NEWS IN BRIEF

HURLERS SLUMP: The Wexford Senior hurlers were left with the task of having to negotiate the back door route in their quest for All-Ireland honours after a disjointed performance resulted in a clearcut 2-22 to 1-14 Leinster championship defeat to a fancied Galway side before a poor crowd of 7,877 in Nowlan Park, Kilkenny, on May 29, 2010.

The dismissal of rival wing-forward Andy Smith in the 53rd minute actually worked against Wexford as his colleagues drove on and pounced for a second goal to put the outcome beyond reach.

Wexford finished with 13 men, as David Redmond collected two yellow cards before team captain and top scorer Diarmuid Lyng departed on a straight red.

Wexford: Noel Carton; Ciarán Kenny, Keith Rossiter, Lar Prendergast; Richie Kehoe, Darren Stamp, Malachy Travers; Harry Kehoe (0-1), Colm Farrell; Peter Atkinson, Eoin Quigley (0-1), Diarmuid Lyng (capt., 0-11, 8 frees, 1 ’65); Rory Jacob (0-1), Michael Jacob, Stephen Banville. Subs. - David Redmond for Travers, inj. (11), Tomás Waters (1-0) for Kehoe, inj. (42), Barry Kenny for Farrell, temp. (55), Paul Morris for M. Jacob (58).

SHANE’S LATE STRIKE: Shane Dempsey drilled home a 93rd-minute winner as Wexford Youths came from behind to beat Mervue United 3-2 in the Airtricity League Division 1 tie in Ferrycarrig Park on May 30, 2010.

While Danny Furlong had replied to an early Evan Connolly penalty, the latter restored the Galway side’s lead before substitute Shane Sinnott struck a 78th-minute equaliser from a cushioned pass by Dean Broaders.

Both sides looked likely to take a deserved point, before Dempsey popped up just inside the Mervue area and lashed past the despairing dive of netminder Conor Winn.

HILLCLIMB HIGH: David James put his local knowledge to good use by taking second in the national hillclimb and sprint championship when rounds five and six were hosted by the coastal villages of Duncannon and Fethard.

MIGHTY MARY’S: St. Mary’s of New Ross were in blistering form when they hammered Old Bawn from Tallaght on a 7-14 to 1-2 scoreline in the Leinster Post-Primary Schools Under-14 ‘B’ ladies’ football final held in Arklow.

Katie White (3-3) and Aodhnait Kehoe were joint captains of the winning team, with Aine Kinsella (3-2) and Ellen O’Brien (1-6) also contributing fine scoring tallies.

ROCKS RULE: Enniscorthy Shamrocks succeeded Askamore as Leinster Club hurling league Division 2 champions with a merited 2-11 to 2-7 victory over Lucan Sarsfields from Dublin in the final held in Nowlan Park as a curtain-raiser to the Wexford v. Galway clash.

Full-back Mick Weafer captained the team, and the goals were registered by Harry Goff - currently physio to the Wexford Senior hurling team - and Bob Jacob.

RANGERS RULE: Gorey Rangers lived up to the tag of favourites when they travelled to the New Ross Celtic grounds and defeated Forth Celtic 3-0 to capture the Under-12 Cup crown.

Paul Brennan gave them the lead in the 20th minute, and a missed penalty by their rivals on the re-start was followed by two more goals from Paul Murphy and substitute Stephen Hempenstall.