Success in shield
Crossabeg-Ballymurn come through
SECOND-HALF majors from Seán Reck and Robert Murphy proved the difference as Crossabeg-Ballymurn ground out victory in the Wexford People Minor football Roinn 2 shield final in St. Patrick’s Park.
The Wexford District side had given Roinn 2 finalists St. Joseph’s a tough, close battle in their championship play-off game in early August, so it was evident even then that they had ample class and quality in their side.
Moguegeen Gaels were also knocked out of the championship by the Wexford town club in a tight, low-scoring contest, so it was no surprise that these two clubs got on a run to make the shield decider.
Their records for the season suggested a good, competitive game of football and that’s exactly what the sparse crowd got.
The sides were level at 0-2 each after a Jimmy Sutton brace was cancelled out by points from Jack Fortune and Cathal Devereux.
Crossabeg-Ballymurn made a move as the game drifted into the second quarter, and with points from Mark Byrne, Cian Kinlough and the ever-influential Fortune, they moved 0-6 to 0-3 clear.
Their advantage didn’t last long as Stephen Dundon sent Ryan Molloy away for the game’s opening goal in the 26th minute.
The sides were still level after Fortune and Adam Waters exchanged minors, but Crossabeg-Ballymurn made a big statement just before the break when Cathal Devereux soloed 50 yards down the left wing and drilled high past Seamie Kiely.
Despite leading by 1-7 to 1-4 at the break, the eventual victors weren’t allowed to get clear.
Dundon and Sutton pulled points back either side of Fortune’s fifth to leave just two between the sides heading towards the final quarter.
Substitute Seán Reck’s calm finish to the net off the deck from Luke Corish’s pass seemed to put Crossabeg-Ballymurn in a strong position, but Louis Doherty hit back in kind just two minutes later to leave the game right in the balance (2-8 to 2-6).
The killer strike came with six minutes left and it was Robert Murphy with the spectacular finish, thumping high to the net, again off the ground from Kinlough’s pass, to see Crossabeg-Ballymurn safely to the shield crown.
Crossabeg-Ballymurn: Aaron Cummins; Oran Maddock (joint capt.), Alex Sludds, Steve Cullen; Peter O’Leary, Tommy Ring (joint capt.), James Dixon; Cathal Devereux (11), Luke Corish; Jack Fortune (0-5), Robert Murphy (1-0), Joe Kelly; Lorcan Lacey, Mark Byrne (0-1 free), Cian Kinlough (0-1). Subs. - Seán Reck (1-0) for Lacey (40), Michael Cullen for Byrne (59), also Jacob English, Cathal Byrne, Josh Waldron.
Moguegeen Gaels: Seamie Kiely; Seán Walsh, Liam Whelan (capt.), Jack Pearse-Nolan; Oisín Rooney, Peter Waters, Adam Waters (0-1); Aaron Murphy (0-2, 1 free), Brian Dillon; Seán Dunne, Cian O’Grady-Fortune, Robbie Rochford; Stephen Dundon (0-1), Jimmy Sutton (0-3), Ryan Molloy (1-0). Subs. - Louis Doherty (1-0) for Rochford, inj. (41), Andy Liu for Molloy (51), also James Whelan, Adam O’Sullivan, Zachery Lavery, Niall Doherty, Conor McGee, Oggie Doyle, Dylan Whelan.
Referee: John O’Loughlin (Monageer-Boolavogue).