Gusserane win with late burst
Shels fall to a first defeat
GUSSERANE SHELMALIERS
A LATE scoring flourish helped Gusserane O’Rahilly’s to an impressive seven-point victory over Shelmaliers in this Enniscorthy Farm Systems Junior football championship Group A game played in Bree on Sunday.
With a place in the knock-out stages already secure, both sides still managed to serve up an exciting game of football, with little separating them until the New Ross District team finished with a flourish, mainly inspired by the introduction of substitute Martin Fitzharris to the attack for the final quarter.
His strong running at the defence created the space for his attacking colleagues, while he also managed to get in on the scoring act with a fine goal close to the finish.
It was a game that started off at a fast pace, with the Shels taking an early lead through a Stephen Carr point.
However, after just five minutes, Gusserane were awarded a penalty after a Shels defender had been penalised for a footblock, which Darragh Doyle coolly dispatched to the net.
The Shels response was immediate, producing a Brian O’Connor point, while on 13 minutes they regained the lead through a fine Kevin O’Leary goal.
The sides contined to exchange points but Gusserane held the minimum lead (1-5 to 1-4) at the interval.
There was an exchange of scores on the resumption through Jack Culleton and Craig Parker, from a 45, but Gusserane still led by 1-9 to 1-6 entering the closing ten minutes.
Seven minutes from the end, substitute David Kehoe powered home a low shot to bring the sides level (1-9 to 2-6).
But there was a blistering response from Gusserane, with Kevin O’Donohoe kicking two pointed frees, while two minutes from the end Ger Wallace broke through the centre to fire low to the corner of the net.
And in additional time Fitzharris closed out the game with his side’s third goal, inflicting a first defeat on the Shels in the process.
Gusserane: Brian Hennessy; Eoghan Foran, Cathal Somers, Donal Kinsella; Eoin Codd, Gary O’Grady, Robert Browne; Darragh Doyle (1-1, 1-0 pen.), Ciarán Conway (0-1); James Redmond (0-1), Ger Wallace (1-0), Jack Culleton (0-1); Kevin O’Donohoe (0-5, 3 frees), Tom Breen, Seán O’Connor (0-1). Subs. - Stephen Whelan for Kinsella, Martin Fitzharris (1-1) for Breen, Oisín Foran for Culleton (black card).
Shelmaliers: Aodhán Foley; Adam Hearne, Joe Redmond, Paul McCleane; Mark Power, Robbie Staples, Aaron Doyle; Conor Walsh, Eoin O’Leary (0-1); Niall Murphy (0-1), Craig Parker (0-3, 2 frees, 1 ‘45), Chris Cowman; Brian O’Connor (0-1), Kevin O’Leary (1-0), Stephen Carr (0-1). Sub. - David Kehoe (1-0) for Carr.
Referee: Roly Buckley (Ballyhogue).