Limerick's Kildimo-Pallaskenry celebrate All-Ireland club Junior 'B' hurling final success

“THIS HAS been about a whole parish putting it in for years to make a day like today possible,” was how manager Brendan O'Shea summed up Kildimo-Pallaskenry becoming only the sixth Limerick team to win an All-Ireland club hurling championship title after they defeated Cappawhite 2-13 to 0-10 in Saturday's junior 'B' series final in Raheenagh.

In a repeat of the Munster final played three weeks earlier, goals right at the start of the first half and the second by county senior footballer Cathal Downes gave winners Kildimo-Pallaskenry instant momentum and left it up to their opponents to try and haul themselves back into contention.

That the Tipperary champions never quite managed to do so was testament to a sticky defence robbing them of the opportunity to make any sustained response as well as to Kildimo-Pallaskenry's ability to step quickly on the gas whenever their lead was threatened.

Although both sides relied heavily on the free-taking of Aaron O'Donovan at one end and Anthony Barry at the other to keep the scoreboard ticking over, Limerick champions Kildimo-Pallskenry could find that bit extra from from Downes' eye for the goal and their goalie John Chawke not only stopping a penalty but also Cappawhite's other genuine chance of raising a green flag.

Kidimo-Pallaskenry got down to business immediately with an O'Donovan pointed free straight from the throw-in and then followed up as Gary Sheehan collected a pass from the resulting puck-out to feed Cathal Downes who rattled to the net.

Although Barry opened the Cappawhite account with his point on the run, skipper Rodger Ryan was followed by another O'Donovan pointed free putting the Limerick side five points ahead with just six minutes up on the clock.

The Tipp representatives then found their composure at the back and replied with a point from Ciarán Doody.

However, Cappawhite failed to make the best out of increased possession and a run of wides left the score unchanged going into the second quarter.

The Tipp side's problems with their finishing was doubly punished when Downes struck for a point on the run at the other end.

Although Barry replied with a point off a free and with another in exchange with O'Donovan, the Kildimo-Pallaskenry side lifted the tempo again coming up to the break when they drew a foul for O'Donovanto punish before Conor McMahon stretched their lead to six points at half-time 1-7 to 0-4.

Flying out of the dressing-room as focused as they had at the start, Ryan struck on the turn in their opening attack.

When action switched to the other end straight from the puckout, Doody was fouled in the square while bearing down on the goals. However, a spectacular John Chawke save low to his right off Barry's penalty denied Cappawhite of the chance of eating seriously into the margin.

The West Tipp side were then doubly punished then when Sheehan forced the turnover off a clearance to feed Downes for his second goal.

It was only after O'Donovan followed up with his one score from play that the Premier champions found their stride but, after hitting back twice through Barry frees, their momentum stalled through a combination of an O'Donovan free and Chawke's fine save to stop a Neil Clancy drive on his line.

After another exchange of pointed frees between Barry and O'Donovan going into he final quarter, Munster champions Kildimo-Pallaskenry settled back to preserve their advantage.

Despite Eoghan Ryan's point from play followed in quick succession by another two points from Barry frees, Cappawhite failed to draw any closer before O'Donovan, with a huge free, and Downes rounded off the scoring on an historic day for the Estuary club.

SCORERS: KILDIMO-PALLASKENRY: Aaron O'Donovan 0-8 (7 frees), Cathal Downes 2-2, Rodger Ryan 0-2, Conor McMahon 0-1; CAPPAWHITE: Anthony Barry 0-8 (7 frees), Ciarán Doody, Eoghan Ryan 0-1 each.

KILDIMO-PALLASKENRY: John Chawke; Séamus Stokes, Evan Considine, Ciarán Downes; Callum Callaghan, Kevin O'Connell, Gary Sheehan; Marc O'Shea, Luke Guinane; Keel Moloney, Cathal Downes, Conor McMahon; Rodger Ryan, Dylan Corrigan, Aaron O'Donovan. SUBS: Kieran O'Brien for Luke Guinane (47 mins), Matthew Lucey for Keel Moloney (50 mins), Naoise McGarrigle for Dylan Corrigan (53 mins), Adam Butler, for Aaron O'Donovan (59 mins).

CAPPAWHITE: Darragh Barry; Cathal McCarthy, Ben White, Ross Dunne; Fionn Brady, Ciarán Ryan, Cian O'Carroll; Paddy Julian, Neil Clancy; Michael O'Neill, Ciarán Doody, Eoghan Ryan; Pakie Barry, Anthony Barry, Tommy Coughlan. SUBS: Thomas Costello for Tommy Coughlan (half-time), Ger Ryan P for Michael O'Neill (33 mins), Seán Cleary for Pakie Barry (57 mins).

REFEREE: Ciarán Murphy (Cork).