St. Martin’s turn the tables
Amazing transformation as Under-13 final spot sealed
ST. MARTIN’S 4-10 BALLINASTRAGH GAELS 4-3
ST. MARTIN’S pulled off a stunning upset win against Ballinastragh Gaels to advance to the New Ross Standard Under-13 football championship Division 1 final at the Ferns Centre of Excellence on Wednesday.
When the clubs met in Piercestown during the group stages, the Gorey District side came out on top by 15 points, but St. Martin’s had clearly learned plenty from that defeat and put it into action last week.
They also got a fantastic team performance.
They had just 18 players in their squad but they were able to continually inter-change them around and keep everyone fresh.
The victors possessed two difference makers in midfielder Alfie Jeffares and goal-getting wing-forward Alex Lafferty. Yet it was their incredible tenacity in defence that was absolutely critical when the Gaels battered their goal during a frantic second-half.
While the loss will hurt for Ballinastragh, they can take great pride in the way they responded to adversity in the second-half.
They absolutely emptied the tank after the interval and, on another day, with a little more luck, they could have overcome the huge deficit they found themselves in.
Lafferty and St. Martin’s took less than 20 seconds to make a statement. The talented attacker found the net after Ben Rothwell had initially made a superb save from Eoin Sinnott.
After James Hegarty popped one over, the Gaels responded with a poacher’s goal from Max Buggy after he diverted in Pádraig Jones’ effort.
Yet with the breeze Ballinastragh managed only an Eoin Hughes point before the break.
At the other end St. Martin’s prospered, as Lafferty netted twice more in a two-minute spell and Jeffares followed with a point.
Lafferty flashed home his fourth major two minutes before the interval and Conn Mernagh added a nice score to leave his side 4-3 to 1-1 up at the break.
Despite Buggy’s classy second goal, a string of points, with Eoin Dodd (two), Jeffares and Sinnott on target, looked to leave St. Martin’s comfortable moving towards the final quarter.
However, after Tim Ivors and Daniel Bolger pointed, quick-fire goals from Ivors himself and Darragh Gethings left just five points in the game with eight minutes left (4-8 to 4-3).
St. Martin’s, to their credit, settled and wrapped up a final spot opposite their near neighbours St. Anne’s with late points from Eoin Dunne and Mark Hennessy.
St. Martin’s: Calum McClean; Conor Mullen, Ben Larkin, Eoin Dodd; Oscar Barry, Nathan Roche, Conn Mernagh (0-1); Alfie Jeffares (joint capt., 0-2), Mark Hennessy (0-1); James Hegarty (0-1), Paul Coggins (0-3, 2 frees), Alex Lafferty (joint capt., 4-0); Cormac Simpson, Eoin Sinnott (0-1), Eoin Dunne (0-1). Subs. (rolling) - Charlie Quirke, Ryan Sinnott, Ciarán Kelly.
Ballinastragh Gaels: Ben Rothwell; Ben Mordaunt, Vincent Higgins, Morgan Timmons; Mikey Hughes, Daniel Bolger (capt., 0-1), Fergal Noctor; Tim Ivors (1-1), Eoin Hughes (0-1); Darragh Gethings (1-0), Brendan Bolger, Jack Gethings; Patrick Rooney, Pádraig Jones, Max Buggy (2-0). Subs. (rolling) - Jamie Hughes, Olan Tighe, George Tutty, Darragh Hayes, Charlie Fleming, Adam Fadian, Will Cooper, Tom Boland, Patrick Boland.
Referee: James Owens (Kilrush).