It is very hard to describe this win and even harder the team. After 2 years and 28 league and championship games the appetite for success and the energy levels are still very much present. Yes it is 28 games without defeat with 2 draws included which by any standards is remarkable. So with 15 minutes left in the game and playing with the wind in our backs why panic? The reality is we were not playing our best hurling in conditions that were far from suitable. After going in at half time 4 points down the truth is we were been out hurled, bullied and yet unlucky not to have scored a couple of goals. In fact in the very first minute there should have been a green flag raised after a lovely phase of play but no flag and no goal was the result. After getting off to a good start playing into the wind Mr. reliable Nicky Cleere got the scoreboard ticking with a 65 and a free in the first 5 minutes. Kiltale hit back with a pointed free on 8 minutes and after Nicky got another pointed free Kiltale began to take control. They hit the next 4 points before Jason Cleere made a good run upfield to slot the ball between the posts. 3 more points from Kiltale before Liam Blanchfield got off the mark with a well worked point. The referee was finding it hard to give our lads a free and he also saw fit to add 4 minutes of additional time before he blew for the break. In that added time Liam Blanchfield took a very dangerous tackle with a hurley wrapped around the neck. Instead of giving a free in and a card he somehow decided Liam had fouled the ball and gave a free out. The score at that stage was 9points to 5 and Kiltale got a hell of a cheer heading in for the break. After exchanging points up to 15minutes into the second half finally the Bridge game started to take it’s usual shape where we hit 1-5 on the trot. The goal was gem with Sean Morrissey winning a high ball and Sean been Sean made ground and offloaded a peach of a pass to Brian Lannon who had anticipated Sean’s intentions and from 10m out he drilled it to the back of the net. The game ended on a sour note for the Bridge when the referee saw fit to show a red card to Robert Lennon for a high tackle but unlike Liam Blanchfield in the first half when he penalised Liam for holding on to the ball he rushed his decision and showed Robert the line. Hopefully he will see the errors of his decision and give Robert the correct coloured card. So Leinster champions again and an All Ireland semi final in late January against Wolf Tones of Ennis. Final score Bennettsbridge 1-14 Kiltale 0-13.

Our team was E Cleere, J Moran, R Lennon, C Wafer, J Cleere(0-1), E Morrissey, A Cleere, D Wafer, K Blanchfield, N Cleere(0-9), S Morrissey(0-1), B Lannon(1-1), H O’Neill, L Blanchfield(0-2), M Shiel. Subs used Paul O’Neill, W Murphy, K Brennan.