Boker boys advance
Wexford CBS to face Grennan College in decider
DETERMINATION, spirit and skill ensured that the Senior hurlers of Wexford CBS advanced to the Top Oil South Leinster Senior Hurling ‘C’ final following this fine victory over a teak-tough Bagenalstown side at Pairc Charman recently.
The Boker boys set the tone from early on when Glen Murphy-Butler’s brilliant turnover created the opportunity for Eoin Kavanagh to score the first of his two goals.
This was a continuous feature of the game as the tackling and work-rate of the Wexford town based students was exceptional. CBS built on their good start despite being inaccurate with some frees.
Murphy-Butler pointed and in the tenth minute his stinging shot was parried by the Bagenalstown keeper but Kavanagh pounced to rattle the net.
At the other end, Bagenalstown replied with a goal (2-3 to 1-2) as they gradually began to impose themselves on the game and it was clear it was going to be a dogfight as they were a physically bigger team.
CBS were up for the fight and they got a timely boost in the third minute when Darragh Carley’s long range point effort dipped and deceived the keeper, resulting in a green flag (3-4 to 1-3).
However, the Carlow boys bossed the rest of the half scoring three unanswered points to leave four between the sides at the break.
CBS captain Richard Lawlor showed his leadership in the third quarter as he answered two quick Bagenalstown points with beautiful points of his own and gradually his teammates began to follow his example.
Jason Gordon was fouled going through and Josh Shiel converted while Shiel converted another free as the Bagenalstown defence was struggling to hold the CBS attack, Glen Murphy Butler in particular.
The CBS defence led by Kyle Scallan and Joe Barrett began to dominate and entering the final stretch, the home side were 3-9 to 1-9 ahead.
Murphy-Butler was hauled down in the 54th minute and Richard Lawlor neatly tucked the resulting penalty into the bottom left hand corner of the net.
Emmett Nolan landed a monster point from midfield before Bagenalstown grabbed a goal in the 59th minute but late points from Michael Laffan, Eoin Kavanagh and Josh Shiel gave CBS a hardearned nine-point win.
Grennan College of Thomastown await in the South Leinster final which will be played after Christmas.
The last time the Boker boys won this final was in 2013/14 when they went all the way to the All-Ireland final.
WEXFORD CBS: Chris Ryan (St. Martin’s); Conor Graydon (Glynn-Barntown), Kyle Scallan (Faythe Harriers), Ben Hynes (Faythe Harriers); Josh McMahon (Faythe Harriers), Joe Barrett (St. Martin’s), Darragh Carley (Glynn-Barntown 1-0); Emmett Nolan (Faythe Harriers 0-1), Jason Gordon (Faythe Harriers); Paul Leonard (Glynn-Barntown), Richard Lawlor (Faythe Harriers Capt. 1-4, 1-0 pen), Michael Laffan (Glynn-Barntown 0-1 ‘65); Eoin Kavanagh (Faythe Harriers 2-1), Josh Shiel (Faythe Harriers 0-4, 2f), Glen Murphy-Butler (Faythe Harriers 0-1).
Subs: Ollie McMahon (Faythe Harriers) for Leonard, Sean Byrne (Faythe Harriers) for McMahon.
REFEREE: James Flood.