NEWS IN BRIEF
BATTLING SECOND: David Barron of Slaney Olympic battled his way to an impressive second place from a field of over 500 athletes in the second annual Wexford half-marathon, held on May 2.
Lorcan Cronin of Clonliffe Harriers raced to a comfortable victory, beating Barron by 32 seconds, while places three to five were filled by local trio Ger Clancy (D.M.P.), Myles Gibbons (S.B.R.) and Pádraig Moriarty (Slaney Olympic).
Tragically, it would be Clancy’s last notable achievement in a fine career, as the 32-year-old died in an accidental fall at his home later that week.
Jackie Carthy of Kilmore shaded her long-time friend and rival, Ann Sullivan (D.M.P.) to the women’s title with plenty to spare.
ROWE’S LATE WINNER: An 82nd-minute Kevin Rowe strike helped Wexford Youths to end their losing run with a well-deserved 2-1 victory over Athlone Town in Ferrycarrig Park on April 30.
It was only their second win from nine Division 1 outings, and it came after the midlanders had replied to a superb Danny Furlong lob to the net in the 39th minute.
Wexford Youths: Packie Holden, Anthony Russell, David Breen, Anthony Wolfe, John Byrne, Shane Dempsey, Jimmy Keohane, Kevin Rowe, Danny Furlong, Gary Sheahan, Dean Broaders. Subs. - Shane Sinnott for Byrne (81), Chris Kenny for Rowe (90+3).
TAGHMON TOPS: The Taghmon team of Edward Cousins, Colm Byrne, Philip Walsh and Nicholas Murphy had an easier than expected 6-1 win over Eagles in the final of the Division 1 men’s badminton league.
It was much closer in the Division 2 decider where Eagles retained their title for a third successive year with a hard-fought 5-3 success over Kilkenny side Tullahought.
Eagles: Vincent Mackey, Frankie Morrissey, Noel Carton, Seán Sexton.
Taghmon duo Ciara Dunne and Clodagh Kent were on the Leinster team in the Harrod’s English Under-17 inter-counties championship in Nottingham.
DOUBLE SUCCESS: There was double success for Wexford handball at the Irish Nationals in Kingscourt, Co. Cavan.
Paul Lambert followed up his All-Ireland Junior ‘B’ singles and doubles wins by capturing the men’s ‘C’ singles crown, while Tony Breen picked up the winner’s medal in the Emerald Masters singles final.
O’GRADY HITS WINNER: A fifth-minute goal by county Under-21 star Kevin O’Grady proved the difference in the long run as St. James’ got the better of St. Martin’s in the opening round of the Intermediate football championship in Grantstown by 1-11 to 0-11.
Two goals in the space of three minutes at the start of the second-half from Aaron Goff and Daithí Moore guided Kilmore to a comfortable 3-10 to 3-2 victory over St. Mary’s (Maudlintown) in Taghmon.
County hurler Peter Atkinson was the main man with 2-1 as HWH-Bunclody accounted for Craanford by 2-10 to 1-4 in Farmleigh, while Conor Levingstone got the crucial second goal for Kilrush in their 2-8 to 2-5 all-Gorey District clash against Kilanerin in Monamolin.