Epic from old rivals
Rathnure and Oulart share the spoils
RATHNURE 1-23 OULART-BALLAGH 2-20
TRADITIONAL RIVALS Rathnure and Oulart-The Ballagh served up an exhilarating contest in Group B of the Pettitt’s Senior hurling championship in Bellefield on Saturday, with the spoils deservedly shared after an action-packed battle featuring 46 scores.
While neither club may be as strong nowadays as in their glorious past reigns, they always seem to bring out the best in each other and this was certainly no exception.
Rathnure were seeking to record back-to-back wins in this match-up for the first time since their 1999 and 2002 successes, and the points were precious to both clubs after their narrow opening round losses.
Oulart-The Ballagh had been victorious in ten of their twelve meetings from 2004 to 2016, with the only exception arriving in 2006 when the black and ambers won a replayed county final by nine points.
This latest meeting fizzed with intensity from the off, with Wexford defender Shaun Murphy giving his side the perfect start after a mere 19 seconds.
His run from left half-back wasn’t tracked after the lively Des Mythen sprayed a pass into the left corner for the impressive Cathal Kenny. The latter’s flicked pass left Murphy in the clear, and he made no mistake as Oulart-The Ballagh responded well to the absence of the suspended Rory Jacob and the injured Paul Roche.
That goal still divided the sides at the end of the opening quarter (1-5 to 0-5), with Garrett Sinnott posing a constant threat at full-forward.
He picked off a point to add to successful strikes from Billy Dunne (two frees), Cathal Kenny and Peter Sutton, while Ciarán O’Connor (three, two frees), Michael Redmond and a super finish from Seán O’Connor accounted for the Rathnure response.
The Blackstairs men improved steadily as the half progressed, drawing level for the first time in the 22nd minute after three points without reply from O’Connor (free), Shane Lawlor and the prolific Rory Higgins who finished with five from play (0-9 to 1-6).
Sinnott restored the Oulart-The Ballagh lead, but five of the last six points before the break came from Rathnure as they retired at the break with a 0-14 to 1-8 advantage.
A monster free from netminder Dermot Flynn had restored parity before Ciarán O’Connor put them ahead from another placed ball, while Higgins also chipped in with a brace in that period of non-stop action.
Shaun Murphy had been inches away from a spectacular second goal, this time from long range, in the 26th minute, but spectators were treated to a fantastic finish at the same end, from an opposition player, after the interval.
Prior to that, fortune favoured Oulart-The Ballagh when they drew level with their second goal in the 42nd minute.
A Billy Dunne free came back off the right post at the Bellefield Road end, and it fell perfectly for the opportunist Peter Sutton who tucked this unexpected chance away (2-10 to 0-16).
Dunne quickly converted two more placed balls, but Rathnure responded via Ciarán O’Connor (free) and Shane Lawlor.
Oulart-The Ballagh enjoyed a bright spell at the start of the final quarter which seemed to put them on course for victory, hitting five points without reply from influential ball-winning substitute Peter Murphy, Dunne (free), Cathal Kenny (now at midfield), Des Mythen and Garrett Sinnott as they established a 2-18 to 0-20 lead.
Rathnure needed something special, and they most certainly got it in the 57th minute as Bellefield was brought to its feet by one of the finest goals I have seen in nearly 30 years covering the Wexford club scene.
Captain Ciarán O’Connor was on the edge of the ‘D’ when an Oulart-The Ballagh player batted the ball into his path, and he gathered and turned on to his left in one swift movement before drilling a memorable exocet into the corner of an unsighted Conor O’Leary’s net (2-18 to 1-20).
It was a stunning strike, a score very much in keeping with the overall quality of the game, and it led to a heart-stopping finale.
Billy Dunne put Oulart-The Ballagh two clear from a clever Des Mythen pass into space, only for a free plus a ’65 from O’Connor to bring his side level 50 seconds into added time (1-22 to 2-19).
Garrett Sinnott caught a Peter Murphy delivery and earned a free for Dunne to tap over, but Rathnure equalised directly from the puckout with a beautiful high, overthe-shoulder effort off his left side by midfielder Michael Redmond.
A hook on Mythen led to an Oulart-The Ballagh wide, with the full-time whistle blown on the re-start just as Seán O’Connor prepared to gather possession in a small pocket of space.
Fair play to both teams for serving up such fine fare, and what a shame that we won’t get to see them in action again for several weeks, just as the real hurling weather has arrived.
Rathnure: Dermot Flynn (0-1 free); Cathal O’Connor, Eoin Boggan, Mark Boland; Paddy Whiteley, Pádraig Doyle, Micheál O’Connor; Michael Redmond (0-2), Eoin Higgins; Shane Lawlor (0-3), Ciarán O’Connor (capt., 1-11, 0-9 frees, 0-1 ’65), Richie Flynn; Seán O’Connor (0-1), James Tobin, Rory Higgins (0-5). Subs. - Jason Lawler for R. Flynn (45), Aidan Redmond for E. Higgins, inj. (51), Kiall Byrne for R. Higgins, inj. (59).
Oulart-The Ballagh: Conor O’Leary; Anthony Roche, Keith Rossiter, Barry Kehoe; Kevin Sheridan, Eoin Moore (capt.), Shaun Murphy (1-1); Billy Dunne (0-9, 7 frees), Nicholas Cullen; Martin Óg Storey, Tomás Dunne, Des Mythen (0-2); Peter Sutton (1-1), Garrett Sinnott (0-3), Cathal Kenny (0-3). Subs. - Peter Murphy (0-1) for Storey (HT), Conor Goff for Cullen (40).
Referee: Seán Whelan (St. Martin’s).