Easy for Oulart
Rathnure suffer heavy loss
OULART-THE BALLAGH turned on the style when overwhelming Rathnure while advancing to the All-County Hurling League Division 1 final with a powerful 2-26 to 0-10 victory at a picturesque Rathnure on Saturday.
The story is in the statistics as far as the victors are concerned, with eight different players registering at least twice on the scoresheet.
Indeed, the fact that one of the best defenders from any era of Wexford hurling, Keith Rossiter, managed to pop up the field twice to land a brace illustrates the gulf in class between two of the traditional heavyweights of the local club scene.
Rathnure actually held a slender lead after three minutes, with midfield partnership Eoin Higgins and Podge Doyle landing a neat point apiece from tricky angles, and Seán O’Connor tagging on a free for good measure to build a 0-3 to 0-1 advantage.
Unfortunately, the locals would only register seven more times before the end as Oulart-The Ballagh began knocking over scores with regularity.
Murtha Doyle bagged their first goal on six minutes when the sliothar broke off Anthony Roche and he drilled home under the legs of experienced custodian Dermot Flynn.
Rossiter’s pair came from midrange, and Des Mythen also contributed two from play, while Niall Redmond, Roche, Nicky Kirwan (two, one free), Rory Jacob (‘65) and Garrett Sinnott made sure they sat comfortably in front by 1-12 to 0-7 at half-time.
Jacob (free) and Shane Lawlor traded early scores on the re-start, but normal service resumed as the visitors outscored their rivals by 1-13 to 0-2 for the remainder of the half to send out a warning call to the rest of the county.
Their second goal was the last score of the game as Sinnott hammered home at the death, while substitutes Tomás Dunne and Peter Sutton nabbed points for themselves in their brief cameos.
Oulart-The Ballagh: Conor O’Leary; Eamonn Murphy, Dennis Morton, Ian Storey; Kevin Nimmo, Keith Rossiter (0-2), Conor Goff; Cormac Finn, Niall Redmond (0-2); Rory Jacob (capt., 0-2, 1 free, 1 ‘65), Des Mythen (0-4), Anthony Roche (0-3); Murtha Doyle (1-1), Garrett Sinnott (1-3, 0-1 free), Nicky Kirwan (0-7, 4 frees). Subs. - Billy Dunne for Finn (37), Tomás Dunne (0-1) for Goff (41), Nicholas Cullen for Murphy (43), Michael Jacob for Cullen, inj. (46), Peter Sutton (0-1) for Doyle (49).
Rathnure: Dermot Flynn (capt.); Paddy Whiteley, Eoin Boggan, Denis Maher; Ben Ronan, Brian Quigley, Aidan Redmond; Podge Doyle (0-1), Eoin Higgins (0-1); Michael Martin, Cathal O’Connor (0-1), Richie Flynn; Seán O’Connor (0-3, 1 free, 1 ‘65), James Tobin, Shane Lawlor (0-2). Subs. - Seánie Redmond for Martin (HT), Mark Boland for Higgins (HT), Micheál O’Connor (0-2) for Tobin (37), Philip Redmond for Lawlor (48).
Referee: John O’Loughlin (Monageer-Boolavogue).