Goals the difference as Kilkenny crowned All-Ireland Junior football champions
DUAL IN THE CROWN: Kilkenny's Paul Murphy lifts the trophy. ©INPHO/Laszlo Geczo
A week before the county's senior hurlers contest the All-Ireland final, Kilkenny's juniors footballers have shown them how it's done by clinching the junior title in style at Croke Park.
Late goals did the trick for Kilkenny in Friday night's semi-final win over London and it was a similar story this time with stoppage time goals from Mick Kenny and John Walsh sealing a slightly flattering nine-point win.
It's Kilkenny's first ever title at the grade following a restructuring of the competition this year to allow mainly for overseas participants.
Just three points separated the sides three minutes into stoppage time but those late goals allowed Christy Walsh's side to seal the breakthrough success in some style.
Jamie Holohan was Kilkenny's other goalscorer while Kenny finished the All-Ireland series with 2-8 to his credit.
Four-time hurling All-Star Paul Murphy was a key figure for Kilkenny at full-back and is now the proud holder of All-Ireland adult medals in both codes.
The big win capped a memorable weekend for Kilkenny who entered the competition at the All-Ireland semi-final stage on Friday evening, beating London 3-11 to 2-9 at the GAA's National Games Development Centre in Abbotstown.
The other semi-final, part of a double header at the venue, was between New York and All-Britain runners up Warwickshire with the US outfit winning that one by 1-8 to 0-6.
Kilkenny's was the more eye-catching display with the black and amber men coming from behind with late goals from Mick Malone and Kenny, who conjured 3-7 between them on the evening.
They took that momentum into the opening exchanges, working a move immediately from the throw-in that led to a Holohan point and proceeding to rattle off four more before New York finally opened their own account.
Kenny, who struck 1-4 against London, was on the mark again during the early blitz with two converted frees.
Jim Culleton's second point of the day in the 26th minute left Kilkenny 0-6 to 0-2 ahead and Holohan then put significant daylight between the teams with an expertly taken goal.
Adam Mansfield picked out Holohan with a clever pass from the left and the Erin's Own man beat the advancing goalkeeper with a neat finish.
Kilkenny threatened a rout at this stage but New York points from Brian Coughlan and Shay McElligot gave them vital traction before the break, even if they still trailed 1-6 to 0-4.
Two more New York scores from free-taker McElligot and Mike Brosnan confirmed that a comeback was on the cards.
They reduced their arrears to just two points when Coughlan strode through the centre of Kilkenny's defence and struck a rocket to the net, 1-8 to 1-6.
The opportunity was there to make it a one point game but a missed New York free proved to be a momentum sapper and Kilkenny gradually put more and more distance between the teams in scoring terms.
Back to back Kenny points from frees stretched the gap to five approaching the hour mark before those two late goals which set the seal on a landmark win for the county's footballers.
M Kenny (1-4, 4 frees); J Holohan (1-2); J Walsh (1-0); J Culleton (0-2); C Hennessy, K Blanchfield, S Kelly, E Phelan (0-1 each).
B Coughlan (1-1, 1 free); S McElligot (0-4, 4 frees); M Brosnan, Conor Mathers (0-2 each).
K Dunphy; P Murphy, T Kenny; G Malone; K Blanchfield, C Wallace, S Kelly; J Culleton, T Aylward; C Hennessy, M Malone, M Kenny; R Monks, J Holohan, A Mansfield.
E Phelan for Monks & J Walsh for Mansfield (h/t); S Murphy for Hennessy (45); S Stapleton for Malone (52); J Fennelly for Kelly (61).
B Cole; M Boyle, D Corridan, P Mathers; C Hogan; D Curran, J Boyle, P Cronin; Conor Mathers, C Rafferty; B Coughlan, T Mathers, K Loane; S McElligot, M Brosnan.
Caolan Mathers for Rafferty (h/t); E Loughran for Loane (41); D Rooney for Cronin (52); R O'Neill for Hogan & J Breen for Corridan (56).
B Tiernan (Dublin).
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