Rocks straight back down

GER. O’HANRAHANS 2-16 SHAMROCKS 2-4

LESS THAN a year after becoming Junior champions, Shamrocks dropped back down to the fourth tier of Wexford football after getting destroyed by Geraldine O’Hanrahans in the Joyces Expert Intermediate ‘A’ relegation final in Cushinstown on Friday.

If ever preperation told you something about how a game was going to go, this was it.

New Ross might not have had the best of seasons with the big ball but their application here was good and their intent was clear right from the warm-ups.

On the other hand, Shamrocks finally sauntered out of the dressing-room seven minutes after the scheduled throw-in time, initially starting the game with 14 men before reinforcements arrived in the 18th minute.

A shambles is an understatement and it was no surprise that the Geraldines took control from the off.

Seán Culleton found three nice scores in the opening 18 minutes while Robbie Vallejo thumped over the pick of his side’s points as they went 0-6 to nil in front.

James Carty’s 26th-minute point seemed to anger Ross, as they went straight down the other end and netted through Matt Crowdle, after yet more fine work from the superb Eoin Kelly.

A 1-7 to 0-2 lead was the least the Geraldines deserved at the interval.

The battering continued through the third quarter.

All three half-backs were on the scoresheet when Conor Cleere slalomed through to point, and his score was soon followed by Crowdle’s second major in the 41st minute.

From 2-14 to 0-3 down, Shamrocks at least finished with a couple of fourth quarter majors - Jack Moorehouse flashed a stunning free into the top-right corner of the Ross net before Corey Breen rounded out a disappointing evening for the Enniscorthy side with a clinical low finish.

Geraldine O’Hanrahans: David Merrigan; Barry Kelly, Seán Crowdle, Enda Kelly; Robbie Vallejo (0-1), Conor Cleere (0-1), Eoin Kelly (0-2); Dylan Egan (0-2), James Cullen; Jack Foran (0-1), Seán Culleton (0-3), Michael Cleere (0-2); Matt Crowdle (2-1), David Crowdle (0-2), Kevin Burke. Subs. - Barry Roche (0-1) for M. Crowdle, inj. (42), Stephen Somers for Burke, inj. (45), Michael Cullen for Foran (49), Brian Haberlin for D. Crowdle (51).

Shamrocks: John Thorpe; Conor Kelly, Anthony Wallace, Reece Dunne; Shane Larkin, Brandon O’Connor, Corey Breen (1-0); John Kavanagh, Seán Wildes (after 18 minutes, 0-1); John Dobbs, James Carty (0-1), Jack Moorehouse (1-2, 1-0 free); James Dempsey, Robert Moorehouse, Ray Doyle. Subs. - John O’Connor for Dobbs (18), Dobbs for Kavanagh, inj. (30), Kavanagh for R. Moorehouse (42).

Referee: Aiden O’Brien (Cloughbawn).