Comfortable for St Martin’s
Nine-point win over Oulart
ST MARTIN’S inflicted a nine-point defeat on Oulart The Ballagh in the Greenstar U20 Hurling Championship quarter-final on Wednesday night. The Wexford district side took the lead in the first minute and would hold that lead throughout to run out comfortable winners.
St Martin’s started the game on the front foot and raced into an early 0-4 to 0-1 lead after ten minutes.
Three minutes later they hit the net for the first time when corner-forward Zach Firman finished smartly after turning his man and racing through on goal. Midway through the first half the scoreline was 1-6 to 0-1 in favour of the home side.
Oulart The Ballagh were given a lifeline shortly after when a long-range Murtha Doyle effort found the net. Despite St. Martin’s dominance they only held a four point lead at half-time (1-9 to 1-5).
Oulart The Ballagh were hit with a hammer-blow at the beginning of the second-half when a long-range Barry O’Connor effort found the net to put St. Martin’s into a seven point lead. To Oulart The Ballagh’s credit they never gave up and by the time Murtha Doyle fired over a fine long range point the gap was reduced to four. St. Martin’s looked dangerous up front though and it took a fine save from Cathal Sinnott to deny the dangerous Zach Firman a second goal midway through the second-half.
With ten minutes remaining St. Martin’s began to pull away with some fine scores from Jack Devereux and Ben Stafford and heading into injury time they were ahead by 2-16 to 1-12. There was still time for plenty of action as Lee Hore netted for Oulart The Ballagh and Zach Firman got his second goal near the death for St. Martin’s.
A sporting game ended on a sour note when St. Martins had substitute Shane Walsh dismissed when the umpires alerted the referee to an off-the-ball incident but they ran out comfortable winners on a score-line of 3-20 to 2-13 and will now meet Faythe Harriers in the semi-final.
St. Martin’s: Callum Quirke, Sam Audsley, Phillip Dempsey, Cian Ryan, Adam Cantwell, Conor Firman (0-1), Phillip McDermott, Eoin O’Leary, Ben Maddock (0-1), Kyle Firman, Barry O’Connor (1-2), Jack Devereux (0-3), Ben Stafford (0-2), Conor Coleman (0-8, 6 frees), Zach Firman (2-3). Subs: Conor Devereux for Jack Devereux (55), Shane Walsh for Phillip McDermott (59).
Oulart The Ballagh: Cathal Sinnott, Michael Doyle, Daragh Hayes, Niall Nimmo, Billy Dunne, Sean Murphy, Conor Lawless, Aidan Murphy (0-1), Barry Sinnott (0-5, 4 frees, 1 65’) Darryl Grey, Murtha Doyle (1-2), Cathal Kenny (0-1), Robbie Dunne, Jack Roche (0-2), Adam McRedmond (0-2). Subs: Lee Hore (1-0) for Robbie Dunne (50), Liam Roche for Niall Nimmo (59)
Referee: Dan Crosby