Alley Minor boost
Whelan goal vital as Ferns defeated
BUFFERS ALLEY 1-14 FERNS ST. AIDAN’S 3-7
STUCK IN the middle of a sea of points, Jack Whelan scored the all-important 43rd-minute goal as Buffers Alley battled past a dogged Ferns St. Aidan’s to take the Wexford People Minor hurling Roinn 2 championship title in Camolin on Sunday.
In many ways it was a classic hurling encounter, full of unrelenting effort and limitless energy, but in other ways it was a peculiar kind of game.
The scoreline tells a little bit of that story, but not the whole thing.
Buffers Alley looked the stronger side, with an ability on the ball that constantly left their opponents under the cosh.
They picked off some fine scores and, it might seem like a small thing, but their striking of the sliothar was clean and consistent, leading to several good points.
Yet for all their good work, they struggled to get the better of a rock-solid Ferns full-back line.
It’s why Whelan’s goal was so important as, running away from the posts, the corner-forward whacked a sublime finish back across goal to give James Kinsella no chance.
On the other hand, Ferns didn’t have as much of the ball but they consistently looked like they were on the verge of breaking through to net.
They got three goals, and on another day, with a little more luck, it could have been five or six and the title would have been theirs.
They started very much in that manner, with Byron Jordan flashing home off the deck in the opening minutes.
Michael Butler brought the Alley level but Bob Byrne fired off the crossbar and over and Shane Breen registered to leave Ferns 1-2 to 0-3 ahead after the opening quarter.
Jordan hauled in a searching Páraic Kinsella pass and dispatched home his second major in the 22nd minute, but the Monamolin boys hit back with Ben Murphy and Liam Walsh on target to get within one in the 28th minute (2-2 to 0-7).
Ferns St. Aidan’s finished the half on the front foot, with scores from Breen and Seb Rynhart leaving them three up at the change of ends.
Yet that advantage was soon wiped out as three Walsh deadballs and a Cormac Walsh point put the Alley ahead for the second time.
Despite a couple of Breen frees, Buffers Alley looked to be easing clear after Whelan netted and Butler added his third point to put them 1-13 to 2-6 up after 47 minutes.
Things got dicey when Ferns won a penalty, only for Cian O’Connor to save from Ciarán Murphy.
Right on 60 minutes Ferns got a lifeline when Breen’s free was deflected into the net off a defender’s hurl, and Walsh left two between the sides with an injury-time point.
The St Aidan’s boys battered the goal for the last few minutes but to no avail, and their challenge ended when Rory Scallan flashed over their last chance right at the death.
Buffers Alley: Cian O’Connor; Oisín Tyrrell, David Meleady, Myles O’Connor; Jack Murphy, Adam Byrne (joint capt.), Eoin McNulty; Liam Walsh (0-9 frees), Jack Twomey; Ben Murphy (0-1), Oisín Fortune (joint capt.), Cillian Larkin; Martin Keane, Michael Butler (0-3), Jack Whelan (1-0). Subs. - Cormac Walsh (0-1) for B. Murphy (31), Jack Redmond for J. Murphy (31), Edward Harney for Keane (47), Jack Hearne for O’Connor, inj. (52), also Ciarán Hearne, David Hearne, Eoin O’Meara, Jack Fanning, James Reilly, Jamie Corrigan, Niall Corrigan, Oisín O’Hagan, Pádraig Moran, Richard Devereux.
Ferns St. Aidan’s: James Kinsella; Conor O’Toole, Patrick O’Toole, Adam Quinn; Barry Murphy, Rory Scallan (capt., 0-1 free), Barry O’Toole; Shane Breen (1-4, 1-3 frees, 0-1 ’65), Brian Stafford; Páraic Kinsella, Ciarán Murphy, Byron Jordan (2-0); Tom Browne, Bob Byrne (0-1), Seb Rynhart (0-1). Subs. - George Warren for B. Murphy (45), Evan Murphy for Browne (46), also Josh Kinsella, Craig Murphy.
Referee: Roly Buckley (Ballyhogue).