Blues in top spot
Fiachra Hourihane beat Seán O’Neill with a powerful strike.
That advantage had swelled further, to 1-6 to 0-3, as the end of the first quarter approached. Yet Munna-Abbain came into the game unbeaten and weren’t going to throw in the towel.
A rocket to the net from just outside the ’20 by Alex Gondard brought them right back into the contest.
Oylegate-Glenbrien were playing some super hurling, justifying their favouritism for the Roinn 1 title, as they hit back immediately. After Hourihane pointed, a superb run and pass by Damien Reck picked out Tomás O’Gorman and the corner-forward snuck his shot past O’Neill in goal.
Leading by 2-8 to 1-5 after a cracking first-half, Oylegate-Glenbrien stuttered as stoppages and injuries took their toll in the third quarter.
They were leading by 2-10 to 1-6 in the 45th minute when an excellent pass from Liam Stafford sent Danny Winters in to net from close range.
Points from Damien Reck and Gondard looked to settle Oylegate-Glenbrien, only for Cathal Doyle to see a shot deflected over the crossbar, a point that was quickly followed by a long-range goal from David O’Keeffe.
With just two points in it (2-12 to 3-7) in the 59th minute, Oylegate-Glenbrien notched the score, through Richard Murphy from tight in the right corner, that would guarantee their top spot finish.
Munna-Abbain kept battling but they couldn’t find the goal that would give them a draw.
The New Ross District combination go into the knockout stages with a second place finish, and they will face the side that finished third in Group A, Monageer-Boolavogue.