Ballygunner and Fourmilewater crowned champions

Under 21 A Final

Ballygunner 1-13 St Carthages 0-15

The Gunners won their fourth under 21 title on the trot as Pauric Mahony popped up with the winning goal in the third minute of injury time. St Carthages raced into a 0-8 to 0-3 lead after the first quarter with six different players on target. Ballygunner fought back and four Pauric Mahony points closed the gap to two by the interval (0-9 to 0-7). The Eastern champions dominated the third quarter and outscored their opponents by five points to two in that period to leave them 0-12 to 0-10 ahead. In a free ridden second half it became a battle between Mahony and Stephen Bennett. Carthages regained the lead through Bennett’s accuracy and Brian Bennett put them two points clear with five minutes to go. Ray Barry’s switch to centre back reaped rewards for the Westerners as Ballygunner struggled for scores. Another Mahony free bridged a 21 minute wait for a score and brought the defecit down to the minimum. Kieran Bennett restored that two point lead for Carthages and with Barry driving out of defence time after time, the win looked secure. Ballygunner piled on the pressure however in the closing stages and their persistence paid off when Mahony got a touch to Billy O’Keeffe’s crossfield ball with the last puck of the game to claim the spoils.

Scorers:- Ballygunner: P. Mahony 1-11 (10f), C. Power, J. McCarthy 0-1 each.
St Carthages: S. Bennett 0-7 (5f, 1 65’), K. Bennett, R. Barry 0-2 each, J. Shanahan, P. Coleman, B. Bennett, J. Prendergast 0-1 each.

Under 21 B Final

Fourmilewater 2-16 Passage 3-11

A Jamie Barron inspired Fourmilewater edged an exciting curtain raiser in sticky conditions at Fraher Field. Four points from Barron and one courtesy of Shane Ryan put them five points up within nine minutes. John Whitty’s goal in the tenth minute kick started Passage however and they hit the front when Thomas Whitty lobbed the sliotar over the back pedalling Fourmile' goalkeeper and into the net from 70 metres out. Barron steadied the ship for Fourmile with a goal just before half time to leave them 1-8 to 2-4 ahead at the break. The sides were level on three occasions in an absorbing second period. Jamie Barron and Seamus Barry traded frees but Kenneth Brazil pounced for a crucial Fourmile’ goal with seven minutes to go. They surged five points clear but Richard Hurley buried an injury time goal to set up a tense finale. Barron wrapped up the win with a late free which brought his tally to 1-13.

Scorers:- Fourmilewater: J. Barron 1-13 (1-9f, 1 65’), K. Brazil 1-0, D. Murphy 0-2, S. Ryan 0-1.
Passage: S. Barry 0-8 (7f), J. Whitty 1-1, R. Hurley, T. Whitty 1-0 each, L. Flynn, J. Cunningham 0-1 each.