Réalt survive difficult test

the fixture as he racked up all but 1-2 of the Gers’ tally.

And losing manager Eddie O’Connor added a touch of humour to proceedings, the bainisteóir having himself dismissed from the pitch for loudly challenging referee Mick Lanigan’s judgement - one Kilkenny v. Tipperary clash in which only Tipp. could be the winner.

O’Connor’s charges were slow off the blocks, failing to add to Robert Vallejo’s early point, which proved to be their only score of the opening 20 minutes.

While they struggled to find momentum, full-forward Patrick Naughter had the seasiders ticking over very nicely, with a goal from Harry Byrne knocked into the net after a free rebounded from the crossbar.

However, Réalt wides assisted the New Ross men’s damage limitation exercise, and a hat-trick of elegantly-struck Roche frees allowed them to turn around just 1-5 to 0-4 in arrears.

They promptly wiped out the deficit on the resumption after Barry Roche reached up to tip the ball delivered by Shane Roche into Shane Quinn’s net, but the revival was not extended.

Kevin Jordan’s hard running yielded a goal for Naughter to re-establish Ballygarrett dominance and, though a Shane Roche goal briefly threatened to upset the apple-cart, Hobbs’s response saw his side safely through to full points.