Truly titanic battle!
Ballyhogue edge it after extra-time
BALLYHOGUE 1-14 MOGUEGEEN G 2-10 (AET)
A TITANIC battle between two sides that had absolutely no quit ended in a Wexford People Minor football Roinn 1 championship victory for Ballyhogue in St. Patrick’s Park on Saturday.
It was a remarkable game in many ways, as Ballyhogue held a five-point lead midway through the second-half but seemed to run out of gas, only to somehow summon the strength to grab an equaliser and send the game to extra-time.
The two additional periods of ten minutes were tense and tight, and victory was hard earned.
Ballyhogue outscored their opponents by 0-4 to 0-3 in overtime, and it was just enough to take the trophy on the short journey back to Bree.
Moguegeen Gaels will rightly be heartbroken by the loss, as they gave everything in defeat.
Having lost their hurling final against Buffers Alley a couple of weeks ago, they were looking to end their season on a high but, through no lack of guts and determination, it just wasn’t to be on the day.
Despite a Cian Byrne point, Ballyhogue were leading by 0-2 to 0-1 on the back of points by Jamie Fitzpatrick and Evan Walsh-Murphy when Leigh Whelan completed the quite remarkable feat of hitting the same upright twice, in the same attack, first with his right and then with his left boot.
A purple patch saw Ballyhogue move 0-5 to 0-2 ahead on the back of scores from Tommy Kennedy, Whelan and Liam Doyle.
However, almost out of nothing, Byrne broke away on the left and sent a stunning shot past Martin Doyle in the ‘Hogues goal.
Still, David Hennebry and Fitzpatrick ensured their side led by 0-7 to 1-2 at the break.
There was just one score as Ballyhogue played against the breeze in the third quarter but it was a critical one - a punched Kennedy goal from Whelan’s pass.
The Fethard and Clongeen combo were fighting hard but only really gained huge belief when Eoin Whelan found the bottom of the net in the 50th minute.
From there his tam powered on and twice took the lead through Kevin Wallace and Seán Nunan, only for Kennedy to reply both times.
Level at 1-12 to 2-9 at the end of 60-plus minutes of breathless action, the sides remained tied in the first-half of overtime, with Doyle and Tobias Redmond scores matched by Bryan Culleton and Louis Doherty.
Against the elements again, Ballyhogue went two clear through Kennedy and Ben Asple.
The Gaels narrowed to one when Culleton scored, but they couldn’t find an equaliser as the Enniscorthy District club took the first-half of what they hope will be a memorable Minor double, with their hurling replay next Sunday.
Ballyhogue: Martin Doyle; Jack Kinsella, Ben Harrington, Conor Rodgers; David Hennebry (0-1), Eamonn Doyle (capt.), Conor Dawson; Liam Doyle (0-2), Tobias Redmond (0-1); Jamie Fitzpatrick (0-2), Evan Walsh-Murphy (0-1), Lewis Comiskey; Leigh Whelan (0-1), Tommy Kennedy (1-5, 0-4 frees), Alan Doyle. Subs. - Ben Asple (0-1) for A. Doyle (20), Shane Roche for Walsh-Murphy (59), Walsh-Murphy for Comiskey, inj. (76), also Tiernan Cleary, Adam Broaders, Darragh Bates, James Reville, Conor O’Brien, Mark Asple.
Moguegeen Gaels: Jack Whelan; Mark O’Grady, Richard Liu, Paddy Finn; Niall Doherty, Dylan Whelan, Harry Nunan; Michael Dundon, Louis Doherty (0-1); Seamie Kelly, Cian Byrne (1-4, 0-1 free), Robbie Rochford; Oggie Doyle, Adam O’Grady, Kevin Wallace (0-2, 1 free). Subs. - Eoin Whelan (1-0) for Rochford (31), Jake Molloy for Doyle (36), Seán Nunan (0-1) for O’Grady (42), Bryan Culleton (0-2) for Molloy (46), also Kean Molloy, Conor McLoughlin, Kyle Baker, Cian Swan.
Referee: John Carton (Monageer-Boolavogue).