Kilbree 1-15
St James 2-10
KILBREE secured a West Cork double having come out the right side of a hard-fought West Cork U21C hurling championship final contest against St James.
The Blues won by two points in a blustery Ahiohill on Sunday.
Building on their prior championship wins against O'Donovan Rossa, final opponents St James, and Doheny's, Kilbree entered the final on a high, having also captured a county minor hurling title the previous weekend.
Kilbree captain Joe Bailey accepts the cup from Carbery GAA Chairman Aidan O'Rourke.The match was fiercely contested, with both teams demonstrating exceptional skill and determination. Kilbree established early momentum through points from Conor O'Sullivan, Oisín Harrington, and Cillian Twohig.
The first major of the game came when Darren McCarthy scored a superb goal that extended Kilbree's early lead which stood now at 1-7 to 0-5 with ten minutes remaining in the first half. However, back came St James' with a late first-half goal from David O’Sullivan that cut Kilbree's lead to four points. It was 1-10 to 1-6 at the short whistle.
The second half saw Kilbree face added challenges, including playing with a man down. An early goal in the second period from St James’ Shornu O’Brien Corker brought them ever closer.
St. James now seized the advantage, pushing Kilbree to their limits and with points from Liam Dooley (2) and Seán Whelton putting the Ardfield men ahead. The green and gold held a slender advantage, 2-9 to 1-11, with just ten minutes remaining.
The St James' pressure was immense but Kilbree's defence, led by Peter O’Sullivan, Ben Barry, Darragh Clancy, Oisín O'Sullivan, Joe Bailey, Daniel McCarthy, and Tim Bailey, held strong, repelling their constant advances.
Late points from Brian Carmody, Jason Murray, and Cillian Twohig tipped the scales back in Kilbree’s favour, securing their narrow two-point win and sparking jubilant celebrations as captain Joe Bailey lifted the cup.
This triumph marks an impressive double for Kilbree's young guns, who also claimed the U21C football championship title, defeating Kilbrittan earlier in the year. The team, along with mentors Michael D Keohane, Joseph O'Donovan, Jim Shanahan, and Seamus Tobin, now look forward to competing in the county championships for both hurling and football.
Kilbree: Peter O'Sullivan, Ben Barry, Tim Bailey, Daniel McCarthy, Oisín O'Sullivan, Darragh Clancy, Joe Bailey, Conor O'Sullivan, Jason Murray, Cillian Twohig, Joe Barry, Oisín Harrington, Darren McCarthy, Brian Carmody, Olan Murphy, Shane Keohane, Sam Bailey and Louka Papatsimpas.
St James: Eoin Fitzpatrick, Joseph O’Sullivan, Ciarán McCarthy, Fehin Duggan, Sean Whelton, Conor Whelton, Liam Dooley, Cathal Buchanan, Denis White, Ben Lenihan, Senan Duggan, David O’Sullivan, Cathal O’Leary, Adam Baker, Shornu O’Brien Croker, Colm Hayes, Jack Barry, Olan Murphy.
