A masterful scoring display in front of goal from Billy Drennan saw Kilkenny crowned All – Ireland U20 Hurling Champions for 2022 in Semple Stadium this afternoon.
After an unusually quiet first half Drennan began to motor as the game progressed ending the day with an impressive eight points over the afternoon.
In what was a hugely entertaining final the sides couldn’t be separated in the opening half with Kilkenny leading by the narrowest of margins at the break.
Kilkenny goalkeeper Aidan Tallis had played a starring role for his club Lisdowney last year with 3-4 in a relegation play – off and his point was the difference at half time.
Kilkenny came closest to raising the green flag with both Ian Byrne and Cian Scully seeing goal bound shots tipped away by Hanley – Clarke in the Limerick goal.
Incredibly the sides were level fourteen times throughout the game with a real ding dong battle playing out in front of the crowd.
Aidan O’Connor stood out for Limerick all afternoon but his three points from play and ten points overall just wasn’t enough as Kilkenny held on to claim victory by a single point and the highly coveted title of All-Ireland Champions.
Limerick got off to a flyer with Adam English pointing the first score of the game inside the opening twenty seconds.
Both sides brought a real intensity and zip to the game early on with Clifford and O’Donovan helping themselves to two points apiece in the opening ten minutes.
On the twenty minute mark Paddy Langton scored a unique point as his long range effort was batted back into play by Hanley – Clarke in the Limerick goal but the new smart sliothar was deemed to have just edged between the posts before it was tipped back into play to leave the sides level on seven points apiece.
In a low scoring first half both defences were on top limiting their markers to long range efforts up to the half hour mark. On the stroke of half time Kilkenny asked the first real question of Hanley – Clarke in the Limerick goal working hard to keep the ball in play before rounding O’Leary and unleashing an effort low towards goal.
Hanley – Clarke to his credit stood tall and never budged on the line watching the ball all the way before pulling off a fine save to deny the Kilkenny forward the first green flag of the day.
Kilkenny goalkeeper Aidan Tallis, who had been quiet all half, struck over the last score of the half to edge the Cats in front at the break.
Limerick were managing to find space where they struggled in the first half hour. Kilkenny were suffocating themselves with their half clearances and Aidan O’Connor didn’t need to be asked twice in capitalising. He took his tally to five for the day with a huge free just inside the Kilkenny half on thirty seven minutes.
Kilkenny had two huge goal chances on forty minutes with Ian Byrne and Billy Drennan both forcing two full stretch saves from Hanley – Clarke in a matter of moments. An important few minutes for Limerick to keep their goal intact.
After an unusually subdued opening half Drennan came alive in the second half plugging away and floated over his fifth point from play with confidence as the game entered the last ten minutes.
Aidan O’Connor was determined to match anything Drennan did in front of goal with his own display of scoring and took his tally to eight points as Limerick looked to make sure they kept with Kilkenny as they trailed by two with minutes remaining.
They managed to get back within one and with the last puck of the game Colin Coughlan had the chance to send the game to extra time but his effort drifted to the left and that was that.
Kilkenny: Aidan Tallis (0-1, 1f); Niall Rowe, Sean Purcell, Padraig Lennon; Joe Fitzpatrick, Padraic Moylan, Paddy Langton (0-1); Killian Doyle, Andy Hickey (0-1); Denis Walsh (0-3), Timmy Clifford (0-3), Peter McDonald; Billy Drennan (0-8, 3f), Gearoid Dunne (0-1), Ian Byrne (0-1)
Subs: James Walsh for Andy Hickey [43], Eoghan O’Brien for Joe Fitzpatrick [49], Jack Doyle for Gearoid Dunne [58]
Limerick: Conor Hanley – Clarke; Chris Thomas, Fergal O’Connor, Evan O’Leary; Cian Scully, Ethan Hurley, Colin Coughlan (0-1); Jimmy Quilty, John Kirby; Adam English (0-2), Aidan O’Connor (0-10, 7f), Eddie Stokes (0-1); Shane O’Brien (0-1), Patrick Kirby (0-1), Patrick O’Donovan (0-2)
Subs: Donnacha O’Dalaigh for Patrick O’Donovan [50], Patrick Reale for Evan O’Leary [55], Joe Sweeney for Cian Scully [58]
Referee: Thomas Walsh
