Gorey v Stars final
Premier Minor football pair decided
NAOMH EANNA will meet Starlights in the Wexford People Minor football Premier championship final after both sides won their respective last four clashes last week.
That game is pencilled in for Sunday but no official fixture was confirmed at the time of going to press.
The Gorey boys came into their clash with Na Piarsaigh as the underdogs, having won just three of their seven group games. They boosted confidence with a five-point success against St. Martin’s in the quarters but were still up against it.
The HWH-Bunclody and Davidstown-Courtnacuddy combo arrived into the clash unbeaten for the season. However, they hadn’t played in a competitive game since August 20, and a 51-day break is hardly ideal preparation for a county semi-final.
Gorey were able to build a 1-5 to 0-3 lead by the interval and padded it further with a Barry Levingston goal shortly after the resumption.
Na Piarsaigh came back with plenty of fight late in the game but Naomh Eanna hung on to win by 2-10 to 1-10.
Na Piarsaigh’s last game was against Shelmaliers, who themselves hadn’t played competitively since that clash.
It hardly helped the Hollymount side either as they lost to Starlights by 3-10 to 1-8 in their semi-final. The Enniscorthy side had been competitive in the group stages, so the result is not a huge surprise, but the situation is very tough on the two semi-final losers.
The Roinn 1 championship final is scheduled for Thursday and pits Ballyhogue against Sarsfields (8 p.m., St. Patrick’s Park). Both of these sides picked up five wins from a possible seven in the group and neither finished top of their respective table.
However, Ballyhogue came through a replay with St. Joseph’s to make the semi and were too strong for Crossabeg-Ballymurn in the last four.
On the other side of the draw, Sarsfields dispatched both Glynn-Barntown and Gusserane with a bit to spare to set up a fascinating final.
Preceding that clash on Thursday is the meeting of Our Lady’s Island/St. Fintan’s and Oylegate-Glenbrien in the Gorey Guardian Under-15 Roinn 1 shield final.
The Enniscorthy District club are looking to double-up after winning the hurling equivalent recently.
The following night in St. Patrick’s Park, Starlights and Ballinastragh Gaels face off in the Gorey Guardian Under-15 Premier shield final (7.15 p.m.). The Bellefield side made the decider after Buffers Alley gave them a walkover last week.
A cracking Wexford People Minor football Roinn 2 semi-final last week saw Kilross Gaels edge out a gallant Bannow-Ballymitty by a couple of points.
Their reward for that quality performance is a tricky final against Moguegeen Gaels, scheduled for Saturday morning at a time and venue yet to be announced.
Elsewhere last week, Faythe Harriers and Naomh Eanna played out a tight, tense Enniscorthy Guardian Under-15 semi-final which the Gorey side won by 1-5 to 1-3. They will meet Buffers Alley in the decider.
Naomh Eanna will have the chance to complete the double too.
They will play Glynn-Barntown after the Killurin side won the replay of their Gorey Guardian Under-15 football Premier championship semi-final with Fethard (1-9 to 1-6).