St Brendan's Ardfert hold off Crotta/Kilmoyley to take Kerry under-21 hurling spoils
St Brendan's Ardfert's Hugh Lenihan. Pic: Adrienne McLoughlin
St Brendan's Ardfert captured the Kerry under-21 hurling championship after edging out Crotta/Kilmoyley by a single point, in a well-contested final at the Austin Stack Park on Sunday afternoon.
There was never much between the sides with the Crotta/Kilmoyley combo leading 0-8 to 0-7 at half-time.
Fionán Egan with three frees and Seán Brosnan with three from play, did the bulk of the scoring for St Brendan's, while Kerry senior hurler Ronan Walsh was unerring from placed balls for Crotta/Kilmoyley.
It was 0-10 apiece at the end of the third quarter but then came the crucial score in the 47th minute.
Hugh Lenihan was fouled 70 metres from goal and Fionán Egan floated in a free that looked to have been helped to the net by Liam Óg O’Connor but might well have gone all the way all by itself.
Ronan Walsh leveled in the 60th minute to bring his personal tally to 0-12 but Egan converted his fifth free to give his side the lead and St Brendan's were celebrating after Seanie McGrath's long-range effort - that would have forced extra time - came back off the post.
