Classy Cuala crowned Leinster champions

CUALA 3-19 O'LOUGHLIN GAELS (Kilkenny) 1-16

Cuala are Leinster club senior hurling champions for the first time after outclassing Kilkenny's O'Loughlin Gaels in Sunday's provincial decider in O'Moore Park, Portlaoise.

The Dalkey side were outstanding throughout with leaders emerging all over the park as they became the first Dublin club since Crumlin in 1979/80 to secure Leinster senior honours, having lost out in last year's final to Wexford's Oulart-The Ballagh.

A seventh minute goal from Colm Cronin put Mattie Kenny's side on the way when the superb Con O'Callaghan placed him in front of the goal and the Cuala forward made not mistake to give his side a 1-2 to 0-2 lead.

Man of the Match Con continued to create havoc in the last line of the O'Loughlin Gaels defence and apart from scoring 1-4 from play, assisted in several other scores as well as being fouled for free frees that David Treacy converted.

By the 16th minute Cuala were 1-5 to 0-3 clear following points from David Treacy (free), Con O'Callaghan and Mark Schutte.

Cuala would have been further in front but for the goalkeeping heroics Stephen Murphy won denied Seán Treacy in the 13th minute, with Con O'Callaghan tidying up to take a point, and then both David Treacy and Colm Cronin in the 14th minute, with Mark Schutte on hand to get something from the attack with a point.

Eight minutes before the interval Cuala put together a stunning move which culminated in the Treacy brothers, David and Seán, combining at pace before Mark Schutte fed Con O'Callaghan who rifled to the net to make it 2-6 to 0-5.

However, the freetaking of Mark Bergin and two points form play by Martin Comerford had the Kilkenny champions hanging on at the break, 2-8 to 0-9.

O'Loughlin's keeper Stephen Murphy continued in superman mode in the second half and in the 38th minute denied Cronin from a difficult angle. Five minutes later he made a triple save to deny Mark Schutte as he bore down on goal.

The Cats continued to battle to the finish but a quick flurry of scores from Darragh O'Connell and a brilliant sideline by David Treacy was following by a free following a foul on Mark Scutte and by the 55th minute Cuala was leading 2-17 to 0-16 following scores from David Treacy (free) and an 80-metre free from Darragh O'Connell.

Two minutes from the end of normal time a Danny Loughnane goal gave O'Loughlin Gaels a glimmer of hope but that was quickly extinguished when Mark Schutte powered to the net in the fourth minute of added time.

SCORERS - Cuala: D Treacy 0-11 (0-9fM 0-1 sideline), C O’Callaghan 1-4, M Schutte 1-1, C Cronin 1-0, D O’Connell 0-2 (0-1f), C Waldron 0-1. O’Loughlin Gaels: M Bergin 0-11 (0-9f), D Loughnane 1-0, M Comerford 0-2, A Geoghegan, S Murphy (0-1f), M Kelly 0-1 each.

CUALA: S Brennan; Cian O'Callaghan, S Timlin, O Gough; S Moran, P Schutte, J Sheanon; J Malone, D O'Connell; C Waldron, C Cronin, D Treacy; S Treacy, Con O'Callaghan, M Schutte. Sub: C Sheanon for Waldron (52).

O'LOUGHLIN GAELS: S Murphy; A Forristal, A Kearns, E Kearns; A O'Brien, B Hogan, H Lawlor; P Butler, P Deegan; A Geoghan, M Kelly, D Loughnane; S Johnston, M Bergin, M Comerford. Subs: S Mahony for A Kearns (26), P Cantwell for Butler (ht), S Bolger for Johnston (40).

REF: M Murtagh (Westmeath).