St. Martins 1-23 (26); Erins Own 3-12 (21).
John Power at UPMC Nowlan Park
“Theres only one Keano” has been a football chant in support of Roy and Robbie Keane in the last few decades and last Friday evening at UPMC Nowlan Park another Keane, namely Michael, was a similar hero for St Martins!
The second half substitute recorded 1-6 as he led the Muckalee/Ballyfoyle Rangers men to a fourth Junior grade title in recent years. St Martins had won Junior A (2007), B (2009 and 2022), E (2020) and now C is also ticked off, after their latest triumph.
St Martins deserved their victory in a contest where the sides were level several times before Martins struck for home in the final quarter. Everything that Michael Keane done for St Martins was equalled by Michael Murphy of Erins Own. After twenty years of service for the ‘Comer men, he was still their main man, Michael contributed 2-7, 2-1 from play, and done all in his power to lead his team to victory.
Another blast from the past about this Junior C Final was John Mulhall. Back in 2011, then Kilkenny manager Brian Cody declared, to much amusement in the crowd, at that year’s Kilkenny All Ireland winning homecoming, ‘you’ve probably just witnessed a performance by a fella who is probably going to have the shortest inter-county career of all-time” after a controversial song created regarding the 2011 Senior Hurling Final victory over Tipperary. Fifteen years later, the man with a single All Ireland Senior medal, was also a super sub, scoring 0-3 and leading by example, for his club, at Kilkenny GAA headquarters.
This was the first of six Junior A-F finals grades at Kilkenny GAA headquarters, grades where hurlers both start and finish their club careers.
Two first half goals kept Comer in touch in this final. The first by Michael Murphy ten minutes after finishing from a long puck out and second by Luke Connerry following a fine team move. Otherwise, St Martins were in control. With a first half five-point unanswered sequence from two Geoff Dooley frees, two John Mulhall points and a Jamie Morrissey score marking their dominance. At the interval St Martins just led by a point 0-13 to 2-6.
John Mulhall (SM) and Michael Murphy exchanged points at the start of the new half. Ditto Michael Keane (SM) and Murphy.
Luke Connery (EO); levelled matters at 2-9 to 0-15. Keane and Murphy exchanged frees, and then the start of the St Martins takeover. Three unanswered points from Jamie Morrissey, a Keane free and Morrissey again.
A Michael Murphy Erins Own free broke the sequence, but then a decisive St Martins goal. A long ball goalwards confused the Comer keeper and full back line. Michael Keane pounced, 1-19 to 2-11 ahead and St Martins heading for victory, four points ahead, 1-19 to 2-11. Michael Murphy did get a Comer goal before games end, but St Martins were worthy champions.
SCORERS
ST MARTINS: Michael Keane (1-6, 0-3 frees), Cormac Quirke (0-3), John Mulhall (0-3), Jamie Morrissey (0-3), Ollie Walsh (0-2), Geoff Dooley (0-2 frees), Patrick Coughlan, Aaron Farrell, Michael Ruane, Brian Byrne, (0-1 each).
ERINS OWN: Michael Murphy (2-7, 0-6 frees), Luke Connery (1-1), Jake Conway (0-2), Robert Coogan, Stephen Daly (0-1 each).
TEAMS
ST MARTINS
Niall Shore, Tadhg Gill, Paddy Nolan (captain), Matthew Shortall, Brian Byrne, Michael Ruane, Jack Farrell, Jamie Morrissey, Aaron Farrell, Patrick Coughlan, Ross Dowling, Cormac Quirke, Adam Morrissey, Ollie Walsh, Geoff Dooley. Substitutes: Michael Keane for Ross Dowling, Padraig Buggy for Geoff Dooley, Bill Dowling for Jack Farrell, Tom Shore for Jamie Morrissey., Tom Shore for Jamie Morrissey
ERINS OWN
Sam Coogan, Martin Walsh, Bobby Brennan, Mark Kennedy, Alec Kerr, James Mullins, Evan Harding, Shane Rice, Kevin Holland, Cathal Dunny, Michael Murphy, Robert Coogan, Jake Conway, Stephen Daly (captain), Luke Connery, Substitutes: Tristan Daly for James Mullins, Jack Buggy for Stephen Daly, Jack Coogan for Robert Coogan
Referee: Peter Burke.
