Brilliant rally by Ballyhogue
Under-13 hurlers recover to defeat Ballygarrett in final
BALLYHOGUE BALLYGARRETT 2-11 3-6
BALLYHOGUE RALLIED from six points down, eight minutes into the second-half, to beat Ballygarrett and claim the New Ross Standard Under-13 hurling Division 5 championship title in Camolin.
It was the sweetest of bounce-back successes for the Bree club, after they fell in their football decider to local rivals Davidstown-Courtnacuddy a week earlier.
It shows what hunger and determination can do for a group of young lads.
Other teams, without the mental strength of this Ballyhogue side, would have thrown in the towel when trailing by 3-5 to 1-5.
Very little was going their way at that stage but inspirational midfielder Ben Asple grabbed the game by the scruff of the neck and others followed his lead.
It was particularly impressive how the new champions battened down the hatches in defence.
They allowed just one pointed free in the last 22 minutes, with the full-back line in absolutely dominant form.
It will be a tough loss for Ballygarrett to take, as they gave everything they had in this contest, with arguably the biggest difference the hunger Ballyhogue possessed after losing last time out.
No doubt they will learn from this and return stronger.
After Pádhraic Murphy opened the scoring for Ballygarrett, Ben Asple slalomedthroughattheotherendand sent a rasping shot past Andrew Smith.
A booming Shane Roche free made it 1-1 to 0-1 but the pattern of the game soon changed.
Lively wing-forwards Pádhraic Murphy and Harry Smyth both found the net, and while Eamon Asple replied at the other end with a point, a third goal, this one from James Pender, left Ballygarrett 3-1 to 1-2 ahead.
A pair of Ben Asple points put three between the teams at the break (3-1 to 1-4), and that remained the margin after he and Paddy Keavey exchanged scores early in the second period.
However, Ballygarrett then made a run for victory with three quick points, from Pender, Murphy and Tom Hernandez, putting the Gorey District side six up.
At this stage Ballyhogue needed to flip the momentum, and after a couple of points to start the final quarter, including a second from Eamon Asple, the Bree boys got the major fillip they needed when Ben Asple drilled home the critical score.
The goal gave Ballyhogue a jolt of confidence and renewed belief.
Asple tied the game with his fifth point and Oscar Redmond put them ahead with a classy effort.
Ballygarrett kept fighting but two late Ben Asple points secured the cup for the ’Hogues.
Ballyhogue: Shane Roche (0-1 free); Anthony Byrne, Darragh Bates, Mark Dawson; Conor O’Brien, Keith Roche (capt.), Oscar Redmond (0-1); Oisín Redmond, Ben Asple (2-7, 0-5 frees); Odhrán Kehoe, Emaon Asple (0-2), Darragh Kirwan; Cian McCormack, Liam Parnell, Zach Levingston. Subs. - Daniel Cullen, Ryan McGlynn, Adam Carney, Tadhg Doyle, also Keith Keshinka.
Ballygarrett: Andrew Smith; Paddy Blood, Keelan Kennedy, Luke Hughes; Seán Óg Doyle, Tiernan Doyle (capt., 0-1 free), Philip Redmond; Dylan Hersey-Kenny, James Pender (1-1); Pádhraic Murphy (1-2, 0-1 free), Paddy Keavey (0-1), Harry Smyth (1-0); Tom Hernandez (0-1), Oisín Kinsella, Giovanni Doyle. Subs. (rolling) - Brendan Coyne, Cormac Murphy, Gearóid Neary, Pádraic Baxter, Dylan Hendy, Alex O’Leary, Jason Creane, Noah Sinnott, John Walker, Adam Dempsey.
Referee: Paddy Campbell (Shelmaliers).