Coolderry beat Oulart-The-Ballagh by 1-15 to 1-11 at Nowlan Park to claim provincial gold.

Cathal Parlon (1-3) and Damien Murray (0-5) were the scoring heroes as Ken Hogan's team brought the Leinster club hurling title back to Coolderry for the first time ever.

The victors led by 0-6 to 0-5 at the break but Oulart will have been kicking themselves at the turnaround as they hit eight wides during a first half that saw the sides level on three occasions.

Coolderry got the first score through Brian Carroll from play but Eoin Moore replied with a brace for the Wexford champions, who led by 0-2 to 0-1 after five minutes.

Rory Jacob was on hand to double Liam Dunne's team's advantage before Murray and Parlon fired over Coolderry minors to tie the scores up again after twelve minutes, 0-3 each.

A Murray point from a free completed the comeback as the Faithful County champions now led by a point coming up to the end of the first quarter.

The Offaly kingpins were now completely on top and Ryan flicked over their fourth successive point to make it 0-5 to 0-3 after 15 minutes.

Ryan's shot was saved by Ben O'Connor before Darren Nolan closed the gap to a point with a score for the Model County club.

Moore tied the teams up for a third time but Parlon knocked over the 27th-minute point that ensured the underdogs of a slender half-time lead.

Nolan's second point of the day had the teams level again shortly after the resumption but Coolderry had the bit between their teeth and they streaked three points clear when Parlon fired to the net 90 seconds into the second half after a surging solo run: 1-6 to 0-6 and daylight had appeared between the teams for the first time.

Coolderry added a couple of points through Barry Teehan and Carroll to lead by five and Oulart, who pulled back a point to trail by 1-8 to 0-7 after 38 minutes, were now hanging on. The respite was brief, however, as a Murray point restored the five-point margin.

Nicky Kirwan was on target as the Wexford club again struck two in a row, but once more Murray was on hand to make it 1-11 to 0-10 with the match now inside the final quarter.

Murray and substitute Stephen Doyle traded scores and Coolderry - with the scent of victory in their nostrils - got the next score to lead by 1-13 to 0-11 with around ten minutes of normal time left.

Coolderry tagged on more scores from sub Kevin Connolly and Parlon to lead by seven before corner back and Wexford county star Paul Roche hammered home a 20-metre free to reduce the gap to four after 23 minutes, 1-15 to 1-11.

There were no more scores as the most-successful club side in Offaly hurling finally captured the Leinster senior club hurling championship for the first time.

Coolderry: S Corcoran; B Kelly, T Corcoran, A Corcoran; K Brady, J Brady, B O'Meara; K Teehan, D King; B Carroll (0-3), B Teehan (0-1), M Corcoran; E Ryan (0-1), C Parlon (1-3), D Murray (0-6, 4f). Subs: K Connolly (0-1) for M Corcoran (46 mins), S Connolly for Kelly (54); M Bergin for K Brady (59).

Oulart-the-Ballagh: B O'Connor; P Roche (1-0, free), K Rossiter, B Kehoe; D Redmond, D Stamp, L Prendergast; M Jacob S Murphy; F Cullen, G Sinnott, D Nolan (0-2); E Moore (0-4, 3f), R Jacob (0-1), N Kirwan (0-3, 2f). Subs: S Doyle (0-1) for Moore (41 mins); P Murphy for Cullen, D Mythen for R Jacob (both 53); A Kavanagh for Nolan (56).

Ref: J McGrath (Westmeath) Tweet

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