Smaller clubs are flying the Wexford flag in super style

NOT FOR the first time, it’s the so-called smaller clubs who are keeping Wexford’s AIB Leinster Club championship hopes alive. For so many years the club championship has proved the proverbial pothole for Wexford Senior clubs, but not so the lesser lights.

Following upon the glorious run of Fethard to last year’s All-Ireland final, it’s now the turn of Rathgarogue-Cushinstown (football) and Ballygarrett (hurling) as both have qualified for their respective Junior provincial finals.

In the process, they produced quality displays which should be a timely reminder to the more exalted clubs that, with a professional approach, Wexford has the quality to match what’s on offer in the provincial title race.

In the circumstance, one can take some solace from the exploits of these two sides, as it helped lift the gloom in the county following the dismal showings of both St. Martin’s and Castletown in the Senior championships.

Cloughbawn’s disappointing dismantling by Naas in the Intermediate hurling grade only added to the problems that beset several Wexford club sides once they enter the provincial championship arena.

Having witnessed the progress of Rathgarogue-Cushinstown through successive games, one had to admire their unrelenting commitment in disposing of the Dublin champions, Craobh Chiaráin, to be followed by that marvellous semi-final victory over Offaly Intermediate champions, Shannonbridge, on Sunday.

While the trip to Meath for the provincial final will be even more challenging, Rathgarogue-Cushinstown are playing to such a standard and, given their excellent fitness, their backroom team led by James Bolger (manager), along with Donie Noonan, John Michael Porter and Barry Murphy, will see it as a game they are still capable of winning.

Having won the Wexford Intermediate ‘A’ championship in such impressive fashion, manager Bolger said that the players immediately focused their attention on the provincial championship, after a few short days of celebration.

They put all their energies into making a meaningful impact on their first venture into provincial club championship football, and this was illustrated in all of their games.

Acutely aware of what was facing them, they saw off the Kilkenny Intermediate champions, Mooncoin, in their opening game in Graiguenamanagh.

They then focused on their following two games and, by their own admission, they could not come quickly enough given the appetite of the players, who were determined to attack each game with a determination to prolong their season.

Their approach has paid dividends and one could see how much it meant to the players, mentors and supporters, young and old, all of whom helped swell the attendance for what was the biggest game in the club’s history.

One could clearly see what it meant to the older generation as they gathered to congratulate the players and mentors on the final whistle. This victory meant so much to a small rural parish which is without doubt symbolic of the backbone of the G.A.A.

As the clock ticked down to those final moments, the home support drove their parish favourites over the line, giving them one of their proudest moments to date.

They are now just 60 minutes away from achieving their objective. One can never have enough of this, and Rathgarogue-Cushinstown are determined to carry on.

Ballygarrett may have been in the midst of an evolution at the start of the season. Having been relegated at the end of 2017, they were determined to regain their Intermediate hurling status as quickly as possible. They came into this season with this as their aim, and they achieved it with some sparkling displays.

With the taste of success providing huge motivation, they set the provincial Junior championship as a target, and have hurled their way through to a provincial final this weekend.

They have brought increased excitement to their small north Wexford parish, and the plan now is to win a first-ever provincial hurling title. It all adds up to what should be another sparkling occasion for the club.