Under 17 Hurling – Celtic Challenge Final
Kerry 2-15 South Wexford 4-11
A last minute goal from South Wexford broke Kerry hearts on Saturday in the Celtic Challenge final held in Nowlan Park Kilkenny.

Kerry on the back of an impressive semi final win over South Tipperary were well fired up for this game and shot out of the traps early and with ten minutes gone in the first half the Kingdom had a five points to two lead over the Slaneysiders with Barry O Mahoney scoring at will from centre forward.

An off the ball incident resulted in South Wexford being reduced to fourteen men but as we see in many games this gave the Wexford men a much needed shot in the arm and the scored the next three points before Gavin Dooley split the posts to give Kerry the lead once again.
O’Mahoney landed a 65 a minute later before Michael Slattery slipped behind the Wexford full back line to bury the ball into the net. Wexford replied with a goal of their own and a brace of free's before O’Mahoney landed a huge free to leave Kerry with a four point lead at the break
Kerry 1 - 11 to South Wexford 1- 7

Wexford had a dream start to the second half and had 2-2 scored inside the first ten minutes but O'Mahoney kept Kerry in contention with a trio of points.

Gavin Dooley knocked over his second point of the game on the 44th minute and two minutes later he fed corner forward Slattery and he rattled home his second goal of the game to put Kerry two in front with fourteen minutes left on the clock.

Remarkably there was no action on the score board again until injury time as both defences were coming out on top.

With the game in injury time Wexford were awarded a penalty up stepped centre back Jamie Myler but Adam O’Sullivan dived full length to his right and made a miraculous save and Wexford looked dead and buried but they worked the ball up field again and a high ball into the square was flicked to the net by Myler who had stayed forward following the penalty save.
Kerry poured forward in search of an equaliser to force extra time but Wexford caught the Kingdom on the counter attack and tapped over the final point of the game to secure the inaugural Corn John Scott Cup
FULL TIME - South Wexford 4 - 11 Kerry 2-15 

The Celtic Challenge was a memorable campaign for John Hennessy and his team playing 7 games and having big wins over teams including wins over South East Clare & South Tipperary.30 players were used over the 7 games and reaching an All Ireland final was a magnificent achievement for this group of players.

1. Adam O’Sullivan (Crotta O’Neills)
2. Darragh Behan (Crotta O’Neills)
3. Evan Murphy (Causeway)
4. Philip Maunsell (Kilmoyley)
21. Jack O’Sullivan (Ballyduff)
6. Conor O’Keeffe (Lixnaw)
7. Gearóid Fennessy (Kilgarvan) - C - 0 - 01
8. Niall O’Mahoney (Abbeydorney)
18. Darragh Goulding (Ballyduff)
10. Padraig O’Mahoney (St. Brendans)
11. Barry O’Mahoney (Crotta O’Neills) 0 - 11 ( 4 frees & 65)
12. Gary Carey (Causeway)
13. Michael Slattery (Abbeydorney) 2-1
14. Gavin Dooley (Causeway) 0 - 2
15. Micheál McCarthy (Kenmare)

Fir Ionaid:
16. Darren Barrett (Causeway)
17. Gearoid O’Mahoney (Causeway)
9. Adrian Nolan (St. Brendans)
19. Shane O’Mahoney (St. Brendans)
20. Gerard Leen (Causeway)
5. Bryan McAuliffe (Lixnaw)
22. Shane McElligott (Lixnaw)
23. Jeaic McKenna (Crotta O Neills)
24. Brendan Walsh (Ballyheigue)
25. Richard Flaherty (Kilmoyley)
26. Nathan Dineen (Causeway)
27. Diarmuid O’Connor (St. Brendans)
28. Dan Goggin (Causeway)
29. Chris Creedon (Kilgarvan)
30. Cormac Slattery (Ballyheigue)

Kerry Team - Under 17 Hurling Celtic Challenge Final V South Wexford in Nowlan Park Kilkenny Saturday at 3:10pm

1. Adam O’Sullivan (Crotta O’Neills)
2. Darragh Behan (Crotta O’Neills)
3. Evan Murphy (Causeway)
4. Philip Maunsell (Kilmoyley)
5. Bryan McAuliffe (Lixnaw)
6. Conor O’Keeffe (Lixnaw)
7. Gearóid Fennessy (Kilgarvan) - Captain
8. Niall O’Mahoney (Abbeydorney)
9. Adrian Nolan (St. Brendans)
10. Padraig O’Mahoney (St. Brendans)
11. Barry O’Mahoney (Crotta O’Neills)
12. Gary Carey (Causeway)
13. Michael Slattery (Abbeydorney)
14. Gavin Dooley (Causeway)
15. Micheál McCarthy (Kenmare)

Fir Ionaid:
16. Darren Barrett (Causeway)
17. Gearoid O’Mahoney (Causeway)
18. Darragh Goulding (Ballyduff)
19. Shane O’Mahoney (St. Brendans)
20. Gerard Leen (Causeway)
21. Jack O’Sullivan (Ballyduff)
22. Shane McElligott (Lixnaw)
23. Jeaic McKenna (Crotta O Neills)
24. Brendan Walsh (Ballyheigue)
25. Richard Flaherty (Kilmoyley)
26. Nathan Dineen (Causeway)
27. Diarmuid O’Connor (St. Brendans)
28. Dan Goggin (Causeway)
29. Chris Creedon (Kilgarvan)
30. Cormac Slattery (Ballyheigue)
Bainisteoir: John Hennessey (Ballyduff)
Maor Fóirne: Eamon Fitzgearld (Causeway)
Róghnoirí: Jerome O’Sullivan (Crotta O’Neills), John Healy (Ballyheigue)
Treánalaí: John Barry (St Senans)
Physio/Medical: Trudy Ryan

Kerry U17 Hurlers in Celtic Challenge Final on Saturday

This is a great achievement for this panel of players. Having gone through the group stages winning 3 games and with just 1 defeat [to Cork City] they went into the second tier of the competition and have progressed through the quarter and semi-finals to reach the Division 2 decider. 

The panel of players and management team is: 

Adam O’Sullivan (Crotta O’Neill’s), Conor O’Keeffe (Lixnaw), Philip Maunsell (Kilmoyley), Evan Murphy (Causeway), Darragh Behan (Crotta O’Neill’s), Niall O’Mahony (Abbeydorney), Gearóid Fennessy, capt. (Kilgarvan), Padraig O’Mahony (St. Brendan’s), Barry O’Mahony (Crotta O’Neill’s), Shane McElligott (Lixnaw), Micheál McCarthy (Kenmare), Jeaic McKenna (Crotta O’Neill’s), Michael Slattery (Abbeydorney), Gavin Dooley (Causeway), Gary Carey (Causeway), Darren Barrett (Causeway), Bryan McAuliffe (Lixnaw), Gearoid O’Mahony (Causeway), Adrian Nolan (St. Brendan’s), Cormac Slattery (Ballyheigue), Chris Creedon (Kilgarvan), Gerard Leen (Causeway), Darragh Goulding (Ballyduff), Richard Flaherty (Kilmoyley), Dan Goggin (Causeway), Jack O’Sullivan (Ballyduff), Shane O’Mahony (St. Brendan’s), Diarmuid O’Connor (St. Brendan’s), Brendan Walsh (Ballyheigue), Nathan Dineen (Causeway). 

Manager: John Hennessy (Ballyduff). 

Selectors: Jerome O’Sullivan (Crotta), John Healy (Ballyheigue), Eamon Fitzgerald (Causeway). Trainer: John Barry. Logistics: Eoin O’Shea