Castletown end 28-year wait for Junior hurling crown

Laois Shopping Centre Junior ‘A’ Hurling Championship Final

Castletown 3-12 

Park/Ratheniska-Timahoe 2-12 

THE Laois Shopping Centre JHC 'A' title will be making its way to Castletown for the first time since 1998 after they overcame Park/Ratheniska-Timahoe by a goal in Laois Hire O'Moore Park on Friday evening.

Both sides came into this game with 100% records in this year's championship, a close game was expected and a close game certainly delivered with no inch given or taken by either side on a torrid evening for hurling in Portlaoise.

PRT started out the game extremely well and took a six point lead within fifteen minutes as Castletown's shooting let them down in that period but they battled back strongly to make things level by half time.

Castletown have been a second half team all year and the belief in themselves was clear to see coming out after the break as they raced ahead and forced PRT into the chase when it mattered most.

The conditions were tough and the hurling was arguably tougher down the final stretch as players on both sides battled tooth and nail for every ball and over every call, but ultimately it was Matthew Peters' goal midway through the second half that was the difference between the teams.

PRT made a bright start to the game by getting the opening three scores by the fourth minute with Matt Cunningham starting with a free and adding one from play after a brilliant effort by Aaron Fitzpatrick.

A good score from Jamie Conroy got Castletown off the mark and Dan Whelan thought he added a second by the umpires flag before referee Colin Bailey overruled and judged it to be wide.

PRT struck from the next play with Tom Fingleton on target before O'Connor replied with a monstrous free from midfield on the sideline, though Cunningham hit back with one at the other end.

The wides were starting to rack up for Castletown with five wayward attempts by the midway stage, though O'Connor remained on form with another effort from close range.

Jack McKelvey made a couple of excellent saves for Castletown in the first half but he couldn't do much about Aaron Fitzpatrick's strike in the 15th minute off the ground on a rebound after a mazy run up the middle of the field, which was followed by a good score from Conor Fitzpatrick.

The goal appeared to ignite Castletown into life more than invigorate PRT to drive it on as O'Connor fired back with a brace of frees coming off good attacking play by his fellow forwards.

Cunningham did strike one back in the 20th minute, but it would be PRT's last of the half as The Village began to takeover proceedings up until the break.

They raised a green flag of their own when Dan Whelan did extremely well to win possession high up the field and fend off several backs before finding Conor Doran in space who hit a rocket into the bottom corner.

Whelan followed with a point of his own in the aftermath to put one between them and Castletown continued to press down the stretch with Aaron Gaughan scoring a wonderful equaliser from the left win under serious pressure to make it 1-7 apiece at half time.

Cunningham again opened the scoring in the second half with a free aided by the breeze and it turned into somewhat of a war of attrition in the early stages before it opened up when Castletown captain Matthew Peters paraded down the left wing and found Aaron Phelan who laid a pass inside for Doran to bat home close range.

Castletown again missed a couple of chances early in the half and PRT capitalised with two good frees from Cunningham and a fine effort from David McEvoy out on the right wing, but a Gaughan free kept the sides level.

O'Connor landed his first from play for Castletown before they got in for a third goal when Gaughan played a brilliant ball up the field and Matthew Peters was on hand to fire his side into a four point lead.

PRT almost hit back immediately but McKelvey was cool and collected in gathering Marc Ramsbottom's shot straight into his hand and cleared his lines brilliantly.

A free from Cunningham kept PRT ticking over, but Castletown were really purring at this stage despite hurling into the elements and Sean Óg Byrne struck an excellent score from play before a Gaughan free from distance.

Five points split them with ten minutes left on the clock and PRT were struggling to make anything work up front until the seas parted for Conor Fitzpatrick on the 45 and he raced inside before hammering it into the top corner of the net.

As expected the final moments of the game became scrappy with the conditions as they were and everything on the line for both sides and scoring opportunities became extremely limited.

Try as they did, PRT couldn't find an equalising goal as the excellent Castletown defence held out strong and suitably it was captain Peters who split the posts in injury time to put three between them once more.

PRT scrambled in the final stages with a late free and a 65 dropped in, but again Castletown held out and fired the ball clear to signal the end of the game and a rapturous celebration from The Village faithful.

SCORERS:

Castletown: Conor Doran 2-0, Ryan O'Connor 0-5 (0-4fs), Matthew Peters 1-1, Aaron Gaughan 0-3 (0-2fs), Jamie Conroy, Sean Óg Byrne and Dan Whelan 0-1 each.

Park/Ratheniska-Timahoe: Matt Cunningham 0-8 (0-7fs), Aaron Fitzpatrick and Conor Fitzpatrick 1-1 each, Tom Fingleton and David McEvoy 0-1 each.

CASTLETOWN: Jack McKelvey; Sean O'Connor, Evan Cuddy, Cillian Phelan; Eoin Peters, Mick Cuddy, Ray Goode; Joe Phelan, Sean Óg Byrne; Aaron Gaughan, Conor Doran, Dan Whelan; Ryan O'Connor, Jamie Conroy, Matthew Peters.

Subs: Aaron Phelan for Goode (20m), Dylan Conroy for J Conroy (54m), Shane Cuddy for R O'Connor (60m).

PARK/RATHENISKA-TIMAHOE: Evan O'Connor; David Duggan, Conor McDonald; Brian Fingleton, Eoin Shortall, Michael Brennan; Marc Ramsbottom, Aaron Fitzpatrick; Tom Fingleton, Matt Cunningham, Colm Lalor; Enda Shortall, Conor Fitzpatrick, David McEvoy.

Subs: Damien O'Connor for Lalor (39m), Gavin Tynan for T Fingleton (48m).

Referee: Colin Bailey (Mountrath)