Minor fixture in doubt as adult games scheduled
FEW MATCHES throughout the year are bigger in the local G.A.A. scene than the Wexford People Minor football Premier championship final. This year’s edition sees St. Martin’s looking to complete the double-double of football and hurling titles.
Last season the Piercestown and Murrintown boys beat Abban O’Rahilly’s to the football crown and Glynn-Barntown to small ball glory. They already have the hurling title in the bag again after seeing off Mogue O’Rahilly’s in Taghmon last month.
One feels that this might well be their biggest test of all four. The Fethard/Gusserane com- bo which they are due to meet again this Saturday are laced with quality players, many of whom have been involved in the adult county title team and squad a few weeks ago.
The confidence is bound to flow through a side which hasn’t lost themselves since they fell to their final opponents in Piercestown back in March (4-10 to 1-6).
After that, no team has been closer than a goal to the New Ross District lads in their run to their final, culminating in their 2-8 to 1-7 last four win over HWH-Bunclody.
Apart from a shock August loss to a Naomh Eanna side which won just one other game, way back in February, all season, St. Martin’s have been in good form. Indeed, they bounced back from that defeat with a 4-10 to 1-6 victory over HWH-Bunclody before dispatching Glynn-Barntown by 2-8 to 1-8 in the semi-final.
Previous form suggests that St Martin’s have the slight edge in this contest, but Mogue O’Rahilly’s have been fantastic throughout the season and seem to be peaking at the right time.
It all augurs well for a cracking title decider, but please note that it might not go ahead as scheduled on Saturday given that Gusserane are playing Rhode in the AIB Leinster Club Senior football championship 24 hours later, and Mark O’Neill and Mark Rossiter will be involved in that game.
In addition, the adult C.C.C.C. members have fixed Fethard to play their Junior ‘B’ football final, and St. Martin’s to contest an Under-21 football quarter-final, on Saturday.
After falling to Rathnure in the Enniscorthy Guardian Juvenile hurling Roinn 1 championship final last weekend, Blackwater have a chance to bounce back and end their season with a memorable Gorey Guardian Juvenile football Roinn 1 title.
St. Mary’s (Maudlintown) are the opposition in St. Patrick’s Park on Thursday (7 p.m. throw-in) in what promises to be an entertaining game of football between two up-and-coming teams.
The sides have something in common, knocking out fancied opponents in the semi-final. Sarsfields topped Group A but St. Mary’s had enough in their locker to edge out their former Páirc Charman neighbours by 1-8 to 0-10 in a classic.
HWH-Bunclody were unbeaten coming into the semi-final and had dismissed Blackwater by ten points in the Group B game between the sides. However, the Over The Water boys had learnt their lessons and used early goals to surge away (4-6 to 0-7) and book a fascinating final with St. Mary’s.
Finally, the Minor hurling Roinn 1 semi-finals took place last weekend. Oylegate-Glenbrien proved a little too strong for Hollow Rovers (Duffry Rovers/ Marshalstown-Castledockrell) in Killurin on Saturday, winning by 3-14 to 1-12.
In the final they will meet HWH-Bunclody. The Enniscorthy District side took to the field one day later, dismissing Munna-Abbain (Taghmon-Camross/Adamstown) with a little bit to spare in the Ferns Centre of Excellence by 3-10 to 2-5.
THURS. OCT. 27 AT ST. PATRICK’S PARK: Gorey Guardian Juvenile football Roinn 1 championship final, St. Mary’s (Maudlintown) v. Blackwater, 7 p.m.