Stephens shock Shamrocks in league decider

Ballyhale Shamrocks, the All-Ireland club hurling champions and five in-a-row championship chasers in Kilkenny, got a sharp reminder of how difficult life will be without Henry Shefflin when they crashed to defeat against great rivals James Stephens in the SHL final.

Shamrocks, who were chasing a fifth consecutive win in the league, were beaten on the line thanks to a 62nd-minute point from Eoin McCormack which earned Stephens a battling 1-18 to 1-17 victory, their first in the competition.

The loss of Shefflin has narrowed the gap between Shamrocks and the rest and Saturday’s win for Stephens will give other contenders a huge boost.