Shels secure victory as Rapps yield

SHELMALIERS RAPPAREES 2-14 2-9

A STRONG-FINISHING Shelmaliers hit 1-6 without reply in the final 20 minutes to overcome Rapparees with five points to spare in an entertaining Pettitt’s Senior hurling championship Group D encounter in Chadwicks Wexford Park on Saturday afternoon.

When Kevin Foley fired over a ‘65 with 40 minutes on the clock to give the Enniscorthy outfit a 2-9 to 1-8 advantage, they looked to be in a good position entering the home straight, but the Over The Water side found another gear and ran out quite convincing winners in the end.

Rapparees netminder Tomás ‘Mossy’ Mahon won’t want to relive the second Shels goal, which came with the game still in the balance with five minutes remaining, as his short pass was badly misplaced, resulting in the grateful James Cash hitting the back of the net.

The Enniscorthy men couldn’t have asked for a better start to the game, with the ever-lively county man Kevin Foley popping up with an early point, before they raised a green flag in the third minute.

A clever Lenny Connolly pass put Nick Doyle in the clear, and the big forward did the rest, burying a rasper out of the reach of Brian Murphy.

The celebrations had barely died down, however, when Shelmaliers replied in kind, grabbing a goal in response seconds later.

Good work from Seán Keane-Carroll created the opening for Joe Kelly, and he showed his predatory instincts by arrowing an unstoppable shot to the corner of the net.

Rapparees re-gathered the momentum though, as Darragh Pepper stroked over a nice score off his left and Kevin Foley knocked over a placed ball, but then Shels enjoyed a purple patch, registering four points on the trot, with Conor Hearne and Jody Donohoe finding the range, either side of a brace of Ross Banville frees to take a slender lead (1-4 to 1-3).

It continued to be tit-for-tat, with Foley (free) and substitute Oran Carty pointing for the Rapps, and Ross Banville and Conor Hearne replying with eye-catching efforts, but after Carty had been hooked when in front of goal in the 28th minute, the Enniscorthy side did bag their second goal moments later.

It came in rather fortuitous fashion as Kevin Ryan’s effort from out the field fell short and goalkeeper Brian Murphy failed to control the bouncing ball, allowing it to agonisingly trickle over the line.

And when Kevin Foley converted a ‘65 in first-half injury time, it gave Rapparees a 2-6 to 1-6 advantage at the interval.

Adrian Fenlon’s side increased their lead to four points by the 41st minute, with Kevin Foley and Lenny Connolly hitting good scores from play and the former converting a ‘65, while Ross Banville replied with two points for Shels.

However, it all went pear-shaped for Rapparees after that, as Shelmaliers started to dominate of Foley

A goo meant Ro to cut loo points in two frees

Seán beautiful angle on from ‘Mo for Shels

The ne pass wa still had p effort blo Keane-C

Ross B over a fre although in search they cam Cash, Eo

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