Eoin Brennan was at the Under 13 Academy B Shield Hurling Final to see Éire Óg beat Kilmaley 4-9 to 2-5

Éire Óg finished their Under 13 season on a high after securing the bragging rights over neighbours Kilmaley on away soil on Thursday evening.

With their flagship side edged out of an Under 13A Shield Final rematch with the same opponents, the Ennis side’s second string made the most of their final opportunity at silverware when leading from the fourth minute to the finish.

Playmaker Jamie Ryan proved an inspirational guiding light with eight timely points but it was the Townies late first half brace of goals in only four minutes that turned a narrow lead into an unassailable advantage by the break at 2-6 to 0-2.

Centre-back Liam Flynn and captain Jason Pyne were superb defensive anchors while midfielders Stephen O’Neill and Faruk Bashua alongside lively inside forward Luke Howard and impact sub Eric McMahon were also to the fore in a command Éire Óg performance.

Kilmaley weren’t short of leader either though, with Luke Warren, Eoin Connellan and Keenan Talty in particular excelling while Keelan O’Gorman, Joseph Doherty and substitute Liam Kelly admirably tried to keep their side in touch.

It did take time for both neighbours to get into their stride as there were only five scores in the first 20 minutes in contrast to a combined total of ten wides.

Éire Óg were thankful that the excellent Jamie Ryan’s radar was razor-sharp as four successive points and a goal opportunity that was saved by goalkeeper O’Gorman put the visitors 0-4 to 0-1 clear.

Facing into the conditions, Kilmaley would have been relatively satisfied with their position at that juncture but they would be floored by a double whammy of goals in quick succession.

The first in the 24th minute stemmed from a Ryan delivery that was doubled on by a superb first touch from substitute Eric McMahon that was somehow saved before the alert Luke Howard managed to scramble the rebound over the line.

Then just before the break came a second major, again from an excellent aerial flick, as Liam Flynn’s ’45 was guided towards the top left corner of the net by David Nihill on their way to a 2-6 to 0-2 interval cushion.

An expected Kilmaley backlash had to wait however as a momentum-fuelled Éire Óg held onto the whip hand in the third quarter. Targetman Eric McMahon had an early pull stopped on the line but following a further hat-trick of Jamie Ryan points, supersub McMahon would be rewarded with a 43rd minute goal after fielding a Ryan delivery and unleashing a bullet to the roof of the net at 3-9 to 0-3.

Credit Kilmaley though for not only keeping their heads up but actually rallying with a brace of goals of their own in a four minute spell entering the final quarter through Liam Kelly and Keenan Talty at 3-9 to 2-3.

While Kelly and Eoin Connellan tacked on late points for the home side, there would still be time for a Townie clincher as Oisin Fitzgerald teed up Faruk Bashua to fire low to the net.
With Éire Óg also managing to give game-time to all 26 of their squad, it seemed the perfect end to a rollercoaster ten game campaign.

Éire Óg: Conor O’Callaghan; Jason Pyne, Sean Conway; Jack Guthrie, Liam Flynn, Oisin Fitzgerald; Stephen O’Neill, Faruk Bashua; David Nihill, Jamie Ryan, Adam Jalloh; Luke Howard, Josh Cotter. Subs: Eric McMahon for Cotter (23), Eoin Keane for Fitzgerald (HT), Fitzgerald for Jalloh (44), Cotter for McMahon (44, inj), Fionn Faughey for Nihill (55), Jack Travers for Guthrie (58), Eric Ryan for Pyne (59), Tyler Jones for Howard (59), Tyler Murrihy for Bashua (60), Senan O’Dea for Conway (61), Stan Ulbrych for J. Ryan (62), Harry Daniels for Flynn (62), Tommy Ruane for Fitzgerald (62), Paddy Frawley for Cotter (62). Scorers: Jamie Ryan (0-8, 4f, 1’45); Luke Howard (1-1); David Nihill, Eric McMahon, Faruk Bashua (1-0 each)

Kilmaley: Keelan O’Gorman; Joseph Doherty, Cathal Finucane; Jamie Connellan, Luke Warren, Ciaran O’Neill; Joseph Neylon, Eoin Connellan; Brian Conway, Keenan Talty, Robert Johnston; Liam St John, Evan O’Loughlin. Subs: Adam Laffan for Doherty (HT), Liam Kelly for Johnston (HT), Johnston for St John (46), Paul Clancy for Laffan (48). Scorers: Keenan Talty (1f), Liam Kelly (1-1 each); Eoin Connellan (0-2); Luke Warren (0-1f)

Referee: Martin Leahy (Ruan)