Saints see off stubborn ’Fad
Four late points seal the win
ST. JAMES’ BALLYFAD 1-16 1-11 ST. JAMES’ eventually shook off the stubborn attentions of Ballyfad to get over the line in a hard-fought Top Oil Intermediate ‘A’ hurling championship group A encounter in Oylegate on Saturday.
The south county men were only two points ahead with twelve minutes remaining, leading by 1-12 to 1-10, but when the game was in the melting pot they reeled off four of the last five points to eke out the victory.
When Conor Devitt angled over a superb point in the 13th minute it put Ballyfad ahead for the first and only time in the game, but the St. James’ response was swift with Andrew Walsh hitting the back of the net.
A delivery from the dynamic David Doyle broke kindly for the corner-forward and he finished well to put his side 1-2 to 0-3 ahead.
Robbie Barron had opened the scoring for the New Ross District outfit inside the first minute and Emmet O’Toole and Shane Murphy swapped points, before Conor Devitt levelled matters from a placed ball.
Kevin O’Grady followed up Walsh’s goal with a point to give the men in green a three-point advantage and the one-goal gap remained at the interval, with Peter Hughes and Conor Devitt (two) registering points for Ballyfad and Andrew Walsh, Shane Murphy and Matthew O’Hanlon replying for St. James’, with the scoreboard reading 1-6 to 0-6 as the sides switched ends.
St. James’ began the second-half brightly, getting five of the first six points through Kevin O’Grady, David Doyle, Mark Molloy, Andrew Walsh and substitute Jack O’Brien, with Conor Devitt providing the sole response for Ballyfad.
However, Devitt roused the Gorey District side from their slumber in the 43rd minute when he gathered the ball, raced through on goal and buried the sliothar to the corner of the net to leave just four between the sides (1-11 to 1-7).
Matthew O’Hanlon responded with a point but like a feisty Jack Russell at your ankle, Ballyfad refused to be shaken off and hit the next three points with Conor Devitt converting two frees and Tommy Boland adding another.
St. James’ showed they were up for the battle though, and Kevin O’Grady converted two pressure frees before Matthew O’Hanlon majestically fetched a long delivery from goalkeeper John McDonald, turned and swept the ball over the bar.
Ballyfad fervently went in search of a goal in the closing minutes, with a Dean O’Toole rasper being blocked on the line after he had been teed up by Conor Devitt from a quick free.
Devitt then fired a placed ball just over the crossbar before Matthew O’Hanlon had the final say with a classy point.
St. James’: John McDonald; Brian Molloy, Jason Barron, Tom Walsh; Paul Barron, Liam Murphy, David Doyle (01); Mark Molloy (0-1), Robbie Barron (0-1); Donie Barron, Kevin O’Grady (04, 3 free), Alan Walsh; Andrew Walsh (1-2), Matthew O’Hanlon (0-4), Shane Murphy (0-2, 1 free). Subs. - Jack O’Brien (0-1) for Murphy, Graeme Molloy for Alan Walsh, Mark Myler for D. Barron.
Ballyfad: Tom Hughes; Lorcan Clare, Enda O’Leary, Killian O’Toole; Aidan Jones, Mark Gethings, Jim Hughes; Bobby Hughes, Mark Boland; Dean O’Toole, Tommy Boland (0-1), Denis Jones; Conor Devitt (1-8, 0-5 frees), Peter Hughes (0-1), Emmet O’Toole (0-1). Sub. - Niall Hughes for E. O’Toole.
Referee: James Flood (St. Mary’s, Maudlintown).