Full reports from all the big hurling club games
Kirwan goal seals the deal
OULART-THE Ballagh needed all their experience to grind out a hard-earned victory over Shelmaliers to advance to the Pettitt’s Senior hurling championship semi-finals in Innovate Wexford Park on Sunday.
The champions still may not have hit top gear in their year’s renewal, but the winning habit is hard to shake. They were gritty, potent and fairly unspectacular in this match-up but the only thing that matters at this stage is moving on to the next round.
That’s exactly what Oulart-The Ballagh did as they booked a mouth-watering semi-final spot opposite an impressive Rapparees outfit. There’s no secret about how the victors are playing at this stage, as they once again threw Garrett Sinnott inside and long balls were directed at the big man.
In the grand scheme of things, it’s quite the departure from what made Oulart-The Ballagh the side they were in the last decade. There’s a bravery about changing up a winning formula and an honesty to the realisation that it needs to be done.
It’s a bit like the whole Tiger Woods swing change situation. Everyone had an opinion but there’s generally strong reasoning behind why things have to change. Age is often the determining factor, as indicated by the continued use of the industrious Rory Jacob as a playmaking midfielder.
All-in-all it was a good showing from a Shelmaliers side which didn’t impress in what turned out to be the weaker group. That’s not much consolation, having exited the championship, but they do have the strong shot at ending the season on a high note in football.
With the Enniscorthy District side leading by 0-2 to 0-1 in the seventh minute, the game got its first goal. Keith Rossiter was the provider, out in the half-back line cleaning up possession. His ball low into Garrett Sinnott was almost delivered in slow-motion.
For a millisecond the Oulart-The Ballagh targetman hesitated. That split-step might well have fooled his marker as when he did break back to take possession he was in space. Sinnott drove towards the goal and, when close enough to see the whites of Brian Murphy’s eyes, he unleashed a rocket to the net.
Despite Conor O’Leary saving a Simon Donohoe bullet shot, the Over The Water side fought back to tie the contest when Murphy nailed a dead-ball from inside his own ‘45. Still Oulart-The Ballagh responded late in the half and could have went into the changing room with a reasonable lead.
Again it was Sinnott causing the problems, as he battled his way in on the right and forced the ball across goal. With Tommy Storey just about to pull home to the empty net, referee John Carton blew the whistle for the penalty.
O’Leary came up from his goal to take it. He struck it reasonably well but his opposite number saved it onto the post.
Des Mythen tapped over in the ensuing passage of play but two Joe Kelly line balls from the left wing tied the game at the break (0-9 to 1-6).
It took just nine seconds for Oulart-The Ballagh to hit the front again after the interval as Sinnott got away on the right side of goal and drilled a clinical finish across Murphy to the net.
That goal still separated the sides when Shelmaliers won a penalty in the 43rd minute (2-8 to 0-11).
It was the other number 14 causing problems this time. Eoghan Nolan broke away on Eoin Doyle’s pass and was fouled. Again it fell to a ‘keeper to make the long trot forward and again he failed to hit the net, as Murphy fired a couple of yards over the crossbar.
Still Oulart-The Ballagh scored just one Mythen point between the 46th and 59th minutes as Shelmaliers closed to one after Kelly’s sixth point. They had three chances to level it, as Ciarán O’Shaughnessy and Kelly missed the target while James Cash’s effort fell short.
The Hollymount club paid for those when Nicky Kirwan latched onto a break from a long ball forward and sent a perfect finish high past Murphy. Mythen put the seal on victory with an injury time point to set up a semi-final with the Rapparees.
Oulart-The Ballagh: Conor O’Leary; Anthony Roche, Keith Rossiter, Barry Kehoe; Dennis Morton, Shaun Murphy, Kevin Sheridan; Eoin Moore, Rory Jacob; Tommy Storey (0-1), David Redmond, Peter Murphy (0-1); Des Mythen (0-3), Garrett Sinnott (2-0), Nicky Kirwan (1-6, 0-3 frees, 0-2 ‘65). Subs. - Martin Og Storey for Redmond (40), Billy Dunne for T. Storey (56), Michael Jacob for Kirwan (60+2), Peter Sutton for P. Murphy (60+3).
Shelmaliers: Brian Murphy (0-2, 1 free, 1 pen.); Ciarán Walsh, Aidan Murphy, Benny Barron; Glen Malone, Aidan Cash, Simon Donohoe; Andre O’Brien, Eoin Doyle (0-1); Conor Hearne (0-2), Brian Malone, Stephen Banville (0-3); Ciarán O’Shaughnessy (0-1), Eoghan Nolan, Joe Kelly (0-6, 4 frees, 2 line balls). Subs. - Páraic O’Leary for Malone (51), James Cash for Hearne (56), Conor Byrne for Nolan (56), Ronan Kavanagh for O’Shaughnessy (60+1).
Referee: John Carton (Monageer-Boolavogue).