Harriers see off Ferns

GOALS win matches, or so they say, and the ability to find the back of Seamus Lawlor’s net certainly proved crucial for Faythe Harriers as they advanced to the last four of the under-20 hurling championship at the expense of Ferns with eight points to spare.

The deciding scores from Conall Clancy and Fiach Crowley early in the second half were fine examples of the art of goal getting against a home side which had chances to do likewise but failed to land their punches at the crucial moments.

Harriers keeper James Henebery kept an admirable clean sheet on the night, producing one memorable save of note as he dived low to his left to keep out a thunderbolt of a shot from Chris Turner when the game was still very much in the balance.

This stirring example of Henebery’s reflexes and athleticism was the highlight of a highly competitive first half which ended as it had begun with the two teams level, each having scored nine points.

While Ferns relied largely on the free taking of Turner, the Wexford townies had greater variety to their attack, with most of their scores coming from open play as midfielders David Goodison and Daniel Lynch joined in forward raids.

Then came the goals shortly after play resumed. Clancy’s was teed up by a Conor Kehoe handpass collected at full gallop by the scorer who had time to pick his spot as he beat Lawlor with a flourish on 33 minutes.

Three minutes later it was Kehoe’s turn, taking a high ball brilliantly under control on the end of his stick amidst a ruck of players, then wriggling free of the crowd to beat the luckless keeper once more at his right hand side.

Suddenly the Harriers held the initiative and they made a good job of keeping it, though the lads from St Aidan’s laboured mightily to find a goal of their own.

Sub Liam Murphy was only a matter of seconds on the pitch when he was presented with the best of the openings but put his shot tamely in to the grasp of the watchful Henebery who also made a fine save from a Ciaran Murphy snap shot.

The home cause was not helped by the dismissal of Lawlor for picking up a second yellow card and as the Ferns scores dried up in the final quarter, the victors drew further ahead with a series of late points, the best of them sent over the bar from an acute angle by their top scorer Conall Clancy.

Ferns St Aidan’s: Seamus Lawlor, Stephen Lawlor, Patrick O’Hagan, Conor Jordan; Padge O’Toole, Conor Scallan, Ciaran Murphy; Niall Murphy, Rory Scallan; Shane O’Brien, Geoff Tobin (0-2), Eoin Murphy; Lee Quigley (0-1), Chris Turner (0-10, 9 frees), Shane Stafford. Subs: William Bolger for O’Toole 20 minutes; Liam Murphy for Stafford 44 minutes.

Faythe Harriers: James Henebery, Sean Banville, Cathal Kirwan, Killian Gahan; Shane Hall, Cormac Byrne (01), Ryan Furlong; David Goodison (02), Daniel Lynch; Conall Crowley (0-1), Jack O’Leary (0-2), Fiach Crowley (1-4, 0-1 from a free), Chris Glover. Subs: Danny Walsh for Hall, 42 minutes; Dara Reville for Lynch 48 minutes; Paddy Glover for Kehoe 48 minutes; Jake Clancy for Kirwan 60 minutes.

Referee: Joe Kelly