JOY FOR JOSEPH’S
Bishopswater boys bridge 27-year gap
ST. JOSEPH’S 1-6 KILMORE 1-3
THE DILIGENT work undertaken by St. Joseph’s to re-develop their Coiste na NOG section was richly rewarded in St. Patrick’s Park, Enniscorthy, on Tuesday when they survived a late Kilmore comeback to clinch the Féile Peil Division 3 title – their first success at this level since 1992.
A trip west for the All-Ireland event awaits in a couple of months, and it was fully deserved although they couldn’t afford to completely relax until the final whistle.
Targetman Dean Hillis was in very accurate form for the winners, and he gave them a lead they were destined to hold on to with the first of his three points in the sixth minute.
With Shane Curran and Brandon Stafford very strong down the spine of their defence, the Bishopswater crew repelled some Kilmore attacks before pouncing for their vital goal in the approach to half-time.
Kaylem Harnett sent in a high ball that was caught and finished to the net by corner-forward Liam Dempsey, and the former then knocked over a free taken off the ground to leave his side with an interval lead of 1-2 to nil.
Kilmore needed just 41 seconds to open their account on the restart, with James Cousins marking his move to centre-forward with a point from a Noah Culleton pass.
However, St. Joseph’s continued to hold sway, with Dean Hillis adding his second and third points on either side of another accurate free from Kaylem Harnett (1-5 to 0-1).
Kilmore gave themselves a glimmer of hope when Culleton earned a free that he promptly dispatched to the net with 90 seconds of the 20 minutes left, but a foul on the influential Hillis at the other end led to Harnett kicking the winners’ last point (1-6 to 1-1).
The seasiders pressed hard in the five-plus minutes of added time, earning a penalty for a footblock but, unfortunately for them, Noah Culleton drove the spot-kick over the bar.
Corner-forward Tadhg Rowe then pointed from a tight angle to leave them in search of an equalising goal, but St. Joseph’s netminder Corey O’Rourke advanced from his line to make a vital late interception before the final whistle sparked joyous celebrations for his side.
That previous Féile win for the club was 27 years ago when Ballyhogue were pipped by one point (1-2 to 1-1) in the Division 4 final in Wexford Park.
And after losing the 2018 Under-13 Division 3 shield decider to Crossabeg-Ballymurn after a replay, this win was warmly welcomed by the dedicated mentors who now have a trip to Connacht to arrange as well as the championship to look forward to.
St. Joseph’s: Corey O’Rourke; Seán McCleane, Shane Curran, Darragh Holmes; Jamie Barnes, Brandon Stafford, Lee Byrne; Cian Whelan, Ryan Gavin (capt.); Adam Tierney, Kaylem Harnett (0-3, 2 frees), Aaron Doyle; Charlie Lawlor, Dean Hillis (0-3), Liam Dempsey (1-0). Subs. - James Whelan for Lawlor (33), also Adam O’Leary, Jack Clare, Killian Whelan, Dion Smith, Kian Roche, Dougie O’Dowd, Callum Fowler, Logan Byrne, Tommy Hillis, James Kirby, Troy Sinnott, Tommy Convey.
Kilmore: Luca Raftery; Jake Scallan, James Cloney, Aaron Dempsey; Joseph Healy, Leo Sinnott (joint capt.), Dylan Hore; James Cousins (0-1), David O’Reilly; Noah Culleton (joint capt., 1-1, 1-0 free, 0-1 pen.), Lewis Cosgrave, Stefan Bates; Eoin Cheevers, Conor O’Reilly, Tadgh Rowe (0-1). Subs. - Mark Kelly for Dempsey (23), also Sam Fortune, Seán Lowry, Darragh Mythen, John Rochford, Killian Sinnott, Mark Roche, Ben Jeffers.
Referee: Ian Plunkett (Marshalstown-Castledockrell).