Kilkenny claimed their first Bord na Móna Walsh Cup title since 2009; GMIT became the second college side to take Kehoe Cup honours, while Fingal claimed their first success in any competition thanks to their Kehoe Shield triumph.
Bord na Móna Walsh Cup Final
At Pearse Stadium, Galway; visitors Kilkenny made their long trip worthwhile to take Walsh Cup honours thanks to a 2-20 to 1-14 win. Joe Canning scored nine points for Anthony Cunningham’s side, but it wasn’t enough as Kilkenny took control in Brian Cody’s first game in charge of the Cats in 2012, with Richie Power top-scoring with 11 points. An experienced Kilkenny side led for the majority of this contest, with an early goal from Richie Hogan setting the tone. Excellent points from Hogan and Power placed Kilkenny into a 1-11 to 0-6 lead after 25 minutes, before James Regan brought his personal tally to 1-1 with a well struck goal. However, Kilkenny responded with the final two points of the half to take a 1-13 to 1-7 interval lead. Galway outscored Kilkenny by four points to two inside 12 minutes of the restart with two points each from Canning and Conor Cooney. However, Galway failed to get their second goal, with Tommy Walsh blocking a 47th minute Canning goal shot. 11 minutes later and Kilkenny had rattled the Tribesmen net for the second time through Eoin Larkin, and from then on the Cats held out to the finish.
Bord na Móna Kehoe Cup Final
Kehoe Cup honours went West as Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology claimed rare silverware thanks to a 2-18 to 1-13 win over St Patricks College Drumcondra at Na Fianna GAA Club in Glasnevin. GMIT led by 2-10 to 0-8 at half-time, with Padraig Pearses, Galway clubman Jimmy Gelston (1-9) and James Liddy of Clare netting the goals. Kilkenny’s Tom Breen claimed St Pat’s lone goal in the second half, but GMIT always held that extra edge with seven different players on target. After the game Limerick’s Wayne McNamara received silverware on behalf of a jubilant GMIT side.
Bord na Móna Kehoe Shield Final
Also in North Dublin, Fingal claimed Kehoe Shield honours at Fingallians, Swords thanks to a 4-11 to 1-14 win over Armagh – a first ever title win in any competition for Willie Burke’s charges.Fingal led by 2-7 to 0-5 at half-time, and although Armagh mounted a comeback on the restart, Willie Burke’s side held out for victory. John Michael Sheridan bagged two goals for the eventual winners, with Peter Daly and Eoin Power claiming Fingal’s other goals. Captain Alan Morris became the first Fingal player to lift the Shield after the game.
Bord na Móna O’Byrne Cup Final
The final action of the Bord na Móna Leinster GAA Series takes place this Friday night as O’Moore Park, Portlaoise plays host to what is expected to be a keenly contested encounter – County versus College as Kildare face DCU at 7.30pm.
The decider was postponed a few weeks ago owing to a waterlogged pitch at St Conleth’s Park, Newbridge, but both teams have been busy in competitive action in recent weeks.
Kildare’s focus has been in Division 2 of the Allianz League, where they have yet to register a win, following defeat to Tyrone in the opening round at Croke Park (2-11 to 0-12), and also a loss to Mónaghan (0-17 to 0-12) in Clones on Sunday last.
Kieran McGeeney’s side will be eager to get back to winning ways, and no better platform that trying to retain the O’Byrne Cup.
DCU have also been busy of late, with the Higher Education Sigerson Cup Championship firmly underway.
The North Dublin University side have accounted for Cork Institute of Technology in recent weeks by 0-11 to 0-8 and face a home quarter-final tie this Wednesday when they take on Dublin Institute of Technology.
The TG4 cameras will be in O’Moore Park on Friday night with extended highlights on GAA 2012 next Monday February 20th at 8.30pm.
Bord na Móna Leinster GAA Series Briefs
O’Byrne Cup/Shield Competitions
O’Byrne Cup/Shield (Overall)
* Highest Winning Margin: 14 points (Dublin 4-14 UCD 0-12 – Cup Qtr-Final)
* Lowest Winning Margin: 1 point (DCU 0-18 Wicklow 1-14, Longford 0-13 Athlone IT 1-9 – Cup 1st round; Wexford 1-15 Wicklow 0-17 (AET) – Shield semi-final)
* Highest Aggregate Score: 38 points (Dublin 4-14 UCD 0-12 – Cup Qtr-Final)
* Lowest Aggregate Score: 16 points (Meath 0-11 Louth 0-5 – Cup Qtr-Final)
* Average Score: 26.88 points per gameO’Byrne Cup/Shield
*Top Scorers (Overall)
Dean Rock (DCU) 0-15
Tomas Quinn (Dublin) 0-15
Colm Kelly (Laois) 0-12
Sean McCormack (Longford) 0-12
Ronan Sweeney (Kildare) 2-6
Alan Freeman (DIT) 0-11
Graham Reilly (Meath) 0-11
Donal Kingston (UCD) 0-10
Seanie Furlong (Wicklow) 0-10
David Conway (Laois) 0-10
Jack Brady (DCU) 1-7
Walsh Cup/Shield/Kehoe Cup/Shield Hurling Competitions
Walsh Cup/Shield (Overall)
* Highest Winning Margin: 32 points (Galway 6-25 UCD 1-8)
* Lowest Winning Margin: 1 point (NUI Galway 1-11 Wexford 0-13; Kilkenny 0-13 NUI Galway 0-12)
* Highest Aggregate Score: 54 points (Galway 6-25 UCD 1-8)
* Lowest Aggregate Score: 25 points (Kilkenny 0-13 NUI Galway 0-12)
Walsh Cup/Shield
*Top Scorers
Joe Canning (Galway) 2-25 (31)
Joe Bergin (Offaly) 1-24 (27)
Brendan Murtagh (Westmeath) 3-16 (25)
John Power (Kilkenny) 1-17 (20)
Willie Hyland (Laois) 0-18 (18)
Conor Cooney (Galway) 2-11 (17)
Kehoe Cup/Shield (Overall)
* Highest Winning Margin: 15 points (GMIT 2-17 Roscommon 0-8)
* Lowest Winning Margin: 1 point (GMIT 1-17 Kildare 1-16 AET)
* Highest Aggregate Score: 50 points (St Patrick’s Drumcondra 5-16 Meath 1-16)
* Lowest Aggregate Score: 26 points (Fingal 1-12 Louth 1-8)
COMING NEXT: Next Friday, Bord na Móna O’Byrne Cup Final: Kildare v DCU, O’Moore Park, Portlaoise, 7.30pm.
Bord na Móna Leinster GAA Series 2012
FOOTBALL
Bord na Móna O’Byrne Cup
January 8: First Round: Meath 1-13 Wexford 1-10; Louth W/O Kilkenny SCR; DCU Wicklow; Longford AIT; Kildare 2-11 DIT 0-9; Offaly 3-6 Westmeath 0-7; Dublin 0-17 Carlow 0-10; UCD 0-15 Laois 0-11
January 14: Quarter-Final: Dublin 4-14 UCD 0-12
January 15: Quarter-Finals: Meath 0-11 Louth 0-5; DCU 2-11 Longford 0-12; Kildare 0-17 Offaly 0-4
January 21: Semi-final: DCU 2-8 Meath 0-6
January 22: Semi-Final: Kildare 1-11 Dublin 0-8
February 17: Final: Kildare v DCU, 7,30pm O’Moore Park, Portlaoise
Bord na Móna O’Byrne Shield
January 15: Quarter-Finals: Wicklow 2-16 Athlone IT 1-10; DIT 0-16 Westmeath 0-13; Laois 1-14 Carlow 1-7
January 22: Semi-finals: Wexford 1-15 Wicklow 0-17 (AET); Laois 0-15 DIT 0-7
January 29: Final: Laois 1-15 Wexford 1-6
HURLING
Bord na Móna Walsh Cup
January 20: First Round: UCD 2-13 Carlow 0-11
January 21: First Round: Laois 3-13 DIT 2-14 (AET); NUI Galway 1-11 Wexford 0-13
January 22: Quarter-Final: Westmeath 2-13 Offaly 0-12
January 29: Quarter-Finals: Galway 6-25 UCD 1-8; Kilkenny 0-13 NUI Galway 0-12; Laois 2-14 Dublin 1-14
February 5: Semi-Finals: Galway 2-19 Laois 0-11; Kilkenny 1-23 Westmeath 1-16
February 12: Final: Kilkenny 2-20 Galway 1-14
Bord na Móna Walsh Shield
January 29: Semi-Finals: DIT 1-15 Carlow 0-15; Offaly 2-18 Wexford 1-15
February 5: Final: Offaly 0-22 DIT 1-14 (AET)
Bord na Móna Kehoe Cup
January 21: First Round: GMIT 2-17 Roscommon 0-8
January 22: First Round: St Patrick’s Drumcondra 2-14 Louth 0-10; DCU 2-22 Fingal 2-10; Trinity College 2-17 Armagh 3-8
January 28: Quarter-Final GMIT 1-16 Kildare 1-15 (AET)
January 29: Quarter-Finals: St Pat’s Drumcondra 3-11 Wicklow 2-9; Trinity College 2-15 Down 0-14; Meath 1-17 DCU 1-9
February 3: Semi-Final: GMIT 2-21 Trinity College 2-19 (AET)
February 5: Semi-Final: St Pats, Drumcondra 5-16 Meath 1-16
February 12: Final: GMIT 2-18 St Patrick’s Drumcondra 1-13
Bord na Móna Kehoe Shield
January 29: Semi-Final: Fingal 1-12 Louth 1-8
February 5: Semi-Final: Armagh 4-9 Roscommon 3-6
February 12: Final: Fingal 4-11 Armagh 1-14