Rathgarogue-Cushinstown hold off determined revival
RATHGAROGUE-CUSHINSTOWN FERNS ST. AIDAN’S 2-11 3-6
RATHGAROGUE-CUSHINSTOWN had to fend off a determined fightback from fast-finishing Ferns St. Aidan’s before eventually claiming the New Ross Standard Under-13 hurling Division 2 shield final with a 2-11 to 3-6 victory in a dramatic final in St. Patrick’s Park, Enniscorthy.
The New Ross District side looked to have had enough credit in the bank as four placed balls in a row from captain Matthew Murphy helped stretch their advantage to 2-10 to 1-6 with a minute of regulation time left to play.
But this Ferns team don’t know the meaning of throwing in the towel and, inspired by a couple of breathtaking individual goals from James Murray, both finished in near identical spots in the roof of the net, they moved within a puck of the ball of a miraculous revival.
However, midfielder Ryan O’Connor crucially twice found the range either side of the second of those late net-rattlers as Rathgarogue-Cushinstown just about hung on to bring home the spoils.
Both defences were on top in an end-to-end opening quarter, with Rathgarogue-Cushinstown finally opening the scoring through a Michael O’Rourke point on eleven minutes.
However, Ferns pounced for an unanswered 1-2 to briefly turn the tables in their favour, with Oisín Cronin pulling home a rebound on 14 minutes after Murray’s effort was batted out into his path.
But parity was restored at 1-3 apiece by half-time when Rathgarogue-Cushinstown raised a green flag on 20 minutes as O’Rourke appeared to get the final touch to Murphy’s delivery towards goal.
Ferns forged ahead again through Niall Logan and a stylish effort from Murray, and Rathgarogue-Cushinstown’s goalmouth somehow survived an onslaught as pressure was cranked up.
But they got through that rocky spell having suffered limited damage, and when Murphy stitched a brilliant goal on 39 minutes, they went ahead for the final time (2-5 to 1-5).
His four aforementioned placed balls (three frees, one ‘45) were wind-assisted as the gap swelled to seven points, and while Murray was in irrepressible form at the other end as he tried everything in his power to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat, overall Rathgarogue-Cushinstown were deserving champions.
Rathgarogue-Cushinstown: Jamie Sinnott; Ben Myers, Brian Whitty, Conor Rossiter; Brian Dillon, Niall Kehoe, Jack O’Neill; Oisín Heaphy, Ryan O’Connor (0-2); Michael O’Rourke (1-2), Matthew Murphy (capt., 1-6, 0-3 frees, 0-1 ‘45), Billy Kennedy; Bobby McGrath, James Kehoe (0-1), Charlie McGrath. Subs. - Cael Colfer for B. McGrath, Cameron O’Connor for C. McGrath, Cormac O’Neill for Kennedy, Darragh Smithers for O’Rourke, also Josh Kavanagh, Oisín Kavanagh.
Ferns St. Aidan’s: Charlie Murphy-O’Leary; Seán Gahan, Max Meegan, Jack Curran; Danny Dreelan, Stephen O’Toole, Jack Young; Jerry Sherridan, Darragh Breen; Thomas Dunne, Niall Logan (0-3), Brian Kearns (capt.); Oisín Cronin (1-0), James Murray (2-3, 0-1 free), William Kavanagh. Subs. - Bobby Murray for Kearns, Kenny Murphy for Dunne, also Gavin O’Sullivan, Paul Kehoe, Danny Faye-Nolan, Adam Kehoe.
Referee: Martin Armstrong (Rapparees).