STARS FACE TOUGH TEST
Senior football holders to play Castletown in last eight
DEFENDING CHAMPIONS Starlights will put their Tom Doyle Supplies Senior football title on the line against Castletown after the pairings for the quarter-finals were decided last weekend.
The Enniscorthy side finished second in Group B after a one-point loss to St. James’ in a low-scoring tie in Bree, but the victory was crucial for their Ramsgrange rivals as it secured the last knockout spot and a meeting with high-flying Kilanerin, the Intermediate titleholders.
With just one place up for grabs and three New Ross District teams in the hunt, there was disappointment for Gusserane who at least managed to preserve their status with a win over Taghmon-Camross who are now facing a relegation decider against Sarsfields.
The other two quarter-finals will be Wexford District derby games, with St. Martin’s pitted against Glynn-Barntown while Shelmaliers will take on St. Anne’s.
While the knockout pairings in all bar one of the adult football competitions are known, there is a delay in the Intermediate grade as a result of Ballyhogue’s appeal into the result of their controversial round three tie with St. Fintan’s.
The Enniscorthy District side maintained that they held possession and played down the clock in the closing stages of that game, on the understanding that they were leading by 0-17 to 2-10.
Referee James Flood had ordered the scoreboard operator to give them an extra point at an earlier stage, but he later stated that an error was made and the game had actually ended in a draw.
With the outcome in the boardroom set to have a huge bearing on the final placings in a tight group, the three matches scheduled for Saturday were postponed given that the matter hasn’t been resolved.
Waiting patiently for the quarter-finals will be Group A qualifiers Horeswood, Crossabeg-Ballymurn, St. Mary’s (Rosslare) and St. Mary’s (Maudlintown), with the latter securing the last place on offer with a very impressive derby win against St. Joseph’s on Friday.
The Joyces Expert Intermediate ‘A’ football championship quar- ter-finals will pit Naomh Eanna against Kilanerin, with Kilmore facing Clongeen, Cloughbawn playing Craanford, and Volunteers meeting Geraldine O’Hanrahans.
Meanwhile, the last eight line-up in the Enniscorthy Farm Systems Junior football championship will feature Oylegate-Glenbrien against Glynn-Barntown, Gusserane versus Monageer-Boolavogue, Shelmaliers against Castletown, and Naomh Eanna in opposition to Rathgarogue-Cushinstown.
Moving down to the Ennis- corthy Farm Systems Junior ‘A’ competition, the following are through: Sarsfields, Adamstown, Ballyhogue, St. Anne’s, Marshalstown-Castledockrell, HWH-Bunclody, Monageer-Boolavogue and Our Lady’s Island.
St. Patrick’s will face Kilrush in the Joyces Expert Intermediate ‘A’ relegation final, with an Enniscorthy derby between Shamrocks and Starlights in the Enniscorthy Farm Systems Junior equivalent
The bottom two in the Enniscorthy Farm Systems Junior ‘A’ are St. Martin’s and Clongeen.