Just eight pay to see the footballers win

December 1979

Wexford 3-7, Kilkenny 0-4 There were just eight paying customers in Bellefield on Sunday last as a rather makeshift Wexford team easily accounted for the challenge of Kilkenny in Division 2B (South) of the National Football League.

The whole dismal affair was in fact a good argument for the introduction of a ‘closed season’ in GAA, as players seemed as disinterested in it as the general public. Still, Wexford - with only three or four of the regular side on duty - were never in any danger and won easily at a canter.

The game served little purpose and it was perhaps best that the players from Gusserane and St. Fintan’s were facing each other in the Senior League Final in Gorey instead. For if Wexford had been powered by the county men from those clubs, this surely would have been the bore of the year.

For the record, 2-4 of Wexford’s scores came from Michael McGee of Kilmore, and the other goal was scored by Mick Murphy of Clongeen. It was 3-4 to 0-1 at the interval and the sides added three points each in the second half after Wexford eased up significantly.

Wexford: Pat Goff (Starlights); John O’Leary (Blackwater), James O’Connor (Duffry Rovers), John Goff (Sarsfields); Billy Rowsome (Monageer), George O’Connor (St Martin’s), Jim White (St Anne’s); Patsy Asple (Ballyhogue), Donie O’Brien (Taghmon); Dan Jordan (Starlights), Louis Rafter (Duffry Rovers, 0-1), Seamus Fitzhenry (Duffry Rovers, 0-1); Mick Murphy (Clongeen, 1-2), Ger Howlin (Dan O’Connells), Michael McGee (Kilmore, 2-4). Subs – Seamus Whelan and Michael Millar (Starlights) for O’Leary and Jordan, respectively.