Freshford is alive with celebration following St. Lachtain’s historic win in the AIB All-Ireland Junior Final against Russell Rovers yesterday. The Kilkenny side emerged victorious with a commanding scoreline of 1-18 to 0-16 at Croke Park, cementing their place in hurling history.
Shane Donnelly’s first-half goal proved to be a pivotal moment in the match, giving the Leinster champions a 1-07 to 0-07 lead at halftime. The victory was truly a team effort, with 12 players from the starting 15 contributing to the scoreboard, including goalkeeper Darren Brennan, who landed a long-range free.
This triumph marks the 11th time a Kilkenny club has claimed the Junior Championship, solidifying the county’s dominance in the competition as the only Leinster side to achieve such a feat.
For those who missed the action, you can listen back to the full match and post-match interviews on KCLR’s Big Game Live podcast.
The celebrations began last night with a massive homecoming in Freshford, where fans lined the streets to welcome their heroes. St. Lachtain’s manager, Steven Farrell, addressed the jubilant crowd, sharing heartfelt words that captured the spirit of the victory:
“It’s a massive achievement to see the colours, the crowd out around the streets here in front of us. Everyone together, as a whole, as a parish, young to old, let’s enjoy this. The people that couldn’t be with us are looking down upon us today. This is for all of them as well. It’s all about the parish. Let’s enjoy the few days, let’s celebrate it. Well done to everyone in Freshford – well done.”*
For a deeper dive into the game’s analysis, the latest episode of the KCLR Hurling Podcast is now available.
