Kilmessan get it right this time around
Defeated finalists last year Kilmessan made no mistake this time around when they defeated Boardsmill 1-13 to 2-4 in the JHC final at Pairc Tailteann today.
Kilmessan recovered from a slow start to lead 0-9 to 1-4 at the interval and they pushed on from there.
Boardsmill weren't helped by the fact thay left their scoring touch at home and the 14 wides they chalked up were always likely to prove costly.
Kyle Donnelly scored Kilmessan's goal on 42 minutes when he neatly flicked the ball over the head of Boardsmill netminder Finn Ennis and after the ball trickled over the line there was always the sense that Kilmessan had too much in terms of craft and experience to let their opponents back into the game.
Paul Grimes capped a fine game for Colm Doyle's side with six points, while Darren Maguire, Danny Thynne, Darren Brennan and Ger O'Neill also pointed.
Boardsmill gave themselves a real boost with an early goal scored by Fergal Flattery and they grabbed another in the second-half when Eoin McKay knocked the ball to the net in a goalmouth scramble.
Thomas Reilly capped a fine display with a point while Martin Conway, Flattery and Niall Durgan also registered scores.
However Boardsmill needed a lot more to stop Kilmessan marching to victory with wasted chances proven to be costly.
Kilmessan - Andrew Keena; Fionn Maguire, Gary Leddy, Lee Lynch; Darren Pleavin, Cathal Burke, Paddy Lally; Paul Grimes (0-6 five frees, one '65'), Ger O'Neill (0-1); Scott Bagnall, Darren Maguire (0-2), Darren Brennan (0-1); Danny Thynne (0-2), Kyle Donnelly (1-0), Cathal Murphy (0-1). Subs - Aidan Mangan for Donnelly 47 mins, Thomas Oakes for Lynch 51m, Josh Dennehy for Murphy 57m, Chris Smith for Brennan 61m.
Boardsmill - Finn Ennis; Bertie McLoughlin, Paudie Guy, Kieran Garrigan; David Kealey, Thomas Reilly (0-1), Eric Cribbin; Paul Dunne, Anton Hoey; Sean Dixon, Martin Conway (0-1), Niall Durkan (0-1); Eric McKay, Fergal Flattery (1-1), James Durkan. Subs - Eoin McKay (1-0) for Eric McKay half-time, Craig Kelly for Conway, Jack Bird for McLoughlin both 42m, John Corrigan for Durkan 59m.
Referee - Paddy Foy (Clann na nGael).