Duffry avail of goal-den start
DUFFRY ROVERS FETHARD 4-16 1-15 THREE GOALS in the opening twelve minutes paved the way for a comfortable Duffry Rovers victory in Group B of the Top Oil Intermediate ‘A’ hurling championship in Oylegate on Saturday.
Joe Coleman, Liam Pender and Jason Rackard all got the green flag waving for the Enniscorthy District side as they made a lightning start to the contest.
Their first goal came with just over 60 seconds on the clock when Joe Coleman applied the finish and Liam Pender repeated the trick on seven minutes, burying the ball to the corner of the net after good work from Tommy Dunne.
Duffry Rovers almost immediately had another sight of goal, but Alan O’Neill blazed over rather than under the crossbar, and he followed it up with his second point moments later.
Fethard picked off some nice scores in the early stages, with Graham O’Grady, Garrett Foley and Chris Molloy all finding the range, but defensive frailties were proving costly and they were hit with another sucker-punch when Jason Rackard pounced for the Duffry’s third major in the twelfth minute.
Fethard had a let-off seconds earlier when Gavin Watchorn saw his shot come back off the post, but their reprieve was short-lived, with Watchorn picking out Rackard, who confidently found the net, to give his side a 3-4 to 0-4 advantage.
The New Ross District side didn’t let their heads drop though, and registered the next four points through Mikie Dwyer, Joe Sutton and Mark Wallace (two) to get themselves right back into the game.
However, the pendulum swung quickly back in the Duffry’s favour, with Aidan Byrne floating over a superb sideline cut and the ever-dangerous Liam Pender helping himself to two quick-fire points.
Richard Waters and Jason Rackard (free) then exchanged points, before Fethard ended the half on a high with two fine points from Mikie Dwyer that left them six adrift at the break (3-8 to 0-11).
The seasiders had reduced the gap to five by the 41st minute with Bryan Power, Garrett Foley and Mark Wallace pointing, and Jason Rackard replying with two placed balls, but all hopes of a fightback were extinguished five minutes later when Gavin Watchorn determinedly wriggled his way through the Fethard defence and found the back of the net.
Mark Wallace brilliantly rifled a free to the net to briefly lift the Fethard spirits, but Duffry Rovers knocked over the last five points through Eamonn Doyle, Paul Nolan, Jason Rackard, Alan O’Neill and Aidan Byrne to seal an impressive victory.
Duffry Rovers: Stephen Watchorn; Craig Casey, Paul Nolan (0-1), James Nolan; Mattie O’Connor, Johnny Flynn-O’Connor, Thomas Dunne; Aidan Byrne (0-2, 1 line ball), Robert Frayne; Alan O’Neill (0-3), Eamonn Doyle (0-1), Jason Rackard (1-6, 0-4 frees, 0-2 ‘65s); Gavin Watchorn (1-0), Joe Coleman (1-0), Liam Pender (1-3).
Fethard: Seán Foley; John Rice, Daniel Mullan, Martin Power; Mick Roche, Kevin Rowe, Ricky Rowe; Mark Wallace (1-3, 1-1 frees, 0-1 ‘65), Garrett Foley (0-2); Richard Waters (0-1), Mikie Dwyer (0-3), Graham O’Grady (0-3); Bryan Power (0-1), Joe Sutton (0-1), Chris Molloy (0-1). Subs. - Seán Donohoe for J. Rice, Damien Browne for R. Rowe.
Referee: garrett). Shane Quinn (Bally-