The following report appeared in the annual edition of the Record at the end of the school year.

Juvenile Hurling 2016

Another year and another group of enthusiastic young hurlers vying to wear the black and white. Great interest was shown by both first and second years who turned out in huge numbers to fight for a place on the Juvenile hurling panel. Trials went on in the months of November and December before the panel was finalised in January. The great run by the Juvenile footballers gave us momentum as we had many from the football panel. As the evenings started to stretch we trained on Monday and Wednesday evenings and on Friday afternoon.

Our first outing in the league turned into an exciting battle against Westmeath Schools in early February. We eventually won in wet miserable conditions. We then had two wins against St. Peters away and Mountrath Community School out in the Dunmore training facility. We faced our biggest challenge in March against Dublin South up in O’Toole Park in Crumlin. After a dreadful opening 15 minutes when we went 10 points down, we started to hurl. The game ended all square on a scoreline of 4-14 each, leaving teams, mentors and supporters happy. We qualified to meet Dublin North in the league semi-final which took place in Ballykelly, Monasterevin in April. After a good display, especially by the forwards, we won on a scoreline of 4-13 to 1-13. Then in the space of three days we had two important games to play. On Wednesday April 20^th in the Éire Óg pitch in Carlow we faced Dublin South in the league final. While we were flat on the day and never got to grips with the opposition Dublin were on fire and beat up comprehensively on a scoreline of 3-9 to 1-8. We had to get over our disappointment quickly as we were facing St. Peters in the the championship semi-final on the Friday following. We duly dispatched St. Peters but there was one concern. Though we scored 2-15 we scored 2-10 in the first ten minutes and only five points in the remaining forty minutes.

The way was now clear for the final against Good Counsel, New Ross on May 6^th. Sun drenched Thomastown was the ideal venue with just a swirling breeze preventing it having the ideal conditions for a Leinster final. We played against the breeze in the first half and were good value for our six point lead at half-time. Knowing Good Counsel like we do we knew there would a strong comeback. They dominated the first twenty minutes of the second half and brought the deficit back to two points. Our players responded magnificently and we finished the game strongly, winning by 4-13 to 3-6. The Dr. Barry Cup was back in St. Kierans.

Panel:

Stephen Keoghan (Graigue-Ballycallan), Liam Barron (Ballyhale Shamrocks), David Fogarty (O’Loughlin Gaels),Kieran Buckley (Dunamaggin), Harry Walsh (Dunamaggin) (capt.),Pádraig Moylan (Dicksboro),Jamie Harkin (Bennetsbridge)

Conor Kelly (O’Loughlin Gaels),Killian Rudkins ( Barrow Rangers)

Darragh Maher (Freshford),Alex Moore (Dunamaggin),Oisín Egan (Graigue-Ballycallan),Stephen Barron (Ballyhale Shamrocks),Peter Donohoe (Danesfort)

Ciarán Mullen (Danesfort),Diarmuid Galway (Thomastown),Conor Fitzpatrick (Young Irelands, Gowran),Vincent O’Grady (O’Loughlin Gaels),Padraic Foley (Windgap),Ciarán Rice (Conahy Shamrocks),James Carrigan (St. Martins)

Peter McDonald (Thomastown),Eoin Guilfoyle (James Stephens)

Luke Campion (Lisdowney),James Duggan (Harps, Durrow),Darren Cuddihy (Conahy Shamrocks),Eoin Delahunty (Graigue-Ballycallan),Denis Walsh (Dunamaggin),Andy Hickey (Dunamaggin),David Conway (Dicksboro),Dara Glynn (Clara),Richard Cash (Tullaroan), Jack Sheridan (O’Loughlin Gaels), Jim Kirby (Harps, Durrow)

Many thanks to our TY students who helped at training and at the games during the year and often doing so in their own free time. Our helpers this year were Ruairi Breen, Eoghan Moylan, Ciarán Hogan, Jack Nolan, Mark Nolan and James Phelan. And for the final we had to draft in Ryan Scanlon and Kyran O’Sullivan. Not forgetting our cameramen, Conor Drennan (TY) and Maurice Walshe (6^th yr.) who has done Trojan work for all our teams for the past three years and is leaving us this June. Thanks lads.