HURLING'S version of Baseball's Little League, the U-12 championship, is no more. Last Wednesday night, after 43 years of gripping excitement, Carlow's 'little All-Ireland' enjoyed its final fling as from next year on the competition will be replaced, nationwide by 1968 - FIRST FINAL The first final had a Saturday setting and ended in an exciting draw, Carlow and Leighlinbridge scoring four goals apiece, neither managing to put the sliotar over the crossbar.

To Carlow's Niall Broughall fell the honour for scoring the first ever goal in a Carlow U-12 hurling final, Anthony Kavanagh quickly followed with another but goals from Denis Byrne and Eamon Landy levelled proceedings before Carlow took the lead before the interval with a goal from Pat Doyle.

The second half was tense and close and Leighlinbridge equalised for the second time when a brilliant pass by Eamon Landy was pushed home by corner-forward Martin Long. Broughall again gave Carlow the lead but Jim McDonald landed a late leveller and also had a late chance to win the game for Leighlin. Leighlin forced the pace in the last quarter but good defending by Tom Begley, Don Walker and Eugene Kearns kept them at bay.

Noel Dunne was Leighlin's star and both he and namesake Kevin controlled mid-field for most of the game. In defence Pat Foley, Pat Lawler and Blanche Kehoe were in fine fettle.

The replay in Bagenalstown on a Tuesday evening ended in a welter of excitement as Carlow came storming back in the final ten minutes to snatch victory from a spirited Leighlin side.

A game in which there were only two frees ended 3-2 to 3-1, Carlow opening the scoring when Mick Delaney shot over the first ever point in a County U12 hurling championship final. Leighlin, thanks to goals from Noel Dunne, Christy Byrne and Martin Long led 3-0 to 1-2 at half-time, Niall Broughall netting the Carlow goal, Alan Keating securing the second point. Noel Dunne extended Leighlin's lead with a point on the restart but Carlow, with their outstanding half-back trio of Paddy Nolan, Frankie Haughney and Tom Begley clearing their lines to great effect, bombarded the opposition posts in the closing ten minutes, a bombardment which paid dividends when first Alan Keating goaled, then corner-forward Paddy Doyle sent to the net for the winning goal.

Best for Carlow, besides the half-backs, were goalie Kevin Connolly, John Nolan, Don Walker, Alan Keating, Niall Broughall and Francis Corcoran.

Leighlinbridge had some outstanding individuals but Carlow's extra bit of team work proved the difference. Goalie Christy Sheehan was in great form. Full-back Pat Foley was outstanding while Blanche Kehoe and Pat Lawlor also defended well. Noel Dunne and Kevin Dunne played soundly at midfield while Murty Cleere, Martin Long and Jim McDonald were the pick of the forwards.

The historic Carlow panel, the first ever Co U-12 hurling champions and the first to lift the Barrow Mills Cup was: Frankie Haughney, Alan Keating, Tom Begley, Anthony Kavanagh, Mick Delaney, Don Walker, Paddy Doyle, Mick Carey, John Nolan, Kevin Connolly, Niall Broughall, Paddy Nolan, Eugene Kearns, Willie Thompson, Brendan Ayres, Willie Keating, Mick Power, Francis Corcoran, Mick Kavanagh, Bobby Clifford.

Five of that Carlow team went on to win Carlow SHC medals with Carlow Town - Mick Delaney, Don Walker, John Nolan, Paddy Nolan, Mick Power.

1969 - CARLOW RETAIN TITLE

A brace of goals from Peter Jones and Teddy Ffrench and another from Gerry Moran (who went on to win a SHC medal) helped a John Nolan captained Carlow side to beat Muinebheag 5-0 to 2-0, Noel Monaghan bagging both Bagenalstown goals.

1968 - MUINEBHEAG'S FIRST

Three goals in the closing ten minutes captured the innovative but so far unloved baby that is the Go-Games concept.

We have said before that legends come in all shapes and sizes and this week our Legends series proves just that by putting the focus on the many small boys - and indeed girls - who, Muinebheag the first of many U-12 titles, the Bagenalstown boys, in their own McGrath Park beating holders Carlow 4-3 to 3-0.

Best for Bagenalstown were Niall Doorley, Donal O'Brien, Pat Walsh, Pat McGrath, Padraig O'Driscoll while their scores came from Seamus Thompson 20, Daragh Nolan, Gerard Maher 1-0 each, Martin O'Brien 0-2, Tony Doorley 0-1.Gerry Moran was outstanding for a Carlow side for whom Pat Walker, who later played English League soccer, scored a goal.

1971 - SIX GUN SALUTE

A superbly drilled Leighlinbridge side, much to the delight of their enthusiastic supporters beat Carlow by a whopping 12-1 to 0-3, Francis Lawlor the star of the show with six goals.

Sean Haughney, James Brennan, Michael Nevin and John Quirke starred for the winners with the twin Kane's, Charles and Joe both locating the net as did Joe Watchorn.

An accidental injury to Carlow's star mid-fielder John Kenneally did not help their cause while John Delaney, who went on to win 3 SHC medals, with beating heart, excited eyes and skilled hands vied for the Carlow U-12 hurling championship title.

Many grew up to star with club and county, as many again never handled a caman in adult life but often recall the skint knuckles and the

scored two of the points.

1972 - MUINEBHEAG MASSACRE (1)

Though only leading 3-2 to 1-0 at half-time, Muinebheag ran out 12-2 to 1-0 winners, seven players contributing to their massive final tally, Pat Dillon top scoring with 4-0 while Peter Brennan shot the lone Leighlin reply

In goal for the winners was Tom English, who went on to play over 100 games with the county seniors, mostly in defence, where he won an AllIreland SHC 'B' medal in 1992.

Noel Minchin, who won several SHC medals with Naomh Eoin, was at mid-field for Muinebheag and scored one of the points.

1973 -MUINEBHEAG MASSACRE (2)

Not even a hint of the massacre to come when Carlow made light of having to journey to Bagenalstown's own McGrath Park by firing home two goals in the first five minutes.

Still no real hint when Muinebheag, thanks to four goals from full-forward John McNally, led 4-0 to 2-0 at the break. However the second half thrill of the chase in the hurling fields of their youth.

To-day, we reel in the years as we take a quick glance at the opening twenty years or so of a competition that gave many bidding young hurlers their first taste of the 'big-time' ... throw-in unleashed an avalanche, Bagenalstown winning by a stunning 14-12 to 2-0, John 'Bonzo' McNally, who later guarded the net for Carlow footballers v Louth in the 1982 Leinster SFC in Croke Park, ending up with a record 10-2.

1974 - THREE FOR TOM

Muinebheag became the first club to complete three-in-a-row, beating Leighlinbridge 7-1 to 2-1 with captain Tom English and wing-back John Grey having started all three finals

1976 - DRIVE FOR FIVE

Myshall, appearing in their first final, were unable to prevent the Muinebheag role, the drive for five completed with a 6-2 to 4-1 final victory in Dr Cullen Park.

Seamus O'Hara, who, as a defender, went on to captain Carlow to their first ever All-Ireland Minor B title, minded the net that night while a number of other players who featured on that 1981 county minor team also featured, including James English who added an All-Ireland SHC B medal in 1992

1977 - SIX IN A ROW

'10-4 good buddy' for Muinebheag as they beat unusual finalists, Askea 10-4 to 4-0, a team captained by Willie Stephenson, who went on the play county senior as did the chap at right half forward. Indeed the chap at right half forward went on to hurl with Leinster, none other than Mark Mullins, who won an All-Ireland SHC B medal with Carlow in 1992, the same year he played in the Railway Cup. On transferring to Cork he won two coveted Co SHC medals with Na Piarsiagh and hurled with the Rebels in the Munster SHC for three years, captain in 1996.

1978 - SLYE A CUT ABOVE

Myshall won their first ever U-12 title in a final delayed until the next calendar year, the only such occurrence in the competitions history.

This final was unusual for a number of other reasons. The half-time score of 1-3 to 0-1 was also the full-time score! Mick Slye, who went on to win several SHC medals with Naomh Eoin and an All-Ireland 'Home' SHC B medal with Carlow, scored Myshall's entire tally, his first point from a superb sideline cut.

Mark Mullins scored Muinebheag's lone point while Ciaran Jordan, another 1992 All-Ireland SHC B medal winner lined out in the Myshall rearguard with Tom Byrne, holder of several SHC medals as a goalkeeper, was at mid-field.

1979 - TWO IN ONE YEAR

Myshall retained their U-12 title and thus won two in the one calendar year when beating Carlow 4-6 to 1-2 in Spellman Park, Kildavin, the mid-field dominance of Michael Nolan and James Kavanagh decisive while Billy Nolan procured a few vital goals and Tom Byre picked off delightful points.

1980 - LILLIS AND KELLY SHINE

Muinebheag beat Myshall 6-2 to 0-0, a hat-trick from James Lillis and John Kelly's 2-1 the highlights of a comprehensive victory, Mark Mullins still about while Pat English, another All-Ireland SHC B medallist of 1992 was in attack.

1981 - FUTURE HERO

A soccer-type scoreline of one-nil at half-time was continued to the final whistle when Muinebheag emerged 4-1 winners over Myshall in Dr Cullen Park, the winners green flags raised by Ger O'Neill, Francis Kelly, James Lillis and David O'Brien, the current Carlow GAA PRO.

Declan Dundon, who played in a Leinster Colleges Junior Hurling final with St Kieran's, Kilkenny was the winners goalkeeper.

1982 - LENNON STAND

Sean Foley of Myshall became the first club captain to be presented with a Co Championship Cup in the Tommy Lennon Stand when he received the Barrow Mills Cup after his team had defeated St Mullins 7-2 to 2-1 in the Friday evening final.

Foley was partnered in the middle of the field by John Byrne, who went on to play over 100 games for Carlow, captaining his county to the 1992 All-Ireland SHC B title in Ruislip, London. Among the Myshall goal scorers was D Murphy, a right corner forward, the same D Murphy who grew up to be big Des Murphy, Carlow's record hurling goal scorer, holder of All-Ireland SHC B and Christy Ring cup medals.

1983 - SONS OF THE SIXTIES

Somers, Hayden and McCarthy were names familiar to Carlow hurling followers since the swinging 1960s when the county came from oblivion to win All-Ireland junior and intermediate honours. Twenty years later the names were in the news again as sons of Pat, Brendan and Jimmy starred on the team that won Carlow Hurling Club its first U12 title, the previous Town wins under the tutelage of the Christian Brothers.

If Declan Somers, Colm Hayden and Anthony McCarthy were to the fore, the hat-trick hero in the Town's 4-1 to 1-2 victory was Padraig O'Farrell. Also prominent was Niall English who four years later won the All-Ireland Feile na nGael Skills title, as was his brother Vinny, both of whom hurled with the county and won Carlow and Leinster Club football honours with O'Hanrahan's. Colm Hayden, of course, starred with Eire Og in several Carlow and Leinster football triumphs, won an All-Ireland SFC B medal and played Railway Cup football with Leinster. Declan Somers captained Carlow CBS to the Leinster SHC B title in 1990. Myshall were well served by Peader Jordan and Pat Kelly, the latter pointing a line-ball.

1984 - CENTENARY CHAMPIONS

Every club was determined to put its best foot forward in the GAA Centenary Year of 1984 and winning the U-12 title by beating Carlow 6-1 to 2-3 gave Myshall further cause to celebrate.

Corner-forward Sean Spruhan produced a vital hat-trick for a team captained by excellent full-back Michael Byrne while big Derek Treacy had a towering game at mid-field.

1985 - ANNE FIRST GIRL

Myshall won their fifth U-12 title in eight years when outscoring St Mullins 4-0 to nil, a brace of goals from full-forward and captain Fergal Lawler crucial to the success.

Martin Doyle and Tom Donoghue also located the net while Brian Murphy and John Fitzpatrick were prominent in defence with Kevin Nolan and Mark Minchin outstanding at mid-field. St Mullins had useful hurlers in Declan Kavanagh and Pat Coady, two men who like the Myshall mid-field pairing would win SHC honours and play with the county seniors.

Playing full-forward for St Mullins was Anne Murphy, believed to be the first girl to play in an U-12 final. Anne later won Leinster Junior camogie honours with Carlow.

1986 - FIRST FOR ST. MULLINS

St Mullins, a hurling stronghold steeped in adult honours, won their first ever U-12 HC title when a talented, well balanced outfit beat Muinebheag 6-5 to 5-1 in Dr Cullen Park.

Leading 5-5 to 1-0 entering the last quarter, St Mullins had to withstand a storming Muinebheag rally but overall the stylish hurling of Declan Kavanagh and Pat Coady along with the goal scoring exploits of Alan Furlong and Micky Doyle (two apiece) won the day for the green clad Southerners . Shane Coburn scored a brace of goals for the vanquished.

1987 - POINT PICKIN' PAT

'Take note of the name Pat Coady' this scribe wrote after this final played in Evan McDonald Park, Milford the morning of the All-Ireland SHC B 'Home' final between Carlow and London.

U-12 games up to then were noted for scorelines in which goals outnumbered points and eight points was a rare feat from one team not to mind one player but Coady's delightful striking yielded that marvellous tally and gave notice of a rising star. Pat went on to become Carlow's highest scoring hurler of all-time and is still playing and scoring with his beloved St Mullins.

The Southerners won 2-8 to 2-1

that morning while down the other end another Coady, Christy of Muinebheag, also still playing senior hurling with Erin's Own, scored a brace of goals.

1988 - MARY WINS MEDAL

Magnificent was the word used to describe a thrilling final a late John Byrne free winding up in the net to give St Mullins a 4-1 to 3-2 victory over Muinebheag.

Byrne also registered the winners lone point while two goals from mid-fielder Donal Doyle and another Larry Murphy, a clever hand-passed effort gave St Mullins the upper hand and helped create history as playing a useful role at left corner forward was Mary Coady, the first girl to win an U-12 A hurling medal. Mary, a sister of Carlow's all-time top scorer, Pat, went on to win three Leinster Junior camogie medals with Carlow, lined out with Leinster in the Gael Linn Cup and gained international recognition in the shinty/camogie series with Scotland.

1989 - MURPHY RULE

An exceptional performance from right half forward Brian Murphy was the decisive factor in Muinebheag's 2-3 to 0-1 victory over Myshall in Dr Cullen Park, the No 10 shooting three splendid points, two classy scores from play and a third from a '65'. Goals from John Devine and Michael Coburn put daylight between the Bagenalstown boys and battling Myshall for whom Johnny Redmond was the line scorer.

1990 - SCORELESS, THEN BANG!

The half-time score from Dr Cullen Park constituted a competition record, neither side having managed to raise a flag. On the restart the Myshall boys, with the aid of the breeze compiled a winning tally, Padraig Kehoe locating the net twice while prominent at mid-field was one Robert Foley who went on the play over 100 games with the Carlow hurlers, winning back-to-back Christy Ring Cup medals, famously scoring the winning goal in Croke Park against Down in 2009 and still playing his part this year as the red, yellow and green climbed further up the hurling ladder.

What better place to bring our pleasant trip the U12 memory lane to an end. Let's hope that some of the U-12s of to-day will emulate and maybe even surpass the feats of the many heroes we have listed in this Legends special.