St. Patrick's, Ballyragget (Kilkenny) 0-19

Glenealy (Wicklow) 1-15

The Ballyragget celebrations are unlikely to be as boisterous or as controversial as they were after October's county final success after they survived a huge scare from 16/1 underdogs Glenealy to be crowned Leinster intermediate club hurling champions at Nowlan Park today.

Managed by 1996 Wexford All-Ireland winner Gary Laffan, Glenealy were the first Wicklow hurling club to play in a Leinster final and they looked set to make further history when they led by 1-14 to 0-15 with six minutes remaining. But Ballyragget refused to panic and picked off four of the last five points to win by the minimum.

Despite the accuracy of Kilkenny star Kevin Kelly, Glenealy led by 0-6 to 0-5 after 20 minutes and by 0-9 to 0-8 at half-time. 

A 45th minute Wayne O'Gorman goal propelled Leighton Glynn and his Glenealy team-mates into a 1-11 to 0-12 lead, but despite performing heroically, they couldn't hold on as a late Kelly free gave St. Pat's the win after Seoirse Kenny and Brian Phelan had traded points.

Kelly top-scored with 0-11, while Jonathan O'Neill Snr led the Glenealy scoring charge with 0-8.

St. Patrick's, Ballyragget - M Gannon; J Mooney, G Morrissey, M Staunton; G Brennan, S Staunton, B Staunton; R Healy, J Gannon; M Brennan (0-2), S Kenny (0-2), P Brennan (0-1); J Brennan (0-1), K Kelly (0-11, 10f), B Phelan (0-2). Subs: P McEvoy for G Morrissey, C Delaney for J Brennan, S Mooney for R Healy, E Bergin for C Delaney.

Glenealy - K Snell; E Byrne, W Kavanagh, R O'Neill; G Byrne, D Staunton, T Doyle; J O'Neill Snr (0-8f), J Manley (0-1); R Byrne (0-2), J Byrne (0-1), E Glynn (0-1); J O'Neill Jnr, A Driver, L Glynn (0-1). Subs: L Kavanagh for R O'Neill, A Conyard for J O'Neill Jnr, W O'Gorman (1-0) for A Driver, G Weir (0-1) for L Glynn, P O'Brien for E Glynn.

Referee - S Stack.

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