Carrickshock (Kilkenny) 3-12

Celbridge (Kildare) 1-16

Carrickshock scored three late goals to break Celbridge hearts in a pulsating Leinster club IHC final at St. Conleth's Park, Newbridge.

When Leo Quinn put Celbridge 1-14 to 0-11 ahead with less than five minutes of normal time remaining, a famous victory beckoned for the Kildare senior kingpins, but Richie Power's Carrickshock had other ideas and struck for three goals in the dying stages to take the title back to Kilkenny.

The locals couldn't have asked for a better start as points from Gerry Keegan and Mark Moloney either side of a Tom Fitzgerald goal propelled them into an early 1-2 to 0-0 lead. But with Kevin Farrell accurate from frees, the star-studded Kilkenny intermediate winners had reduced the gap to three points, 0-9 to 1-9, at the break.

Inspired by Kildare Hurler of the Year Keegan, Celbridge continued to hold the whip hand until Carrickshock staged their late snatch-and-grab act. John Dalton's 56th minute goal gave them a new lease of life and they were level when Farrell raised their second green flag five minutes later.

In a dramatic finale, Keegan edged Celbridge ahead 1-16 to 2-12 but there was still time for super-sub Michael Rohan to pounce for the winning goal in the third minute of injury-time.

Carrickshock - Jamie Power; D Franks, J Dalton (1-0), J Grace; J Cahill, J Tennyson (0-1), N Tennyson; B Donovan (0-1), D Walsh; John Power (0-1'65), M Rice, K Farrell (1-7, 0-4f); D Brennan, M O'Dwyer (0-1), S Power. Subs: J Butler (0-1) for D Franks, R Power for B Donovan, M Rohan (1-0) for M O'Dwyer.

Celbridge - N Lanigan; T Finnerty, F O Muineachain, P Curtin; K Murphy, D Moloney, N O Muineachain; F Conway (0-2), B White; S White (0-1), L Quinn (0-2), G Keegan (0-10, 6f, 1'65); T Fitzgerald (1-0), M Moloney (0-1), P Moloney. Sub: B Lyng for B White.

Referee - A Devine.

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