Friday is Byrne Cup final night
A COUPLE of appetising games are on the cards this week to determine the winners of the 2019 Jim Byrne Cup (Co. Minor football league).
Two of the pre-competition favourites – Shelmaliers and Ballynastragh Gaels – will lock horns in the semi-final tonight (Tuesday) under the Hollymount floodlights at 8 p.m.
And the winners won’t have long before returning to action, as Horeswood lie in wait in the decider which is down for decision in St. Patrick’s Park, Enniscorthy, on Friday at 7.45 p.m.
The New Ross District side booked their place with a thrilling one-point (2-11 to 3-7) win over Glynn-Barntown in a game that went to extra-time, and hopes are high that tonight’s clash will be every bit as entertaining.
Horeswood have steadily built momentum as the competition has progressed, having qualified for the last four with earlier victories over St. Martin’s, St. Mary’s (Maudlintown) and Kilrush respectively.
Shelmaliers saw off Starlights, St. Anne’s and Moguegeen Gaels to reach the semi-final, while Ballynastragh Gaels have accounted for Monageer-Boolavogue, Starlights and St. James’ (after a replay).
Over 20 clubs entered the competition, and the quarter-final stages of the O’Loughlin Cup (for teams beaten already in the Byrne Cup) have also been reached.
St. Anne’s beat Sarsfields by 3-5 to 0-7 to reach the penultimate round, while the other pairings are Monageer-Boolavogue v. Kilrush (4-7 to 1-4), Gusserane v. St. James’, and St. Martin’s v. Moguegeen Gaels.
A third competition, the Cullen Cup, is for teams who also lost in the O’Loughlin Cup, and the three first round games are: St. Mary’s (Rosslare) v. Bannow-Ballymitty, Taghmon-Camross v. St. Mary’s (Maudlintown), and Starlights v. Duffry Rovers.
These long-running Minor football winter competitions were inaugurated by Wexford’s ‘Mr. Football’, Seamus Keevans, in 1967, and he ran them superbly until his untimely death in 2008.
He was ably assisted by his great friend, the late Davy Nolan, along with the late Jim Ferguson, as well as many others at various stages during this time.
Between 2009 and 2017 the competition continued under the guidance of Shay Keevans, Fintan Whyte, and Jim and Monica Ferguson.
The current organisers are James Mullally (Gusserane O’ Rahilly’s) and Eddie O’Sullivan (Kilanerin).
Starlights are the Byrne Cup holders, having beaten Ballynastragh Gaels in the 2018 final, while Shelmaliers defeated St. James’ to clinch the O’Loughlin Cup, and Gusserane accounted for St. Anne’s to claim the Cullen Cup.
Unlimited substitutions are allowed in the games of 30 minutes per half, and teams can either play 15-a-side by mutual agreement, or else 13-a-side.
Ten minutes each way of extra-time will be played in the event of a draw at the end of normal time and, if the sides remain deadlocked, a 20-metre free-kick shoot-out (off the ground) will determine the winner.
Points only count in that instance, with no goalkeeper required.