Young Kildalkey hurlers make their own piece of history

Long drought is ended as title is secured

MARTIN CARR

All roads led to Kiltale on Saturday morning for the 2024 Meath Minor A Hurling championship final between two teams that know each other inside out - Kildalkey and Navan O'Mahonys.

These two teams have met on numerous occasions since an u-12 final in 2019 with never much between the teams.

O'Mahonys went in as strong favourites for this final though having beaten us in Round 1 by 1-17 to 1-9 and topped the group.

After that loss Kildalkey had to regroup and a draw against League champions Dunboyne in round two kept the dream alive and set up a must win game against Trim which they won by one point.

Further wins against Rathmolyon/Boardsmill and Ratoath meant they got their chance to play in a county A final, a first appearance since the early 2000s which incidentally they lost to O'Mahonys .

The club did win a minor A in the mid nineties when they amalgamated with Boardsmill.

But they haven’t won on their own since 1948 so this was a massive opportunity for them to create their own piece of history but knew they’d have to play to their maximum to take on and beat O'Mahonys.

The game was low scoring but what it lacked in scores it more than made up for in drama and effort as both sides went at it from the start.

Conor Barnwell from a free got the Village up and running but the town side settled and hit the next two including one from Dean Walsh and a free from Seb Snow

Edward Dunne repied after some great work by Eoghan Monaghan but O'Mahonys hit the next three frees to take the lead 0-5 to 0-2 after 16 minutes with Snow and Eoghan McDermott hitting them over.

However, that was to be their last score as the Kildalkey boys hunted in packs hooking blocking and harrying for their lives and held the Navan men scoreless for the remainder of the game as Barnwell got a point from play and then got on the end of a James Potterton cross for a vital goal. He also hit the next free to leave the score Kildalkey 1-4, O'Mahonys 0-5 at the half-time whistle .

Barnwell hit a huge free over for the village to stretch their lead and soon after the clouds gathered and the heavens opened for a torrential spill that left hurling hard for both teams as they battled the elements.

In a game where backs were on top and scores were seriously hard to come by these conditions didn’t help but Barnwell struck a 65 over the bat for a 1-6 to 0-5 lead as O'Mahonys laid siege on the Kildalkey goals.

However the hungry Kildalkey backs stood firm and cut out numerous attacks and made turnovers through sheer hard work and will to win.

Barnwell got another point from another free and with a few minutes left on the clock after been held for most of the match captain James Cully popped up as he has done so often over the years for a goal to seal the win for the Village.

A few minutes later referee Martin Dawson blew for full time and Kildalkey were champions to the delight of their huge support in what was a brilliant team performance as every player played their part in the win.

Fintan Porter made the presentation to the Kildalkey captain James Cully after the game for only the third time in the club’s history

What a day to remember for everyone involved.

Kildalkey team and scorers

1 C Monaghan

2 R Diggins

3 C Diggins

4 L Kenny

5 D Quinn

6 P Casey

7 M Carr

8 B Birmingham

9 E Dunne (0-1)

10 C Prior

11 C Barnwell (1-6)(5f)

12 E Monaghan

13 D Kealey

14 J Cully (1-0)

15 J Potterton

Subs

A Potterton for J Potterton

D Heavern

D Corrigan

C McMahon

R Mc Carthy

D Keogh