St Jude’s minor hurlers pipped at the final hurdle

CLONTARF claimed an historic first Minor A hurling Championship after a 5-19 to 2-13 victory over St Jude’s, who were aiming to win both Minor A football and hurling championships.

There were only four points separating the teams by the 49th minute but Clontarf plundered three goals in the closing stages to claim an emphatic victory by the final whistle.

After a tense, nervy start, a well taken goal from Oscar Finnegan at the end of the first quarter gave Clontarf a healthy start which was added to by Conor Newton who stroked over three points to extend the gap nearing the break.

Jude’s finished the half strongly through points from Paul Nolan and Callum Graham to trail by the minimum at the interval.

It was the Templeogue side who started the better at the restart as Oisin Costello fired one into the back of the net, five minutes into the second half.

Joe Sheppard of Clontarf and Oisín Gough of St Jude’s contest the high ball

The Tarf response was emphatic as Luke O’Boyle added their second goal before a trio of Tom Higgins frees put distance between the sides and the killing blow came as Higgins found the net on 58 minutes.

The lively Newton put the icing on the Clontarf cake with a brace of goals in added time as St Jude’s fell just short in their ambitious quest of adding the Minor ‘A’ hurling title to the football equivalent secured the previous Sunday.