CAUSEWAY Comprehensive retained the All-Ireland Junior 'A' hurling title in emphatic style when they easily accounted for their Galway opponents with a purposeful display of clinical and stylish hurling.

A hurling contest between Kerry and Galway would usually be expected to produce only one winner but in Kilmallock on Saturday the young hurlers from the North Kerry school turned tradition on its head by comprehensively out-hurling and out-classing their opponents from one of the strongest centres of Galway hurling.

Back-boned by six of last year's All-Ireland winning team, this was a team tour

de force from Causeway, who gave an exhibition in all facets of the game – gritty ground hurling, disciplined tackling, tenacious teamwork, razor sharp stickwork and sublime score taking.

At no stage beyond the seventh minute did they trail and once their second goal arrived, via the excellent Padraig Boyle in the 24th minute, Causeway were never really troubled by a very decent St Brigids side.

They led by five points at half time and just after the three-quarter point they had opened up a 12twelve deficit – a margin they retained at the final whistle in what ended as a procession for the defending champions.

Trainer Maurice Leahy alluded afterwards about wanting to win this final with in style and his players delivered on that in, well, style.

Through every line Causeway hurled with dogged determination and sublime skill, from Dougie Fitzell at full back, through Eric O'Connor at midfield and the sublime Padraig Boyle at full forward.

Daniel Collins fired over four super points from the wing, Thomas Casey showed great awareness to pilfer Causeway's first goal, Paul McGrath was a dynamo in the corner and Ricky Heffernan was unerring from frees – firing over eight in all.

Defensively, Causeway were immense, conceding only six points to Loughrea's forwards, with Brian Molloy capitalising for the losers' goal in an uncharacteristic moment of lapsed concentration in the second half when the game was all but won.

A couple of early points from Loughrea merely jolted Causeway into their stride, and with Eric O'Connor and Muiris Delaney foraging and flicking around midfield it didn't take long for the defending champions to settle in their fluent game.

They led 0-4 to 0-3 when Casey flicked to the net after Heffernan did well to knock back McGrath's high centre after 13 minutes.

Loughrea, to give them credit, hurled very well throughout the first half with centre back Padraig Kennedy's long-range free-taking keeping them in the game, but Causeway struck for their second goal at a perfect time.

Boyle pointed a free to put three points between the sides, then Casey drilled a perfect ball down the middle, which the Kilmoyley lad gathered and nonchalantly struck past the St Brigids goalkeeper, as Causeway led 2-9 to 010 at the break.

Loughrea mined the first point after the break but thereafter it was all Causeway. Heffernan stroked over a great point from 60 metres and then the Lixnaw teenager fired over four unanswered frees as St Brigids found it increasingly hard to contain Boyle.

Any fading hopes of a Loughrea comeback were dashed when full back Darragh Burke was sent off for a second yellow card – more for persistent fouling than anything cynical in a game that barely produced a dirty stroke.

Another Heffernan free and a superb point from Boyle pushed Causeway into a 12-point lead, 2-17 to 0-11, before Brian Molloy took advantage of a rare piece of loose Causeway defending to fire a consolation goal past Jason Wallace, who had a great game in the Causeway goal.

Casey, Collins and Heffernan (free) added further points before Eric O'Connor capped a hugely impressive midfield performance with the closing point in injury-time.

Back-to-back All-Ireland titles, then, for Causeway Comprehensive and a perfect end to a year when the best from Limerick, Tipperary, Kilkenny and Galway tried – and failed – to dethrone the boys from North Kerry.

- Paul Brennan at Kilmallock, Co Limerick