Raheen Parish Gaels topple The Town to claim U-20 ‘B’ hurling honours

Raheen Parish Gaels, a combination of Colt-Shanahoe, Clonad and Trumera, are the 2021 U-20 ‘B’ hurling champions, as they recorded a comfortable victory over Portlaoise in the final in Ratheniska. The winners actually endured far more difficult games in the lead up to the final, surviving an extra-time bout with Ballinakill/Ballypickas in the semi-finals, but they had no such problems in their win here.

Raheen Parish Gaels 2-9

Portlaoise 1-4

LAOIS U20 'B' HURLING FINAL

 Portlaoise opened the scoring in Ratheniska through their midfielder Eddie Critchley, but Raheen Parish Gaels quickly responded to gain the initiative. Adam Kirwin levelled the scores from the next puck-out, before Stradbally footballer Conor Goode put Raheen Parish Gaels ahead with a fine score.

Paddy Hosey, who is known as a big goal-threat at corner-forward, added another point for Raheen Parish Gaels from an acute angle. Raheen Parish Gaels then had the first goal sight of the game. Mossy O’Connor, the other corner-forward on the Raheen Parish Gaels team, fired at goal but it was straight at Kevin Swayne and he batted away easily.

Portlaoise had plenty of possession in the opening period but we’re struggling to convert their chances. They grabbed only their second point of the match just before the first water break was whistled for, with Ben Brennan firing over from close-range after nice passing from teammates Eddie Critchley and DJ White.

Raheen Parish Gaels were on top in the second quarter, but they also were let down by some inaccurate shooting at the beginning of the second quarter. However, Portlaoise were struggling to get out of their own half, and Adam Kirwin did manage to add on a few frees to stretch their lead towards the end of the half.

PICTURE SPECIAL: Guts and Glory as Clough Ballacolla make history to qualify for Leinster final

Kirwan converted a lovely long-range effort, as well as one from out near the sideline, as Raheen Parish Gaels went into half-time with a 0-7 to 0-2 advantage. Raheen Parish Gaels’ defence was extremely solid and Portlaoise had a lot of work to do in order to come back into this one.

The first goal of the game came right at the start of the second half, and it went Raheen Parish Gaels’ way. Centre-forward Dylan Cuddy ran at the Portlaoise defence, and his shot deflected off Colin McEvoy’s hurl and into the bottom corner of the net.

To be fair to Portlaoise, they refused to throw in the towel and replied with two points in a row. DJ White placed over a free, before Sam Birrane charged at the Raheen Parish Gaels defence and got his reward with a super score.

However, Paddy Hosey replied for Raheen Parish Gaels, and then his team grabbed their second goal to put real daylight between the teams. 

Again, there was an element of luck involved, but that’s to take nothing away from a lovely struck Finnian Cuddy sideline cut. Cuddy’s sideline cut went towards the goals, with Paddy Hosey and Portlaoise keeper Kevin Swayne going up to try and claim it, but both missed the sliotar and it went into the back of the net.

Raheen Parish Gaels looked like they were going to cruise to the finish in the final quarter, but Portlaoise gave themselves a lifeline with a goal. DJ White’s shot came off the crossbar, but Ben Brennan was there to tap in the rebound and leave seven between the sides.

Finnian Cuddy showed his brilliance from the sideline once more for Raheen Parish Gaels, as he curled over a beauty, and that would be the last score of the contest as the Gaels outfit ran out eight point victors.

RAHEEN PARISH GAELS

 Scorers: Adam Kirwin 0-4 (0-3 frees), Paddy Hosey 0-2, Dylan Cuddy 1-1, Conor Goode 0-1, Finnian Cuddy 1-1 sideline cuts

Team: Matthew Goode; Jack Ahern, Gearóid O’Neill, Joshua Hickey; James Whelan, Fionn Holland, Bryan Bredin; David O’Brien, Conor Goode; Adam Kirwin, Dylan Cuddy, Frankie McEvoy; Paddy Hosey, Finnian Cuddy, Mossy O’Connor. Sub:  Alex O’Mahoney for O’Connor (56 mins)

PORTLAOISE

 Scorers: Ben Brennan 1-1, Eddie Critchley 0-1,  DJ White 0-1 free, Sam Birrane 0-1

 Team: Kevin Swayne; Sean Luke Taylor, Colin McEvoy, Ben Dempsey; Dylan Cahill, Barry Fitzpatrick, Jamie Keenan; Niall Carey, Eddie Critchley; Conor Brown, Ben Brennan, James Conroy; Sam Birrane, Liam Óg Brennan, DJ White. Subs: John Óg Hannify for Swayne (40 mins, inj), Sean O’Sullivan for Keenan (43 mins)

 REFEREE: Noel Twomey