Hurling means everything in Kilworth, as they showed in an epic 2006 season

KILWORTH hurling club has produced many fine players over the years.

They were county junior hurling winners in 1967 when the defeated Cloughduv and that was their only success up to 2006 when they had a close win over Dungourney with a talented team.

They have been one of the strongest club teams in the Avondhu division and lifted the North Cork JAHC title on 11 occasions. As well as 1967 and 2006, they contested county hurling finals in 1961, 1980, 1993 and 2005.

They have been crowned U21 A hurling champs in 1965, ‘67 and 2016. They also landed U21 B titles in Avondhu in 1986, 2009 and ‘15.

In Minor A HC they were champions in 1992, ‘93 and 2003 as St Martin’s, a Kilworth-Araglin amalgamation. They have also been crowned minor B winners in 1985, ‘98 and 2002, again as St Martin’s.

An interesting statistic in Avondhu GAA is that no club has won the divisional JAHC title three times in succession. Kilworth lost the JAHC final of 2004 to Ballygiblin 0-14 to 2-6. They came back in 2005, defeating Clyda Rovers 4-17 to 1-12, before going to the county final where they were beaten by Fr O’Neill’s.

They returned to that stage in 2006. First up they a good win over Charleville, 1-17 to 0-12, in the divisional decider.

In the county championship, they met Cloughduv in the quarter-final in Páirc Uí Rinn. The Avondhu side were convincing 3-14 to 0-10 victors.

Their scorers were: Paudie Lynch 1-6, Adrian Mannix 0-4, Joe Cahill 0-3, Brian Tobin 0-2, Elton Pierce 0-1, Dion Cahill 0-1.

Their semi was also in Páirc Uí Rinn where they defeated Banteer by 2-13 to 1-6.

That day the scorers were: Adrian Mannix 1-3 Damian O’Donoghue 1-2, Damian McNamara 0-3, Paudie Lynch 0-3 Brian Tobin 0-1, Elton Pierce 0-1, Dion Cahill 0-1, Ned O’Brien 0-1.

The final was played under lights in Páirc Uí Rinn, which added to the drama, and was a tremendous game with the outcome in doubt right to the final whistle.

In the end, Kilworth, captained by goalkeeper Kieran Walsh, were crowned JAHC winners: 0-13 to 0-12. County minor Adrian Mannix was awarded Man of the Match.

The team in the Co final success was: Kieran Walsh (c); Aidan Kenny, John Hegarty, Damian McNamara; Maurice McNamara, Will Twomey, Mark O’Connor; Dion Cahill, Elton Pierce 0-3; Thomas Twomey 0-1, Brian Tobin 0-1, Joe Cahill; Paudie Lynch 0-4, Adrian Mannix 0-4, Damian O’Donoghue.

Subs: Declan Tobin for Aidan Kenny, James Moakley for Brian Tobin.

Kilworth played Fenor in the Munster club semi-final before beating Tipp’s Knockshegowna in the provincial final. In 2012 Kilworth won the IHC and reached the Premier IHC final in 2019 where they lost out to Fr O’Neill’s.