O'Loughlin Gaels shock Ballyhale Shamrocks in Kilkenny

O'Loughlin Gaels 0-20 Ballyhale Shamrocks 0-19

Paddy Deegan crowned a magnificent overall performance with a wonderful winning point for O’Loughlin Gaels in the Kilkenny senior hurling final at UPMC Nowlan Park.

The Kilkenny defender broke the hearts of champions for the past five years when he scored from a testing angle on the left with 62 minutes and 40 seconds showing on the clock.

The winners came from behind twice during the closing nine minutes before they produced big time in a tight and tense finish to claim what was the fifth title for the city club, the last coming in 2016.

Shamrocks, who were seeking a never before achieved six-in-a-row, were two points in front following a point from Colin Fennelly in the 51st (0-18 to 0-16). Mark Bergin (free) and Paddy Butler scored for O’Loughllin’s to erase the arrears.

Then in the 56th minute Fennelly struck again and shot Shamrocks ahead. O’Loughlin’s refused to go away.

During the second chase the Gaels missed two chances to get back level before defender David Fogarty levelled it at 0-19 each 90 seconds into additional time.

That set the stage for Deegan to shoot his second point of the match, a beauty from 35 metres on the left to match another special one from 80 metres in the first half.

O’Loughlin’s started full of business and took the game to the defending champions. While they were held to level terms of 0-10 each at the break, it was they who did most of the pressing and they were never headed.

Slow-starting Shamrocks conceded early unanswered points to Sean Bolger, Mark Bergin (two frees) and a mighty effort from all of 80 metres by the flying Deegan as the opposition simply got stuck in.

Defender Evan Shefflin (pictured) opened the Shamrocks account in the ninth