Confidence-boosting win for Cushinstown
R’GAROGUE/C’TOWN 2-14 M’GEER-B’VOGUE 1-10
IT was a game of little consequence to either side but Rathgarogue-Cushinstown, already doomed to a relegation play-off, turned in the best display of the campaign when comfortably accounting for previously unbeaten Monageer-Boolavogue in this Courtyard Ferns Intermediate hurling championship Round 5 Group B game played at Innovate Wexford Park on Sunday afternoon last.
The New Ross District outfit wanted to end their group games on a high, having lost their previous four outings, particularly with a relegation battle with Ballygarrett now awaiting them, and this they somehow manage as they totally outplayed their opponents particularly through a wind assisted first half when they laid the foundations for this victory building up a thirteen point interval lead.
For the losers it was not the ideal preparation going into the quarter-finals. While they could afford the luxury of a defeat they will be disappointed with their overall display although they did show improvement through the second period but by then the game was long gone from them.
The eventual winners got off to a lightning start with a Daire Bolger point inside thirty seconds, while two minutes later James Devereux worked his way through the defence for a goal.
By the fifth minute they led 2-1 to 0-1, the second goal a fine Tadgh Cody finish after keeper Sean Murphy had blocked out a Devereux shot.
With Monageer-Boolavogue struggling for possession, only managing three first half points into the wind, through Padraig Flynn, three, two frees, it was a Daire Bolger inspired Cushinstown who went on to pick off some excellent scores to lead 2-10 to 0-3 at the interval.
Leading by 13 points, Cushinstown now had just to protect their lead, and this they managed despite the opposition coming more into the game as Tommy Breen tried to inspire a comeback from the centre-forward position.
But they found scoring difficult being mainly reliant on the free taking of Flynn, while their goal 11 minutes from the end through sub Colm O’Loughlin, reducing the deficit to 2-12 to 1-8, came too late as the eventual winners comfortably held out for a long awaited victory.
Rathgarogue/Cushinstown: Colin Whelan; Ricky McGrath, Brian Cody, Peadar Cody; Liam O’Shea, Daniel Martin-Carroll, Peter Asple (0-1); Brian O’Neill (0-2), Dara Bolger (0-7, 0-2 frees, 0-1, 65); Matthew Cody, James Devereux (1-2) Bernard Furlong; Tadgh Cody (1-1), Francis O’Brien, Jason Dunne (0-1). Subs: Robert Murphy for O’Brien; Aaron Ryan for Dunne.
Monageer-Boolavogue: Sean Murphy; Sean McCabe, Chris Daly, Liam Gahan; Ian Hawkins, Tommy Breen, Mick Sweeney; Paddy Breen, Larry Murphy; Padraig Flynn (0-8, 0-7 frees) Damien Fenlon, Cathal Walsh; Diarmuid Fenlon, Bertie Gahan (0-1), Matthew Dunne. Subs: Colm O’Loughlin (1-0) for Diarmuid Fenlon; Niall O’Reilly for Sweeney; Mark Gahan (0-1) for Damien Fenlon; Shane Kehoe for Matthew Dunne.
Referee: Philip Murphy.