Purcell point the key score
Harriers heading to Galway
FAYTHE HARRIERS came out on top of a titanic battle with a gallant Duffry Rovers side to win the Féile na nGael Loch Garman Division 2 hurling title in the Ferns Centre of Excellence.
Darby Purcell’s converted free, less than a minute into the second-half, proved to the be final score and the difference between two sides which cancelled each other out for long spells.
If the Harriers had the influential playmakers in the middle third of the field, they met their match in a Duffry Rovers defence that refused to give an inch. No score came easily for the champions, and they had to work for everything they got, but they weren’t afraid to get stuck in either.
The hard work that’s going on to improve hurling in the Wexford town club is well known at this stage, and not for the first time it bore fruit. However, there’s a core group working their backsides off in Coolree too and that was clearly evident once again.
This was always going to be a monumental task for a young Duffry team and, while they will be disappointed with the result, they can be proud of their continued improvement and climb up the under-age Wexford hurling ladder.
The sides felt each other out for a while before the game settled into a pattern of Harriers probing and Duffry repelling.
Purcell opened the scoring with a free after Shay O’Leary was fouled and then ran 30 yards, after linking up with O’Leary and Shane Kehoe, to rattle home the opening goal.
Noah Whelan kicked a shot across goal at the midpoint of the half but the brilliant Duffry defence cleared to safety.
Eoin Cassin set up O’Leary to make it 1-2 to nil after 13 minutes but their opponents soon grew in confidence.
The Duffry grabbed a goal back when Dylan Purcell pulled home after a Danny Fitzhenry free dropped close to goal. Then, a quick dead-ball double from Fitzhenry before the interval saw the sides go in level (1-2 each).
When Purcell pointed at the start of the second-half, everything pointed to more of the same. However, both defences dominated the final 19 minutes.
Michael Murphy was forced into a fine save from Eoin Cassin but, other than that, neither goalkeeper was unduly tested.
The Duffry had a little late pressure in the final two minutes but hooks and blocks in the Harriers defence prevented a clearcut chance from presenting itself.
It meant that the Páirc Charman boys advance to the national stage again. They will be hosted by Gort and play in Division 3 of the National Féile in Galway on June 8-10.
Faythe Harriers: Tiarnan Doyle; Cillian Twomey, Aaron Roche, Darragh Kirwan; Alex Kirby, Luke Corrigan, Cuan Gallagher; Eoin Doyle, Darby Purcell (capt., 1-2, 0-2 frees); Shane Kehoe, Shay O’Leary (0-1), Eoin Halligan; Rhys Leonard, Noah Whelan, Eoin Cassin. Subs. - Jack Kennedy for Kehoe (21), Evan O’Brien for Whelan (37), also Luke Murphy, Evan Murphy, Jack Corcoran, Dean Hillis, Mark Tormey, Colm Roche, Calum Farrell, Cormac Doyle, Eoin Monaghan, Jessie Dempsey, Jack Egan, Alexis Ashgarian.
Duffry Rovers: Michael Murphy; Ciarán Murphy, Callum Boyce, Jacques Neville; Pádraig Walters, Joshua Doyle, Robbie Chapman; Danny Fitzhenry (0-2 frees), Cathal O’Gorman; James Lawless, Ciarán Doyle (capt.), David Nolan; Noel Cowman, Dylan Purcell (1-0), Ryan Purcell. Subs. - Jason Sheridan for R. Purcell (21), Liam Redmond for Neville (21), also Killian Hanrahan, Joey Earle, Raymond Barnes, Tomás Murphy, Mervyn Rogan.
Referee: Mick Lanigan (Shelmaliers).