Dunbrody were right
THE WORDS ‘I told you so’ were no doubt heard around Piercestown on Tuesday evening, although I imagine they may have been embellished with a few expletives from the losing Dunbrody Gaels team as well.
Their 5-23 to 0-6 hammering by an admittedly very strong St. Martin’s in the Greenstar Under-21 hurling Premier championship offered proof of what they had been saying all along: that they weren’t fit to compete in the top flight and should have been in Roinn 1.
Indeed, they were so adamant about it that they appealed the initial grading decision of Wexford County Board to the Leinster Council, and this led to a three-week delay in the start of the championship before the provincial body got around to giving them a hearing.
However, there was no joy either for the Horeswood and St. James’ combination in the Portlaoise boardroom, so they had to accept their fate.
I wonder though if any of their mentors picked up the telephone to the Leinster Council Wednesday morning to give them the result of the game?
I’m sure they mentioned it in passing to some Wexford officials anyway in the wake of this embarrassing rout.
Because there’s only two Under-21 grades, the placing of group teams tends to cause unrest on an annual basis.
For example, there was disquiet when Forth and Bargy Gaels won the last two Wexford District Roinn 1 titles, but they gave a walkover in the Premier grade last Tuesday after being upgraded.
Then again, the clubs of the Enniscorthy District had no problem with Na Fianna (Marshalstown-Castedockrell and Davidstown-Courtnacuddy) being in Roinn 1 this year, and they were proven right as the combination side was hammered in the semi-final.