Pádraig Pearses 2-22 Athleague 1-18 (after extra time)

Daniel Glynn hit 0-16 as Pádraig Pearses were crowned Roscommon senior hurling champions for the fourth time in the club's history, after finally getting the better of Athleague at Dr. Hyde Park.

Pearses were the better team throughout but a couple of frees deep into injury time from Eamon Flanagan and Ben McGahon rescued Athleague, and sent the game to extra time.

But Pearses recovered from that late setback to re-establish their dominance and when Oisín Kelly Jnr and substitute Darragh Finn goaled in the second period of extra time, the better team were finally on their way to lifting the Mickey Cunniffe Cup.

The first half turned into a shootout between Glynn and McGahon, with Glynn accounting for all of Pearses' scores.

The pivotal point of the half occurred in the 25th minute when Pearses lost their midfielder Luke Corbett, who was involved in an incident with Niall Connolly, to a red card.

However, Pearses played better from there until half time, with Shane Naughton and Cathal Kelly thundering into proceedings alongside Glynn continuing his scoring prowess to ensure that his side were 0-09 to 0-08 ahead at the break.

Pearses always held the upperhand but they could never stretch the lead beyond five points. Glynn continued his prowess in front of goal, with Adam Finnerty also sharing the scoring burden.

However, when substitute Robbie Fallon got the faintest of touches to Cormac Kelly’s delivery from his own half-back line for an Athleague goal as the game ticked into injury time, Padraig Mannion’s side were handed a lifeline, and Flanagan and McGahon duly pointed frees in the eighth and 10th minutes of injury time to send the contest to extra time.

But Pearses, who, apart from Glynn, were inspired by Naughton and Cathal Kelly, gained a foothold once more as points from Jamie Donoghue, Leon Fehilly, Glynn (free) and Cathal Kelly pushed them 0-20 to 1-16 ahead at the end of the first period of extra time.

Finally, they put the game to bed when Kelly and Finn raised green flags to confirm a first title since 2017.

Padraig Pearses: Padraig Dolan; Ben Fallon, Paul Dolan, David Dolan; Eoghan Costello, Shane Naughton, Matthew Comerford; Luke Corbett, Karl Feehily; Michael Donoghue, Daniel Glynn (0-16, 0-10f, 0-01 ’65), Oisín Kelly Jnr (1-0); Leon Feehily (0-02), Cathal Kelly (0-02), Adam Finnerty (0-01).

Subs: Patrick Grehan for Finnerty (60), Jamie Donoghue (0-01) for Fallon (60), Darragh Finn (1-0) (introduced for extra time).

Athleague: David Connell; Tom Bannon, David Delaney, Pat Nolan; Naoise Coyle, Niall Connolly, Alan Moore (0-01); Stephen Kilcommons, Cormac Kelly; Eoghan Coyle, Gary Fallon, Cian Murray; Ben McGahon (0-13, 0-11f, 0-01 sideline, 0-01 '65), Eamon Flanagan (0-04, 0-03f), David Flaherty.

Subs: Darragh Heavey for Kilcommons (36), Robbie Fallon (1-0) for Flaherty (44), Tomás Clayton for Eoghan Coyle (56), Eamon Bannon for Moore (70), J.P. Murray for Nolan (70).

Referee: Matthew Farrell (Oran).