schools Junior A Hurling Niall McInerney Cup Final on Saturday March 29th at Fraher Field Dungarvan.

Sheehan goal seals glory for Kilkenny CBS

Kilkenny CBS 1-7 Midleton CBS 0-7

Report from the Irish Independent newspaper

Bill Sheehan’s first-half goal allowed Kilkenny CBS capture the Niall McInerney Cup on an afternoon of piercing wind and lashing rain at Fraher Field. The victors failed to register in the second half against the breeze but they had completed the heavy lifting in establishing an eight-point advantage beforehand and defended their lead under sustained Midleton pressure.

Kilkenny CBS more than merited a 1-7 to 0-2 first-half advantage. They moved four clear (0-5 to 0-1) after 18 minutes. Andrew Gaffney posted two, with Chris Kavanagh, Mark Drennan and Sean Bolger all striking singles. On 22 minutes, Mark Drennan lobbed a long-range free into the goalmouth and after a scramble, corner-forward Bill Sheehan netted. Sheehan tacked on a further point to see them leave as eight point front-runners.

Midleton shot four points in seven second half minutes. Brendan McCarthy landed a smashing free from his own ’65’ and that was followed by three on the trot from Garan Manley. Corner-forward John Looney created a Midleton goal chance but a combination of centre-back Conor Doheny and goalkeeper Eoin Byrne swatted away for a 65.

Manley brought it back to three but the Cork school were unable to maintain their momentum and rued misses from placed balls. Kilkenny CBS survived the loss of Andrew Gaffney to injury and defended firmly.

Scorers –
Kilkenny CBS: B Sheehan 1-1; A Gaffney 0-2 (1f); M Drennan, C Kavanagh, J Quinn, S Bolger 0-1 each. Midleton CBS: G Manley 0-5 (4fs); B McCarthy (f), J Beausang 0-1 each.

Kilkenny CBS – E Byrne; R Crotty, S Mahony, C Ryan; C Fitzpatrick, C Doheny, M Drennan; C Kavanagh, J Quinn; A Gaffney, J Leahy, J McEvoy; S Bolger, R O’Driscoll, B Sheehan. Subs: D Wall for Gaffney (43), R Murphy for Quinn (54).

Midleton CBS – R Walsh; E Leahy, C Hegarty, M Millerick; D Harrington, S Smith, S O’Connor; B McCarthy, C Parker; K Moynihan, J McDonnell, G Manley; K Treacy, J Beausang, J Looney. Subs: D Crotty for Parker (28), E Moloney for Moynihan (47), P O’Brien for Treacy (50).

Ref – F Horgan (Tipperary)

Kilkenny CBS 1-7 Midleton CBS 0-7

Round-up from thescore.ie

KILKENNY CBS are the All-Ireland Colleges Junior hurling champions after victory over Midleton CBS in Dungarvan. However, the were made to fight all the way by the Cork school. In less-than-ideal conditions in the Fraher Field, the Kilkenny side raced into a 1-7 to 0-2 half-time lead, thanks to a very significant wind.

However, while Midleton fought back gamely in the second-half, they couldn’t find the goal they needed to bring themselves back into the contest and so it is Kilkenny CBS that will lift it’s first Niall McInerney Cup since 1981.