The last four groups three
Alley and Duffry ruled the roost in 1991 championships
THE OUTCOME of Wednesday’s County Board meeting means that both Senior championships will be played on a four groups of three basis for the first time since 1991.
It’s 29 years since the last use of a system that ended with Duffry Rovers extending their run to a magnificent seven titles on the trot, while Buffers Alley claimed the second-last of their dozen outright victories.
With two teams per group advancing to open draw quarter-finals, and the bottom side destined for a relegation play-off, every game had meaning in 1991.
However, while the use of scoring difference in the event of equal points is commonplace nowadays, that wasn’t the case at the time, and it led to a messy football championship in particular.
In three of the four groups, all of the teams were on two points apiece after their two matches.
The only exception was in Group 4, where Sarsfields were first to qualify on three points, and Clongeen joined them on that figure after a winner-takes-all clash with St. Anne’s.
In the other three groups, play-offs were needed to determine the two qualifiers. It was based on the luck of the draw, with two teams drawn out of a hat to meet first, and the third side getting a bye.
The winner of the first game advanced to the quarter-finals, while the loser had a second chance. However, the team in receipt of that bye only had one opportunity to make the knockout stages.
As it transpired, Glynn-Barntown lost their first play-off to HWH-Bunclody, but then redeemed themselves against neighbours Taghmon-Camross and went on to contest a third successive final against the unbeatable Duffry Rovers – the best club football team I have ever seen in Wexford.
However, the other teams defeated in phase one of the play-offs – St. Martin’s and Gusserane – also lost their second ties and ended up in a relegation scrap.
The men in maroon were eventually demoted to Intermediate, even though they were the only team to have lowered the Duffry’s colours earlier in the campaign.
By way of contrast, the Senior hurling championship was a little more straightforward, although a couple of play-offs were still required.
In all four of the groups, one team had reached the quarter-finals after the first two rounds, meaning that the last match was a do-or-die affair across the board.
St. Martin’s, Cloughbawn and Rathnure had all won twice, while Buffers Alley were also through on three points after a win over Oulart-The Ballagh and a draw with Faythe Harriers.
The town team then joined them on the same tally with a last-round success to advance, only to falter when the sides met again in the county final in early October.
In two of the other three groups, the last match resulted in a draw, meaning play-offs were needed as – similar to the football – scoring difference wasn’t in use.
Ferns St. Aidan’s were initially held by Crossabeg-Ballymurn, but tightened up considerably in defence to advance at the second attempt, while Duffry Rovers had five points to spare after an initial share of the spoils with Rapparees.
SENIOR HURLING CHAMPIONSHIP 1991
GROUP ONE
June 1, Wexford Park: St. Martin’s 2-14, Glynn-Barntown 4-5 July 7, Monamolin: St. Martin’s 4-6, Naomh Eanna 0-13
July 21, Bellefield: Glynn-Barntown 2-17, Naomh Eanna 2-12
GROUP TWO
June 2, Wexford Park: Cloughbawn 3-10, Crossabeg-Ballymurn 1-11 July 7, Wexford Park: Cloughbawn 2-17, Ferns St. Aidan’s 1-12
July 28, Bellefield: Ferns St. Aidan’s 3-10, Crossabeg-Ballymurn 5-4
GROUP THREE
June 1, New Ross: Rathnure 4-8, Rapparees 3-5
July 7, New Ross: Rathnure 0-9, Duffry Rovers 1-3
August 11, New Ross: Duffry Rovers 1-13, Rapparees 0-16
GROUP FOUR
June 1, Gorey: Buffers Alley 3-14, Oulart-The Ballagh 2-9
July 6, Bellefield: Buffers Alley 2-10, Faythe Harriers 1-13
July 21, Bellefield: Faythe Harriers 4-14, Oulart-The Ballagh 2-17
PLAY-OFFS
August 11, Bellefield: Ferns St. Aidan’s 4-10, Crossabeg-Ballymurn 1-8 August 17, New Ross: Duffry Rovers 3-16, Rapparees 2-14
QUARTER-FINALS
August 18, Monamolin: Glynn-Barntown 2-11, Ferns St. Aidan’s 1-8 August 18, Wexford Park: Cloughbawn 2-12, St. Martin’s 1-7
August 18, Wexford Park: Buffers Alley 4-20, Rathnure 2-5
August 25, New Ross: Faythe Harriers 3-9, Duffry Rovers 2-10
SEMI-FINALS
September 29, Wexford Park: Buffers Alley 2-17, Glynn-Barntown 1-7 September 29, Wexford Park: Faythe Harriers 1-12, Cloughbawn 1-7
FINAL
October 6, Wexford Park: Buffers Alley 2-10, Faythe Harriers 1-7
RELEGATION
October 5, Bellefield: Oulart-The Ballagh 2-9, Crossabeg-Ballymurn 1-12 October 12, Bellefield: Oulart-The Ballagh 2-14, Crossabeg-Balymurn 2-7 October 12, Ferns: Rapparees 3-13, Naomh Eanna 1-7
November 30, Blackwater: Crossabeg-Ballymurn 2-17, Naomh Eanna 2-8
SENIOR FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP 1991
GROUP ONE
April 21, Bellefield: Taghmon-Camross 0-11, Glynn-Barntown 0-7 June 22, Bellefield: HWH-Bunclody 4-3, Taghmon-Camross 0-5 July 13, New Ross: Glynn-Barntown 0-8, HWH-Bunclody 0-5 GROUP TWO
April 20, New Ross: Gusserane 1-6, Starlights 0-5
July 14, Wexford Park: Buffers Alley 0-12, Gusserane 1-7
July 27, Wexford Park: Starlights 2-9, Buffers Alley 1-5
GROUP THREE
April 21, Bellefield: Duffry Rovers 1-10, Castletown 1-8
July 14, New Ross: St. Martin’s 1-7, Duffry Rovers 0-7
July 21, Monamolin: Castletown 1-9, St. Martin’s 0-11
GROUP FOUR
April 21, Piercestown: Sarsfields 1-10, St. Anne’s 2-6
June 1, New Ross: Sarsfields 0-7, Clongeen 1-4
July 27, Wexford Park: Clongeen 2-10, St. Anne’s 0-3
PLAY-OFFS
July 27, Bellefield: HWH-Bunclody 0-11, Glynn-Barntown 0-6
August 2, Monamolin: Castletown 1-8, St. Martin’s 1-6
August 25, Wexford Park: Starlights 0-9, Gusserane 0-6
August 25, Wexford Park: Glynn-Barntown 2-8, Taghmon-Camross 1-4 August 31, New Ross: Duffry Rovers 4-8, St. Martin’s 1-8
August 31, Bellefield: Buffers Alley 1-7, Gusserane 1-7
September 8, Wexford Park: Buffers Alley 2-13, Gusserane 1-11
QUARTER-FINALS
August 31, Bellefield: Glynn-Barntown 0-11, Castletown 0-9
August 31, Monamolin: Sarsfields 1-7, Starlights 0-10
September 8, Bellefield: Duffry Rovers 2-9, HWH-Bunclody 1-2 September 14, Wexford Park: Clongeen 0-10, Buffers Alley 0-8 September 14, Monamolin: Sarsfields 3-7, Starlights 0-4
SEMI-FINALS
September 22, Bellefield: Duffry Rovers 1-10, Sarsfields 1-7 September 22, Bellefield: Glynn-Barntown 0-10, Clongeen 2-4 October 5, Bellefield: Glynn-Barntown 0-7, Clongeen 0-4
FINAL
October 13, Wexford Park: Duffry Rovers 2-6, Glynn-Barntown 0-5
RELEGATION
September 28, New Ross: Gusserane 0-10, St. Martin’s 0-4
October 26, Grantstown: St. Anne’s 1-11, Taghmon-Camross 1-5 November 30, Hollymount: Taghmon-Camross 1-10, St. Martin’s 1-6