Southern Board Selection 1-16 Northern Board Selection 1-13
The Southerners began the second half as they did the first with a flurry of scores. In the third quarter they hit six unanswered points Ger Shelley(2) Paddy Kennedy, Nickey Kenny, Simon Burke and John Joe Farrell from a free also scored to once again go nine points clear and again they looked on their way to victory. Ruairi Hickey (free) and Cathal Kenny kept the North’s hopes alive with points before Stuart Waugh pointed a free for the South to leave them eight points clear. Then Northern substitute Martin Bambrick placed Cloneen’s Grame Lawlor for a goal and suddenly the game was back in the melting pot. That goal lifted the North and when Ruairi Hickey, Cathal Kenny & Niall Mackey added points for them the lead was down to three points 1-15 to 1-12. Nickey Kenny steadied the South with a point as excitement reached fever pitch. There was still more drama to come in the closing couple of minutes. The Northern side were a warded a close in free as the game entered time added on. Ruairi Hickey’s shot was hard and accurate but somehow the Southern defence managed to scramble it clear only to concede another free which Hickey pointed to leave just three points between the sides.
However time ran out on the Northern side and the South held on for a narrow but deserved win on a 1-16 to 1-13 score line.
In a top class team performance the South had stars in goalie Richie O Neill, Brian Murphy, Shane Bergin, Ger Shelley and John Jo Farrell. For the North Seoirse Kenny steadied the ship when moved to centre back Cathal Kenny, Niall Doherty and Ruairi Hickey also did well
Great credit is due to the Piltown club for their organisation of the game. Credit must also go to both teams and managements for an excellent contest fought out in the right spirit and with the junior championship revamped for the coming season there is plenty to look forward to.
South John Joe Farrell 1-1 (pt from free) Nickey Kenny 0-3 Philly Lonergan 0-3 (frees) Stuart Waugh 0-3 (3frees) Ger Shelley 0-2 Smon Burke 0-2 Dylan Waugh 0-1 Paddy Kennedy 0-1
North Ruairi Hickey 0-7 (5 frees) Graeme Lawlor 1-1 Cathal Kenny 0-2 Niall Mackey, Joe Brennan, Noel Doherty 0-1 each
South Panel Richie O Neill (Kilmacow) John Brophy (Piltown) Rob O Keeffe (Kimacow) David Power (Windgap) Brian Murphy (Thomastown) Philly Lonergan (Windgap) Luke Harney (Kilmacow) Dytlan Waugh (Thomastown) Shane Bergin (John Lockes) Simon Burke (John Lockes) Paddy Kennedy (John Lockes) Nicky Kenny (Piltown) Ger Shelley (John Lockes) Jonjo Farrell (Thomastown) Stuart Waugh (Thomastown Paul Morrissey(John Lockes) Jamie O Brien (Slieverue) James Norris (Piltown) Jamie Carroll (Carrigeen) Shane Gaule (Kilmacow) Adrian Rockett(Slieverue) Richard Mc Namara (Kilmacow) Cian Tyler (Slieverue) Darren Burke (Thomastown) Eugene O Neill(Carrigeen)
North Panel: Gary Delaney (Cloneen Kevin Mc Donald (Barrow Rangers) Geoff Morrissey (St Patricks) Darragh Wafer (Bennettsbridge) Niall Doherty (Galmoy) Martin Phelan (Lisdowney) James Gannon (St Patricks) Martin Phelan (Galmoy) Seoirse Kenny (St Patricks) Cathal Kenny (Barrow Rangers) Eddie Hickey (Lisdowney) Graeme Lawlor (Cloneen) Noel Dohery (Galmoy) Ruairi Hickey (Lisdowney)Dermot Maher (Barrow Rangers)Kieran Delaney (St Patricks) Joe Brennan (St Patricks) Michael Gannon (St Patricks) Pat Brennan (Cloneen) Maretin Bambrick (Barrow Rangers) Kevin Phillips (Cloneen) Jason Holden (Barrow Rangers) Patricks O Neill (Bennettsbridge) Niall Mackey (Lisdowney)
Referee Paddy Neary (James Stephens)
* A minutes silence was observed before the game in memory of a very popular and committed G.A.A. man Eamon Hennessey of the Kilkenny supporters club who died early in the week. Eamon served Kilkenny G.A.A. at many levels and was treasurer of the supporters club at the time of his death having held that position since 1996. Ar Dheis De go raibh a ainm.
A cracking game of junior hurling to get the season under way saw a Southern Board selection deservedly edge out their Northern counterparts in a competitive Jim Farrell Memorial Challenge Cup final played at well presented Piltown on Friday night. Ten years have elapsed since this competition was last played but on the evidence of Friday night’s match it is back to stay. This game was really won and lost in the opening quarter when the South side ran up a 1-6 to 0-1 lead their goal coming from J.J. Farrell in the 5th minute and they seemed set to cruise to a comfortable victory. However at this stage things went somewhat awry for the Southerners. Firstly they lost influential Kilmacow minor star Luke Harney with an eye injury. Then the Northern selectors switched Seoirse Kenny who started at centr1e forward to centre back. The switching of Kenny proved to be a master stroke and suddenly the game began to turn the way of the Northern side. By the half time break the deficit was reduced to a more manageable four points South 1-8 North 0-7.
By Mary Morgan Wed 30th Mar
