Furlong brace downs favourites

R’ROGUE-C’TOWN BALLYGARRETT 2-12 0-10 TWO SECOND-HALF goals from Bernard Furlong helped Rathgarogue-Cushinstown get their first win in The Courtyard Ferns Intermediate hurling championship, taking the scalp of Group A leaders Ballygarrett in a breezy Farmleigh on Sunday.

Going into the game as underdogs, the New Ross District side showed a greater hunger for the win, putting in a spirited performance to ensure they got it.

The lively Brian O’Neill and Bernard Furlong got Rathgar- ogue-Cushinstown off the mark in the opening minutes before O’Neill traded scores with Eoin Corcoran.

Ballygarrett’s plan of using a sweeper behind the half-back line was probably to their detriment as they found it hard to come by scores, especially in the first-half playing into a stiff breeze. It also allowed their opponents to counter-attack with Francis O’Brien mopping up in defence.

Robert Murphy, Daire Bolger and Mark Carroll added to the winners’ tally with Cathal Dunbar and Jack Hobbs keeping Ballygarrett within two points going in at half-time on a score of 0-6 to 0-4.

Points were traded between Enda Doran and Corcoran, and Jack Hobbs and Furlong, shortly after the re-start before Furlong’s first goal after five minutes gave Rathgarogue-Cushinstown a fivepoint advantage.

Hobbs and Dunbar responded for Ballygarrett but three pointed frees from Bolger put things back in Rathgarogue-Cushinstown’s favour, before they landed a killer blow with Furlong’s second goal putting them eight in front with ten minutes to go.

Hobbs and Dunbar reduced the deficit with Ballygarrett throwing everything at their opponents in the final five minutes.

But the men in green and gold stood firm, and Furlong’s monster, long-range effort along the sideline just before full-time was the perfect way to wrap things up for a well-deserved first win.

Rathgarogue-Cushinstown: Colin Whelan; Peadar Cody, Paudie McGrath, Francis O’Brien; Eoghain Whelan, Daniel Martin Carroll, Peter Asple; Enda Doran (0-1), Robert Murphy (0-1); Brian O’Neill (0-3), Bernard Furlong (2-2), Tadhg Cody; Ollie Bolger, Mark Carroll (0-1), Daire Bolger (0-4 frees). Subs. - Aaron Ryan for M. Carroll, Liam O’Shea for Asple.

Ballygarrett: Shane Quinn; Tom Sinnott, Eddie Redmond, Gavin Walker; Pat Naughter, Stephen Redmond, Darren Morris; Evan Dunbar, Kevin Jordan; Seán O’Brien, Jimmy Murphy, Eoin Corcoran (0-3); Cormac Moore, Cathal Dunbar (0-3), Jack Hobbs (0-4, 3 frees). Sub. - Oisín Dunbar for Jordan.

Referee: Eddie O’Sullivan (Ballyfad).