Lifeline for Oulart with hard-earned victory over Ferns

OULART-THE Ballagh earned a hard-fought five-point win over Ferns St. Aidan’s in Group B of the Pettitt’s Senior hurling championship in Monamolin on Wednesday.

In a tense encounter and with both sides weakened by injuries, it was the 2016 champions who came away with the victory.

The final score was not a fair reflection of the game however, as Ferns gave as good as they got and looked the more likely winners for large parts of this entertaining encounter.

Ferns came out of the traps quickly, helped by some superb scores including a brace from Jonny Dwyer and a fine Benny Jordan point.

They then came within a whisker of an early goal when Christopher ‘Bitzy’ O’Connor’s first-time pull went just past the post.

Oulart-The Ballagh full-forward Martin Og Storey replied with a point after narrowly firing over with a goal attempt.

Nicky Kirwan, as he so often does, got his team going with a goal after 15 minutes when he pulled on a breaking ball to make it 1-3 to 0-5.

Benny Jordan then took the game by the scruff of the neck and rattled off three superb points, and at half time Ferns were ahead by 0-9 to 1-4.

The second-half was an intense affair with numerous off-the-ball incidents which kept the officials busy.

The turning point came when Oulart-The Ballagh introduced Peter Sutton. With ten minutes to go, and Ferns leading by a goal, a short puck-out went horribly wrong, leading to Sutton blocking down an attempted clearance and racing through to rattle the net.

With the sides now level, Oulart-The Ballagh’s experienced players began to shine.

Their defence tightened up and Garrett Sinnott started to win plenty of vital possession around the middle.

The final ten minutes was all Oulart-The Ballagh as they outscored their opponents by 1-7 to 0-2.

Scores from Eamon Murphy, Des Mythen, Garrett Sinnott, Billy Dunne and the excellent Nicky Kirwan earned them a flattering five-point win to keep their championship hopes alive.

Oulart-The Ballagh: Conor O’Leary; Ian Storey, Keith Rossiter, Barry Kehoe; Anthony Roche, Shaun Murphy, Dennis Morton; Rory Jacob, Eamon Murphy (0-1); Des Mythen (0-3), Garrett Sinnott (0-2), Peter Murphy; Murtha Doyle, Martin Og Storey (0-2), Nicky Kirwan (1-5, 0-2 frees, 0-1 ‘65). Subs. - Peter Sutton (1-0) for Jacob (47), Billy Dunne (0-1) for P. Murphy (52).

Ferns St. Aidan’s: Michael Walsh; Conor Scallan, John Breen, Declan Byrne; Brian O’Neill, Gavin Bailey, Ciarán Roberts; Tommy Dwyer (0-1), Niall Murphy; Jonny Dwyer (0-3), Ian Byrne (0-1), James Lawlor; Christopher O’Connor (0-5, 4 frees), Eoin Murphy (0-1), Benny Jordan (0-4). Subs. - Chris Turner for Bailey, inj. (49), Ryan Nolan for Lawlor (57).

Referee: Seán Whelan (St. Martin’s).