Glory for Tipp's Dúrlas Óg and Cork's Éire Óg at hurling's Feile

25 June 2022; The New York team celebrate their win in the Division 4 Plate Final during the John West Féile na nGael National Camogie and Hurling Finals at Boardsmill GAA Club in Meath. Photo by Daire Brennan/Sportsfile

Dúrlas Óg of Tipperary were the big winners from the John West Féile na nGael hurling finals played across Dublin and Meath on Saturday — captain Evan Nolan lifting the Christy Ring Trophy after they defeated Ahane of Limerick in the Division 1 Cup final in Abbotstown.

A Leelan Donoghue goal had helped Dúrlas Óg edge James Stephens of Kilkenny by 1-7 to 2-2 in the semi-final while Ahane defeated Kilmacud Crokes by 1-8 to 1-4. 

The final was finely poised at half-time before goals from Euan Murray and Killian Minogue put the youngsters from Thurles in the driving seat. Murray was also their top scorer while Keelan Dunne, Kyle O’Dowd and Alex Coppinger also impressed as they won by 2-10 to 0-3 and brought the cup back to Thurles for the first time since 1990.

Pat Leogue presenting Captain Mark O’Brien from Douglas with the Shield who took part in the John West Féile na nGael National Camogie and Hurling Finals, 2022 at the GAA National Games Development Centre Campus, Abbotstown, Dublin. Eighty club sides from Ireland, the UK, Europe and US competed in the final stages of the under-15 competition across Dublin and Meath. Sponsored for the seventh time by John West, it is one of the biggest underage sporting events on the continent. Pic Fintan Clarke.

Douglas of Cork put the disappointment of an early defeat to James Stephens behind them to claim the Division 1 Shield by defeating Athenry by 4-1 to 1-7 while Balinteer St John’s defeated Mount Sion by 2-4 to 1-4 to take Plate title.

Hilda Breslin and Diarmuid Cahill presenting Éire Óg Captain Maria Barry Murphy with the Cup  Pic Fintan Clarke.

There was also joy for Éire Óg of Cork as they won the Division 1 Camogie crown by defeating Boherlahan-Dualla of Tipperary in the final by 1-3 to 0-0. The Cork girls had defeated Windgap of Kilkenny in the semi-final by 1-5 to 2-0. In the final Clodagh Fitzgerald struck for 1-1 while Clara Murphy and Alannah Whelton also got on the scoresheet as captain Maria Barry Murphy brought the cup back to Ovens again, Éire Óg having previously won it in 2019.

The festival of hurling saw 80 clubs and close to 2,000 players involved as many golden memories were made in what is one of the biggest underage sporting events in Europe. 

Ruairi Óg of Cushendall in Antrim enjoyed a memorable afternoon as they were crowned Division 2 hurling champions after defeating St Oliver Plunkett’s of Westmeath by 1-7 to 1-6. Ruairi Óg’s camogie team also made the Division 2 final only to be defeated by Swatragh of Derry.

Tralee Parnells of Kerry went home with the Division 3 hurling trophy after they defeated Trim by 0-9 to 0-2 while Éire Óg an Charraig Mhór of Tyrone were Division 4 champions after they edged their provincial neighbours, Seán Mac Cumhaill’s of Donegal, by 1-6 to 1-2 in the final.