Martin’s ease into Minor semis
Hard-trying Horeswood granted no favours by grading
ST. MARTIN’S 5-14 HORESWOOD 2-4
ST. MARTIN’S rubber-stamped their place in the Wexford People Minor football Premier championship semi-finals with victory over Horeswood in Piercestown on Monday of last week.
The hosts have only lost twice so far this season, a couple of tight ones against Na Piarsaigh and Shelmaliers, the two sides with automatic spots in the championship semi-finals already booked.
It would therefore be no great surprise to see them push on and go deep into this competition.
They certainly have the talent to do it and they were able to display it right from the first whistle in this contest.
Horeswood are struggling at the top table.
They were gallant runners-up in the Roinn 1 championship last season as Under-16s, but they have been granted no favours by being upgraded to Premier level.
HWH-Bunclody beat them in that final and have had the luxury of adding several talented Davidstown-Courtnacuddy players to their squad to help them be competitive as Na Piarsaigh.
Horeswood have had no such influx and it can’t help small clubs to retain players at a critical age when you are on the receiving end of heavy losses every week.
They battled away in this contest but did it without any real belief. St. Martin’s were in no mood to be overly hospitable and they raced into a 3-11 to nil lead with the breeze at their backs in the opening half.
Shortly after fellow wing-back Luke Kavanagh opened the scoring with a point, Joe Barrett got forward to score the first goal in seventh minute.
Zac Firman produced a powerful performance with six points, including four in the first-half as his side kept pushing forward.
A wacky half-volley scissor-kick by David Cantwell produced goal number two, Shane Walsh kicked a couple of nice points, and Barrett netted his second major as the scores continued to flow.
Horeswood did manage an injury-time Joe O’Sullivan point to get themselves on the board (3-11 to 0-1).
The second-half was a far more even affair and, after Conor and Matthew Foley raised white flags for the visitors, David O’Boyle netted at the other end.
Rob Delaney was back on the field mere seconds when he grabbed Horeswood’s first goal in the 52nd minute.
John Hennessy netted a fifth St. Martin’s goal as the game moved into the last few minutes but, maybe fittingly, given their resilience, Horeswood had the final say with a Conor Foley punched three-pointer right on full-time.
St. Martin’s: Brandon Dodd; Jim McDermott, Ben Morris (0-1), Oisín Waters; Joe Barrett (2-1), David Codd, Luke Kavanagh (01); Shane Walsh (capt., 0-3), Conor Stafford; Zac Firman (0-6, 1 free), Conor Kelly, David Cantwell (1-0); Adam Feery (0-1), Conor Devereux (0-1), Jack Byrne. Subs. - James Mernagh, John Hennessy (1-0), Jamie Berry, David O’Boyle (1-0), Conor Keane, Rory Walsh, also Cillian Corkery, Kevin Reck, Christopher Ryan, Diarmuid O’Leary, Rory Devereux, Zac Breslin.
Horeswood: Ryan Rowe; Alex Molloy, Jason Murphy, Dean Roberts; Seán Hunt (capt.), Cathal Mernagh, Danny Nolan; Jack Kehoe, Barry Walsh-Howlin; Joe O’Sullivan (0-2), Nigel Dunne-Sheriff, Robert Delaney (1-0); Neil Ennis, Matthew Foley (0-1), Jack White. Subs. - Conor Foley (1-1), Dermot Clancy, Seán Chapman.
Referee: Fintan O’Reilly (Kilmore).