Wexford C.B.S. succumb to superior force in final
BORRIS V.C. 5-16 WEXFORD C.B.S. 3-10
THE JUVENILE hurlers of Wexford C.B.S. met a superior force in Friday’s Top Oil South Leinster Juvenile (Under-14½) hurling ‘B’ shield final at Bunclody and suffered a twelve-point defeat to a bigger and better Borris V.C. side.
Victory here for the Boker boys would have added another cup to the Leinster first year Division 3 title won recently and, with eleven first year students starting in this final, it would have been a remarkable double.
However, despite a promising start which resulted in a 0-2 to nil lead after five minutes, the Carlow students took over and by halftime it was evident that there was only going to be one winner in this high-scoring tie.
At the break it was 4-12 to 1-7, but to be fair to C.B.S. they continued to battle for every ball until Dickie Murphy’s final whistle.
In truth, Borris V.C. would be quite comfortable in the ‘A’ grade such was their size and skill.
Eoin Hartigan flashed over those two early points but at the other end James Whitty netted for Borris, and after ten minutes it was 1-3 to 0-2.
The C.B.S. defence was under pressure and it seemed that every attack for Borris was yielding a score, particularly for their razor-sharp corner-forwards who finished with 3-4 from play between them.
However, C.B.S. kept in touch as Darragh Carley converted a free, Zach Breslin split the posts following a fine catch, and Chris Ryan (now at wing-back) pointed to leave the score at 2-4 to 0-5 at the end of the first quarter.
Sam Byrne scored his second goal and his side’s third, but Eoin Hartigan replied for C.B.S. with a similar score in the 18th minute to keep them in the hunt.
Borris cemented their victory in the ten minutes before halftime when Joe Dundon drove a piledriver to the net, and they had points from their accurate free-taker Evan Kealy (three), and Byrne and Whitty in the corners.
At half-time C.B.S. re-jigged their team in an effort to get back into the contest.
William Linn went in goal with Liam Donoghue moving to the forwards.
Fionn O’Callaghan switched to centre-back and Darragh Carley was stationed at midfield, with Andrew Moran in attack
The second-half turned out to be a more even affair.
Borris tagged on the points through Kealy’s frees but Darragh Carley - now at full-forward - flicked a long delivery to the net and pointed two frees.
Borris kept C.B.S. at arm’s length as substitute Robert Stafford scored a fine goal, but the score of the day was in the 53rd minute as a sweeping C.B.S. attack involving Tadhg Brohan, Liam Donoghue and Zach Breslin finished with Finn Jager flashing the ball to the net.
It was a brave effort from Wexford C.B.S. - coached by teachers Richard Blake and Brendan Brosnan and assisted by Wexford G.D.A. Willie Cleary - but there was no denying that Borris were worthy winners.
Wexford C.B.S.: Liam Donoghue (Glynn-Barntown); Adam Murphy (Shelmaliers), Chris Ryan (St. Martin’s, 0-1), Fionn O’Callaghan (Glynn-Barntown); Rian Sammon (Blackwater), Darragh Carley (Glynn-Barntown, capt., 1-4, 0-4 frees), Oisín Meyler (Our Lady’s Island); Cian Doyle (Shelmaliers), Andrew Moran (St. Anne’s); Tadhg Brohan (St. Mary’s, Rosslare), Zach Breslin (St. Martin’s, 0-2), Jack Kennedy (Faythe Harriers); Quinn Kelly (St. Fintan’s), Eoin Hartigan (Faythe Harriers, 1-2), William Linn (St. Mary’s, Rosslare). Subs. - Danny Howlin (St. Mary’s, Rosslare) for Linn, Linn for Kennedy, Finn Jager (Faythe Harriers, 1-0) for Kelly, Harry Quirke (St. Martin’s) for Murphy, Eoin Doyle (Faythe Harriers) for Meyler, Callum McDonald (Glynn-Barntown) for Moran, Cillian Doyle (Our Lady’s Island) for Donoghue, Stephen McDonnell (Kilmore) for Howlin, Mustafa Weis (Faythe Harriers) for Carley, also Tommy Gallagher (Glynn-Barntown), Tadhg Hayes (St. Mary’s, Rosslare).
Borris V.C.: Ciarán Joyce; Kyle Foley, Luke Kavanagh, Patrick Stafford; Stephen Lawlor, Jack Kennedy, Eric English; James Bible, Evan Kealy (0-5 frees); Donagh Murphy (0-2), Declan Brennan (0-1), Joe Dundon (12); James Whitty (1-2), Daire Murphy (0-2), Sam Byrne (2-2). Subs. - Robert Stafford (1-0) for Whitty, Diego Dunne for Dundon, Donal Quirke for Stafford, Eamonn Kavanagh for Foley, James O’Neill for Kennedy.
Referee: Dickie Murphy (Rapparees).