Gusserane will top table

GUSSERANE 2-15

ST. MARY’S (ROSSLARE) 1-10

GUSSERANE WILL top Group B of the Permanent TSB Junior hurling championship, regardless of what happens in the last round of fixtures, after they dominated against St. Mary’s (Rosslare) in Hollymount on Saturday.

The New Ross District side had too much speed for their more experienced opponents and they used it to create havoc. Seán Ryan, Sam Wall and Gary O’Grady all got multiple scores while Mark O’Neill really shone.

The Gusserane wing-forward scored the hard way, but he made swatting points from distance look routine as one after the other split the Rosslare posts. How things go with the big ball will have a big say on this side’s hopes of the title, but they are probably the team to beat right now.

Points by Andrew Murphy and Robert Butler sandwiched a string of Lee Devereux dead balls as St. Mary’s clung to their opponents’ tails in the firsthalf. However, it was as much the Gusserane wides that kept the game close at the break.

Still, with scores from play coming a lot easier, the table-toppers opened up a 0-9 to 0-6 lead at the change of ends.

Three more Devereux frees ensured that a previously unbeaten Rosslare drew level after 36 minutes but parity was merely a cruel facade.

Gusserane were ready to break away and that started with Wall’s rocket in the 39th minute. The scores flowed and Seán Ryan put the result beyond doubt with a second goal ten minutes from time.

With Butler and Peter Carr in the vicinity, Devereux’s free was deflected to the net on full-time but it only marginally dampened the victors’ mood.

Gusserane: Micheál Ryan; Jack O’Connor, Kenneth Cahill (capt.), Robert Browne; Gavin Sheehan, Shane Cullen, Paul Wall; Adrian Redmond, Páraic Conway; Gary O’Grady (0-3, 1 free), Liam Dillon, Mark O’Neill (0-5); Sam Wall (1-3, 0-2 frees), Mark Rossiter (0-1), Seán Ryan (1-3). Subs. - Shane Doyle for Browne, inj. (19), Fintan Ryan for Redmond (43), Jack Burford for Rossiter (50), Tom Foran for Wall (57).

St. Mary’s (Rosslare): Naomhan Rossiter; Gearóid Byrne, Conor Cafferkey, Conal Grant; Larry Morrissey, David Murphy, Richard Bent; Tiarnan Rossiter, Peter Carr; Paul Kinsella, Andrew Murphy (0-1), Robert Butler (capt., 0-1); Ultan Quirke, Jason Ellard, Lee Devereux (1-8, 1-7 frees, 0-1 ’65). Subs. - Barry Quirke for Grant (30), Ian Kavanagh for Bent (42), Stephen Breen for Kinsella (46), Derek Brohan for Ellard (58).

Referee: Mick Lanigan (Shelmaliers).