Martin’s maintain unbeaten start in Minor hurling

ST. MARTIN’S unbeaten start to their Wexford People Minor hurling championship campaign continued last week with victory over Faythe Harriers.

The Piercestown-based club have now won all three of their contests and are on course for an automatic semi-final spot after this 3-11 to 1-14 success.

There was also an important 1-9 to 0-11 victory for Naomh Eanna over Rapparees, their second against the Enniscorthy boys in the group stages.

However, they still have to face the Harriers twice and those games are likely to go a long way to deciding who goes straight into the last four and who will have to settle for a quarter-final appointment.

The fight for the two places in the knockout stages out of Premier B are a little clearer. Na Piarsaigh are assured of a spot after beating Shelmaliers last week, while Blackwater are within touching distance of the other place after edging Rathgarogue-Cushinstown with a last-gasp goal.

Cloughbawn eased closer to a quarter-final place out of Roinn 1A after beating Craanford last week. Crossabeg-Ballymurn and Oulart-The Ballagh also did their hopes no harm at all with quality wins, and Ballinastragh Gaels got themselves in contention with their first victory of the season.

Rathnure are on the verge of a last eight spot after comfortably seeing off St. Anne’s last week. Glynn-Barntown had an impressive victory over fellow challengers St. James’.

Horeswood also picked up their third win in four and Our Lady’s Island/St. Fintan’s finally got some points on the board with two wins in four days.

Moguegeen Gaels have three wins out of three in Roinn 2A but behind them wins for Bannow-Ballymitty and Ballyhogue have complicated the chase for the other three spots.

In Roinn 2B, Buffers Alley and St. Patrick’s are top of the pile and poised for quarter-final positions after tasting success last week.

The Under-13s were out in the New Ross Standard hurling championship last week and there were big wins for Naomh Eanna and St. Martin’s, as well as Oulart-The Ballagh in our feature game.

With St. Anne’s, Buffers Alley and Glynn-Barntown also still in contention for a semi-final place, the next few weeks promise plenty of interesting encounters.

Both Rathnure and HWH-Bunclody are assured of quarter-final slots in Division 2 after both won last week.

Duffry Rovers’ 6-4 to 2-11 success against Ballinastragh Gaels means they are in a great position to be the third side through, but the fourth spot is set to come down to a ferocious battle to the end.

Bannow-Ballymitty are the first Division 3 side to cement their last eight berth after beating Fethard for their fifth straight success last week.

Askamore, St. James’ and Ferns St. Aidan’s, all of whom won last week, are also in the top four, meaning they hold all the aces heading into the final two round-robin games.

Monageer-Boolavogue picked up a crucial win in their quest for a Division 4 quarter-final place against Kilmore.

They are level with Liam Mellows at the top of the group, while St. Mary’s (Rosslare) are a point further back after they beat Crossabeg-Ballymurn, and Ballyhogue picked up a walkover to stay in contention.

Wins for Ballygarrett and Craanford mean that both of those clubs will take the Division 5 quarter-final spots from the 15-a-side group.

Meanwhile, Our Lady’s Island/ St. Fintan’s, Clonee and Clongeen all remain in contention for the two quarter spots in the 13-a-side group.

Things are getting clearer in the Enniscorthy Guardian Under-15 hurling Premier championship after last week’s games.

Naomh Eanna, with their fifth win from five games, are close to an automatic semi-final spot while victories for Glynn-Barntown, Fethard and Buffers Alley leave all three in a battle for the other place.

We flagged up the peculiar Roinn 1A last week, where the top four had already qualified for the last eight after just four games.

Now they are playing for position, and Blackwater and Davidstown-Courtnacuddy took the first step towards an ‘easier’ quarter-final by picking up the winning two points last week.

Three of the four spots in Roinn 1B are almost secure. Rathnure are definitely in the quarter-finals after their victory last week.

Shelmaliers and Horeswood are very close to joining them while the last spot looks set to come down to a battle between Oylegate-Glenbrien, St. Anne’s and St. James’.

A fourth victory in a row for Ballyhogue has the Enniscorthy District side on the verge of a quarter-final spot out of Roinn 2A.

Liam Mellows and Ballygarrett both look solid bets for the last eight, while Ballinastragh Gaels and Marshalstown-Castledockrell are battling too.

Taghmon-Camross are top of Roinn 2B and are sitting pretty in the last eight with two games remaining.

Clúain O’Rahilly’s won during the week to maintain their own perfect record, and Rathgarogue-Cushinstown are also in a great position after dispatching Kilmore.

Cloughbawn are also going strong while St. Mary’s (Rosslare) shouldn’t be written off.