HURLING DOWN TO LAST 4
THE FAIRYTALE journey that brought Fethard all the way to Croke Park earlier this year is far from over, as the reigning Leinster Junior titleholders survived the concession of an injury-time goal to see off District rivals Adamstown in the last of The Courtyard Ferns Intermediate hurling championship quarter-finals in O’Kennedy Park, New Ross, on Sunday.
After trailing by the minimum at half-time (0-9 to 0-8), the seasiders took the lead in the 41st minute.
And although every score was hard-earned and Adamstown remained well in contention, they seemed to have been hit with a crushing blow 54 seconds into added time when Daire Barden’s pass down the left wing found Jimmy Sutton who arrowed over a beautiful point.
That sweet strike left four between the sides, and the black and ambers now required two scores, one of the major variety, to force extra-time.
It looked like their wish might be granted in the 64th minute when Liam Stafford was fouled on a solo run, and the excellent Tony French crashed the free past a sea of bodies and into the net (0-15 to 1-11).
Wind-aided Fethard then earned a scoreable free, and Mark Wallace’s mis-hit worked out in the end.
After Adamstown struggled to clear their lines, goalkeeper Paul Cooper was shown a straight red card and Wallace made no mistake this time from the placed ball.
Just for good measure, a Jimmy Sutton pass found Ciarán Dwyer who widened the margin to three points before the game ended after eight and a half additional minutes.
Adamstown were almost totally reliant on Tony French for scores, with the number 14 accounting for all bar one point of their tally.
And while the likes of corner-back John Whelan and midfielder Johnny Connors put in good shifts in other areas of the pitch, they were always destined to struggle with only four points registered from play in total.
They needed to be further ahead than 0-9 to 0-8 at the break, with each and every one of their scores coming from French, six from frees.
Adamstown had led by 0-5 to 0-3 early in the second quarter, but Fethard kept chipping away and the last two points of the half from free-taker Mark Wallace and Garrett Foley left the minimum between them.
They had a much better spread of marksmen from play, seven in total despite the absence of the injured Mikie Dwyer.
Darren Foley and John Tubritt (two) also scored in an opening half completely devoid of goal chances and, although Tony French made it 10-8 on the re-start, another Mark Wallace free and Ciarán Dwyer brought the Mogue’s men level by the 37th minute.
Wallace had fluffed a goal chance with a weak pull after a superb crossfield delivery by Jimmy Sutton, but when he availed of a Richard Waters pass to give his side the lead, it was felt that Fethard would push on to victory.
It wasn’t as straightforward as that all the same, with Paddy Whitty finally taking the entire scoring burden away from Tony French in the 42nd minute with the levelling point.
And although Adamstown only registered one more time, the fact that it was a goal meant that Fethard had to dig deep in the closing minutes.
Before that French strike, Wallace (free), Jimmy Sutton, substitute Adam Swan with his first touch, and Sutton again had created that 15-11 lead, while Sutton also batted a goal attempt left and wide after a Richard Waters delivery broke off the hurl of goalkeeper Paul Cooper.
Last year’s Intermediate ‘A’ winners may be regarded as the outsiders of the four remaining contenders in the higher grade, but Fethard’s fighting spirit should never be underestimated.
Fethard: Seán Foley; Martin Power, Rúairí Tubrid, Daniel Mullan; Richard Waters, Kevin Rowe, Joe Sutton; Daire Barden, Garrett Foley (0-1); Jimmy Sutton (0-2), Darren Foley (0-1), Ciarán Dwyer (0-2); Graham O’Grady (capt.), Mark Wallace (0-8, 6 frees, 1 ’65), John Tubritt (0-2). Subs. - Bryan Power for O’Grady (51), Adam Swan (0-1) for D. Foley (54).
Adamstown: Paul Cooper; Michael Curtis, P.J. Carroll, John Whelan; Lorcan French, Shane O’Gorman, Brendan Furlong (capt.); Seán Barden, Johnny Connors; James Delaney, Liam Stafford, Seánie O’Neill; Paddy Whitty (0-1), Tony French (1-10, 1-7 frees), Tomás Harrington. Subs. - Colum Feeney for Harrington (38), John French for O’Neill (47), O’Neill for T. French, temp. (47-49).
Referee: James Mullally (Gusserane).