Easy for Oulart
Rathnure suffer heavy loss
OULART-BALLAGH RATHNURE 2-26 0-10
OULART-THE BALLAGH turned on the style when overwhelming Rathnure while advancing to the All-County Hurling League Division 1 final with a powerful 2-26 to 0-10 victory at a picturesque Rathnure on Saturday.
The story is in the statistics as far as the victors are concerned, with eight different players registering at least twice on the scoresheet.
Indeed, the fact that one of the best defenders from any era of Wexford hurling, Keith Rossiter, managed to pop up the field twice to land a brace illustrates the gulf in class between two of the traditional heavyweights of the local club scene.
Rathnure actually held a slender lead after three minutes, with midfield partnership Eoin Higgins and Podge Doyle landing a neat point apiece from tricky angles, and Seán O’Connor tagging on a free for good measure to build a 0-3 to 0-1 advantage.
Unfortunately, the locals would only register seven more times before the end as Oulart-The Ballagh began knocking over scores with regularity.
Murtha Doyle bagged their first goal on six minutes when the sliothar broke off Anthony Roche and he drilled home under the legs of experienced custodian Dermot Flynn.
Rossiter’s pair came from midrange, and Des Mythen also contributed two from play, while Niall Redmond, Roche, Nicky Kirwan (two, one free), Rory Jacob (‘65) and Garrett Sinnott made sure they sat comfortably in front by 1-12 to 0-7 at half-time.
Jacob (free) and Shane Lawlor traded early scores on the re-start, but normal service resumed as the visitors outscored their rivals by 1-13 to 0-2 for the remainder of the half to send out a warning call to the rest of the county.
Their second goal was the last score of the game as Sinnott hammered home at the death, while substitutes Tomás Dunne and Peter Sutton nabbed points for themselves in their brief cameos.
Oulart-The Ballagh: Conor O’Leary; Eamonn Murphy, Dennis Morton, Ian Storey; Kevin Nimmo, Keith Rossiter (0-2), Conor Goff; Cormac Finn, Niall Redmond (0-2); Rory Jacob (capt., 0-2, 1 free, 1 ‘65), Des Mythen (0-4), Anthony Roche (0-3); Murtha Doyle (1-1), Garrett Sinnott (1-3, 0-1 free), Nicky Kirwan (0-7, 4 frees). Subs. - Billy Dunne for Finn (37), Tomás Dunne (0-1) for Goff (41), Nicholas Cullen for Murphy (43), Michael Jacob for Cullen, inj. (46), Peter Sutton (0-1) for Doyle (49).
Rathnure: Dermot Flynn (capt.); Paddy Whiteley, Eoin Boggan, Denis Maher; Ben Ronan, Brian Quigley, Aidan Redmond; Podge Doyle (0-1), Eoin Higgins (0-1); Michael Martin, Cathal O’Connor (0-1), Richie Flynn; Seán O’Connor (0-3, 1 free, 1 ‘65), James Tobin, Shane Lawlor (0-2). Subs. - Seánie Redmond for Martin (HT), Mark Boland for Higgins (HT), Micheál O’Connor (0-2) for Tobin (37), Philip Redmond for Lawlor (48).
Referee: John O’Loughlin (Monageer-Boolavogue). TARA ROCKS got a confidence-boosting victory on the board in their Greenstar Under-20 hurling Division 3B championship clash with Macamore Gaels in Kilanerin on Wednesday.
It was a tough ask for the hosts, with several of their players on their second match of the evening after togging out in an earlier draw with Na Piarsaigh in the Wexford People Minor football championship.
With walkovers given in half of the scheduled games, it would have been easy for the Rocks to also look for the easy way out, given the circumstances, but to their credit they managed their players well, moved them on and off as needed and deservedly took the spoils.
Despite an early Ben O’Connor point, the Buffers Alley/Ballygarrett side started well. Tom Hobbs netted with a low strike past Cathal O’Reilly, and John Furlong added a quick point as the visitors moved 1-1 to 0-1 ahead.
However, they started to look a bit leggy in the searing temperatures as the half went on. Tara Rocks played with more zip and, after a couple of Caleb Murphy frees, they hit the front when Paudie Hughes rode a hefty challenge and drilled home.
A Patrick O’Connor assist allowed Luke Devitt to place an accurate shot past Conor Dowling to make it 2-3 to 1-1 as the first quarter ended.
Livewire Caleb Murphy notched three points in a row, including one from an acute angle in the right corner, as Tara Rocks kept motoring.
Points either side of the interval (2-6 to 1-2 at halftime) by Brendan Corcoran kept Macamore Gaels in touch, but replies at the other end by Paudie Hughes, Conor Hughes, Murphy and Ben O’Connor moved the hosts 2-10 to 1-4 clear.
Jamie Doyle gave his side some hope with a 52nd-minute major that was deflected high into the net, but his side didn’t have the energy reserves to get any closer and points by Conor Hughes and a seventh from Murphy ensured Tara Rocks triumphed.
Tara Rocks: Cathal O’Reilly; Maurice Cousins, Seán Forde, Liam McCarthy; Andrew Murphy, Seán Bardon, Robert Murphy; Donnacha McDonald, Paudie Hughes (capt., 1-1); Stephen Mordaunt, Ben O’Connor (0-2), Luke Devitt (1-0); Caleb Murphy (0-7, 4 frees, 1 ‘ 65), Patrick O’Connor, Dylan Holohan. Subs. (rolling) - Conor Hughes (0-2), Ben Morris, Tom Mordaunt.
Macamore Gaels: Conor Dowling; Conor Doyle, Billy Dunne, Gearóid Redmond; John Sinnott, Gavin Morris (capt.), Seán Newens; Darragh Hammel, Seán Weafer, Killian Doyle, Brendan Corcoran (0-2, 1 free), Adam Fleming; Tom Hobbs (1-0), John Furlong (0-1), Cian Fortune. Subs. (rolling) - Liam Walsh, Oisín Fortune, Jamie Doyle (1-1), Barry Doyle, Martin Keane.
Referee: Paul Browne (Clonee).