Gortnahoe Glengoole claim yet another Mid title with U21B final win over Loughmore

Horse and Jockey Kia Mid U21B Hurling Championship Final

Gortnahoe Glengoole 3-20

Loughmore Castleiney 4-13

Gortnahoe Glengoole continued their recent prolific form in mid-final at underage and adult level as they dispatched a gallant Loughmore Castleiney team in the U21B Mid Hurling Championship Final in Holycross on Sunday afternoon.

Having claimed honours at U19 and U15 level already this year, Gortnahoe were strong favourites going into this game and they justified that tag with a terrific performance and, despite a late and valiant Loughmore come back late on where they scored three goals in the final ten or so minutes, it was a deserved victory for the men in red on the day.

Darragh Maher was the star of the show for a Gortnahoe team which, as a whole, played very well and already a key player for the Premier Intermediate team in the club, Maher really stepped up to the leadership role on the day and couldn’t be curtailed by Loughmore throughout.

Gortnahoe started the game strongly and had built up a comfortable lead of 3-9 to 1-7 at half-time as Loughmore were struggling to contain their opposing forwards with the three goals coming from Darragh Maher, Kevin Laffan, and long-range free from Robbie Gleeson in goals.

The early throes of the second half were dominated by the Gortnahoe Glengoole men and inside eight minutes they had extended their lead to 3-14 to 1-7 after two points from the impressive Kevin Laffan as well as further efforts from Darragh Maher, Damien Corbett, and Oisin Cleary.

Loughmore were at sixes and sevens now and the impression on the sideline was that the game was gone by this early stage of the second half and it continued in that vein as Gort’ were on top all over the pitch with Corbett, Cleary, and Maher filling their boots as the clock edged past the three-quarter mark, with Loughmore having only two converted frees to show for their efforts in that time.

Now holding a significant and seemingly unassailable lead, Gortnahoe took their foot off the gas slightly, and with Loughmore making a few positional switches to try and regain some pride, they found some headway in the final ten minutes with three goals coming between the 54th and 60th minutes as Michael Ryan, Ed Meagher, and Colm Gleeson all hit the back of Robbie Gleeson’s net to restore an acceptable looking scoreline for Loughmore Castleiney come the final whistle.

Unfortunately for Loughmore though, consolations is all they were as Gortnahoe ran out easy winners in the end with their big players in Darragh Maher, Colm Gleeson, Oisin Cleary, and Kevin Laffan all in top form, and they will feel that they have the quality to have a real cut at county honours by the year’s end.

Gortnahoe Glengoole: Robbie Gleeson (1-0f); Brandon Ryan Webster, Charlie Tobin, Cormac Moloney; Adam Butler, Conor Gleeson, David Lanigan; Liam Hayes (0-2), Bobby Doheny; Paddy Norton, Darragh Maher (1-6), Oisin Cleary (0-4); Luke Kavanagh, Damien Corbett (0-5, 0-3f), Kevin Laffan (1-3).

Subs used: Cian Barnaville; John Lanigan; CJ Lawlor.

Loughmore Castleiney: Darragh Kelly; Jay Shorley, Darragh McCahey, Michael Connolly; Michael Ryan (1-1), Ed Meagher (1-1), Podge Treacy; Bill Ryan, Eoin O’Connell; Ed Connolly (0-4), Tomas Larkin, Ciaran McCormack (0-6, 0-3f); Joey Quinn (1-0), Paul McCahey, Philip O’Connell (0-1).

Subs used: Paul Cormack; Colm Gleeson (1-0).

Referee: Michael Heffernan (Moycarkey Borris)