Mary’s ease past Duffry

ST MARY’S (M) DUFFRY ROVERS

ST. MARY’S of Maudlintown eased past Duffry Rovers in their final Group B game to secure a second place finish in the Amber Springs/ Ashdown Park Hotels Intermediate football championship Group B in New Ross on Saturday.

With both sides having already guaranteed their quarter-final place, motivation level was likely to be a deciding factor, and the Mary’s seemed to have more of that than their opponents.

The Wexford town team started brightly, and after Donal O’Leary scored his opening goal through the ‘keeper’s legs they went on to take a 1-5 to 0-3 lead through points from Dermot Flood, Eddie Pitman and Richie Kehoe.

However, after their bright start, they went 14 minutes without registering a score. In this time the Duffry scored five more minors, including a Johnny Flynn-O’Connor brace which levelled the sides.

O’Leary got his second major to put his team back in front, finishing low after turning Rovers defender Paul Nolan. Robert Frayne made it a two-point advantage at the break before St. Mary’s took control after the re-start.

The Maudlintown men largely won the game with points but capped it off late on with two more goals. O’Leary added minors to his impressive tally and Jason Swords scored twice from the bench.

The Duffry only managed four second-half scores, and Flynn-O’Connor went closest to raising the green flag when his chip shot hit the top of the crossbar before going over.

The Mary’s added a little gloss to the scoreline with their late goals. O’Leary completed his hat-trick when Swords unselfishly handpassed for him to punch home from close range.

That score in the 52nd minute unquestionably ended the contest but their fourth in injury time was deserved after their second-half domination.

Roy Doyle had barely been on the pitch one minute when he was picked out by Pitman to punch home, almost replicating exactly O’Leary’s third from nine minutes earlier.

Both sides go into the pot for the quarter-finals. The Duffry finished third and will face HWH-Bunclody, while St. Mary’s, in the runners-up spot, will meet Ferns St. Aidan’s.

St. Mary’s (Maudlintown): Paul Dempsey; Mark Doyle, Alan Lynch (capt.), Ross Lynch; Gary Murphy, Graham Carty (0-1 ‘45), Alex Lynch; Robert Kenny, Dermot Flood (0-4, 3 frees); Jamie Thomas (0-1), Eddie Pitman (0-2, 1 free), Gavin Cullen; Martin O’Connor, Richie Kehoe (0-1), Donal O’Leary (3-4). Subs. - Jason Swords (0-2) for Cullen (38), Pierce Dooley for O’Connor (44), Roy Doyle (1-0) for Kenny (60).

Duffry Rovers: Bobby Larkin; Liam Pender, Thomas Dunne, Craig Casey; Feargal Kenny, Paul Nolan, Aidan Byrne; Eamonn Doyle, Donie O’Connor (0-1); Johnny Flynn-O’Connor (0-4), Robert Frayne (0-3), Gavin Watchorn; Stephen Watchorn (0-2), Donie Doyle, Alan O’Neill (0-2). Sub. - John Dunne (0-1) for O’Neill (39).

Referee: John Tobin (Geraldine O’Hanrahans).