Wolfe Tones Mostrim win the Longford Senior Hurling title for the 21st time
Man of the match Cathal Mullane shoots 11 points in the final against Slashers
Wolfe Tones Mostrim . . . 2-15 Longford Slashers . . . 3-10
Displaying a very determined will to win that Slashers were unable to match, Wolfe Tones held out to claim the Senior hurling championship title for the 21st time.
The Mostrim club had built up a commanding 2-13 to 2-6 lead midway through the second half of the county final at Glennon Brothers Pearse Park on Sunday last on their way to regaining the JJ Duignan Cup they last captured in 2020.
Slashers, to their credit, staged a spirited comeback and closed the gap to just a solitary point after substitute Niall Hawes scored a cracking goal in the 55th minute.
A draw and a replay was looked like a strong possibility before Cathal Mullane converted his 10th free in stoppage time in a tense and exciting finish to clinch a deserved success for the Edgeworthstown side,
The exceptional Mullane was the difference between the teams with his impressive total of 11 points and the man of the match was rewarded with the proud honour of becoming the first winner of the Sean McNally trophy in memory of the former Wolfe Tones great.
It was tough luck on Longford Slashers who suffered a third consecutive county SHC final defeat and the concession of a couple of costly goals in the first half led to their eventual downfall.
WOLFE TONES MOSTRIM: Maitiu O’Donohoe; Pearse McNally, Michael Savage, Cian McLoughlin; Adam Quinn, Evan Tully, John Gaffney; Jack Belton (0-1), James Connell; Martin Coyle (0-1), Cathal Mullane (0-11, 10f), Dylan Hutchinson (1-0); John Mulhern, Ronan Courtney (0-1), Killian Courtney (1-1).
Subs:- Liam Browne for K Courtney (46 mins); K Courtney for D Hutchinson (49 mins); Ciaran McNally for J Gaffney (stoppage time).
LONGFORD SLASHERS: Noel Dunne; Rory Maher, Karl Murray (0-1), Kealan Cox; Daire Regan, Johnny Casey, Diarmuid Caslin; Jack Horgan Swaris, Harry Mulvihill; Matthew Hawes, David Buckley (0-5, 3f), Ronan Sheahan (1-0); Micheal Mulcahy, Reuben Murray (0-4, 1f), Sean Tiernan (1-0).
Subs:- Niall Hawes (1-0) for M Hawes (40 mins); John Murray for R Sheahan (injured, 57 mins).
Referee: Francis Kelly (Carrickedmond).