Dominant boys in blue pull away from Oulart-The Ballagh

O’GATE-GLENBRIEN 2-20 OULART-BALLAGH 0-12

OYLEGATE-GLENBRIEN proved too much for Oulart-The Ballagh as they dominated proceedings in this Greenstar Under 21 hurling Premier championship preliminary round game in Oylegate on Tuesday.

There was very little to separate the sides early on and an exciting opening saw the score level on 0-4 apiece, with Séamus Casey hitting three for the home side and Billy Dunne getting the visitors level with help from Murtha Doyle and Daryl Grey.

The turning point of the half came on the ten-minute mark when Eddie Mernagh’s short puckout was intercepted by Grey who had the goal at his mercy, only for his shot to be excellently saved and cleared by Mernagh.

The ball found its way to in- ter-county star, Damien Reck, who marked his return to competitive action with a smashing shot to the roof of the net.

At this point, Oylegate-Glenbrien began to pull away from their Enniscorthy District neighbours, with Casey continuing to be deadly accurate from frees and play, and with help from Reck, he led the home side to an eight-point advantage at half-time.

The second-half played out similarly to the first with the early exchanges very even as Billy Dunne remained the main marksman for Oulart-The Ballagh as he traded scores with numerous Oylegate-Glenbrien players.

But when Casey pounced on a breaking ball and rattled the net with a stinging shot, it left his side eleven points clear.

Oulart-The Ballagh continued to attack and were rewarded with scores from Dunne and Barry Leacy.

But the boys in blue were never going to let this one slip and after Casey hit his tenth point, substitute Joe Dunne came on to hit two fine scores before thoughts turned to a quarter-final meeting with Glynn-Barntown.

That game will take place in Killurin next Monday, while Oulart will face Rathgarogue-Cushinstown.

Oylegate-Glenbrien: Eddie Mernagh; Lee Kehoe, Kieran Lambert, Niall Parker; Conor Hill, Shane Reck, Niall Kinsella; Pa Cullen (0-1), Ciarán Hourihane (0-1); Mike Kelly (0-1), Séamus Casey (1-10, 0-6 frees), Ciarán O’Brien; Barry Dunne (0-1), Damien Reck (1-3), Conor Doyle (0-1). Subs. - Jack Reck for Kinsella, Pierce Murphy for O’Brien, Joe Dunne (0-2) for D. Reck, Ryan Hill for B. Dunne.

Oulart-The Ballagh: Cathal Sinnott; Kevin Sinnott, Seán Murphy, Conor Lawless; Aidan Murphy, David Rossiter, Darren Nimmo; Craig Davitt, Billy Dunne (0-7, 4 frees); Stephen O’Connor, Cathal Kenny (0-1), Barry Leacy (0-1); Barry Sinnott, Murtha Doyle (0-1), Daryl Grey (0-2). Subs. - Robbie Dunne for O’Connor, Dylan O’Brien for K. Sinnott.

Referee: John Carton (Monageer-Boolavogue).