Gorey so close to final place
Horeswood one step away from shield victory at Féile
NAOMH EANNA put a fantastic run together in Division 3 of Féile Peil na nÓg before ultimately falling short of a final place. The adventure started out in impressive fashion with an 0-8 to nil victory over Clonmel Commercials from Tipperary.
A cracking tie against Kerry outfit An Ghaeltacht saw the spoils shared 2-5 each on Friday evening. Hosts Castlegregory proved to be no match for the powerful Gorey boys, and a 6-7 to 1-7 win secured top spot in their group.
Na Gaeil couldn’t halt the Naomh Eanna momentum in the quarter-finals, and a 3-5 to 1-3 win ensured a semi-final spot opposite South London.
But the boys from England proved too good with a 3-4 to 1-3 success, and they went on to take the crown against Lucan Sarsfields in the final.
Horeswood came agonisingly close to claiming the Division 6 shield after making it all the way to the final against Brosna/Knocknagoshel in Legion. The Kerry boys eventually took the title in a tight game by 1-4 to 0-4, but the Wexford club can be delighted with a strong showing.
It was a nail-biting encounter with nothing between the sides. Horeswood were pushing hard for a goal in the last five minutes to see them edge into the lead, and when many in the stand thought they had won a free in, the man in black thought differently and awarded the free the other way.
This saw the play move down the field and Brosna/Knocknagoshel scored a point to wrap up the 1-4 to 0-4 win.
Horeswood: Ryan Rowe, Ryan My- lett, Alex Molloy, Alan Kehoe, Dermot Clancy and Kevin Wall (joint captains), James Murphy, Danny Nolan, Jason Murphy, Conor Foley, Joe O’Sullivan, Daryl Walsh-Parle, Josh Shannon, Neil Ennis, Calvin Donovan-O’Rourke, Conor Doyle, Kyran Mylett, Adam Harris, Liam Sinnott, Daniel Wallace, Ewan Russell, Cathal Parker, Matthew Foley.
Mentors: Brian Molloy, P.J. Wall, Ryan Harris.
They had a mixed start on Friday, winning one game and losing the other.
Horeswood fell to Grangemockler from Tipperary in their first match by 1-11 to 1-2, and looked to be heading for the same fate when trailing to Ballyheigue, however a couple of late points proved the difference as they claimed a 2-5 to 1-7 success.
A goalfest, with their hosts Ardfert coming out on top by 6-0 to 4-2, stopped the New Ross District club from reaching the cup quarter-final, but they did beat Gloucestershire by 4-9 to 1-1 to make the last four of the shield.
With the semi pitting them against Ballyheigue again, a 0-3 apiece interval tie was turned into an 0-8 to 0-3 win after a visit in the dressing-room beforehand from G.A.A. President Aogán O Fearghail. However, it wasn’t to be in the final.
Things looked to be going great for Bannow-Ballymitty as they raced through the group stages in Division 10.
The Grantstown side led by 13 points at half-time in their opening game against Carlow’s Mount Leinster Rangers before running out 5-8 to nil winners.
The New Ross District club still hadn’t conceded when leading 2-3 to nil against Skellig/Valentia at the break, but eventually won by 3-7 to 1-1.
Again Bannow-Ballymitty coasted through the opening 15 mintues against St. Michael’s/Foilmore, leading by 14 before their hosts responded with a rousing second period.
A 4-8 to 3-5 win was enough to see Bannow-Ballymitty through on top of the table and set up a cup quarter-final against Renard. It was all to play for at half-time with the Kerry boys leading by five but they pulled away in the end, 7-5 to 3-3, to send their opponents back home to the south-east.
The only Wexford representative in the girls’ Féile, Crossabeg-Ballymurn, were placed in Division 3.
They lost their opening pair of games against Pádraig Pearses of Roscommon by 3-7 to 1-2 and Mourneabbey from Cork by 2-4 to 1-2 after two tough battles.
However, they bounced back on Saturday morning with a fantastic victory over their hosts, Knocknagree from Cork. The Wexford club led by 1-4 to 0-2 at halt-time after an Anna Nolan goal was added to by points from Leah Scallan (three) and Amy Whelan.
Things got tight in the second period but points from Whelan (three) and Lucy Walsh helped them over the line by 1-8 to 2-4.
That left Crossabeg-Ballymurn in the shield quarter-finals but there they faced a tough Gaultier side who missed out on the last eight proper on points difference. The Waterford club proved too strong, despite a brace of points from Whelan, as they won by 3-7 to 0-2.