NEWS IN BRIEF
SHELS ON SONG: It was a bumper weekend on the Coiste na nOg scene, with four finals played in the Drover Foods Juvenile football championships.
Shelmaliers defeated a hard-trying Adamstown team by 1-10 to 1-7 in the Division 1 decider in St. Patrick’s Park, with Gareth Gillen scoring the goal for the victors who were captained from full-back by Niall Kelly.
The Division 2 final at the same venue resulted in a 3-14 to 2-7 win for Ferns St. Aidan’s over Clongeen.
Current county hurling star Paul Morris lined out at full-forward and scored four points, two from frees.
The Division 3 final in St. Patrick’s Park was an exciting affair, with Monageer-Boolavogue holding off a late rally from Kilmore to triumph by 3-10 to 2-10.
Their goals came from captain James Walsh, Jonathan Hughes and Mark Brady.
Cushinstown hosted the Division 4 final, with Glynn-Barntown getting the verdict over Fethard on a 2-6 to 1-6 scoreline.
Alan Cowman captained the winners, and current county goalkeeper Mark Fanning came off the bench.
TOP PLAYERS FETED: The outstanding performers of the 2004-’05 Wexford Football League season were honoured at the annual player of the year awards in the Horse and Hound, Ballinaboola.
F.A.I. Chairman Milo Corcoran and chief executive John Delaney were guests at the occasion which featured presentations to Marty Kelly (St. Cormac’s, Premier Division), Daithí Whelan (Shamrock Rovers, Division 1), Adrian Flynn (St. Leonards, Division 2), Ian Stafford (Adamstown, Division 2A), Ger Kelly (Moyne Rangers, Division 3), Barry Turner (St. Cormac’s, Division 3A), Trevor Hogan (Cloughbawn, Division 4), David Owens (Boolavogue, Division 4A), and Derek Goucher (Bridge Rovers, Division 5).
The youths awards went to Richie Fitzgerald (New Ross Celtic, Premier Division), Dylan Kehoe (Bunclody, Division 1), Billy Larkin (Caim, Division 2) and Philip Drohan (New Ross Town, Division 3).
FIVE-STAR ALBION: Lee Chin was one of the key figures as Wexford Albion produced a fivestar display to see off town rivals Wexford Celtic in the Under-12 Cup final in Curracloe.
Goals from Jonathan Maguire (two), Kevin Tierney (two) and influential midfielder Gary Byrne secured a comprehensive 5-0 win.
Meanwhile, one of Chin’s current county hurling colleagues, Kevin Foley, captained Moyne Rangers to their 4-2 victory over Crossabeg in the Under-10 final at the same venue.
OSCARS ALL ROUND: It was Oscars all round for Wexford officials who took charge of an Oscar Traynor Trophy final for the first time.
Referee for the Waterford versus Galway decider held in Ozier Park was Damien Donovan, and he was assisted by Paddy Nolan and Eddie Redmond, while Peter Rowlands was the fourth official.
TOP JOB FOR MORAN: Robbie Moran, the young National Hunt jockey from Cleariestown, secured one of the top jobs on offer in the business - conditional jockey at the Davidstown stables of Paul Nolan.