Rathnure roll back the years
Ex-Seniors inflict more final heartbreak on Rapparees
A SUPERB collective defensive effort bore fruit in St. Patrick’s Park, Enniscorthy, on Sunday when Rathnure made an immediate return to Intermediate ‘A’ ranks with a nine-point victory over District rivals Rapparees in the Permanent TSB Junior hurling championship final.
In a remarkable feat, all six of the losers’ forwards, plus four of the substitutes that replaced them, were held scoreless from play as the ageless Mick O’Leary marshalled an excellent back line with typical style.
One slick pick up and dummy in the second-half, setting up Francis Murphy for a point, was a sign that class is permanent as the victors paraded the ideal combination for this grade of vast experience coupled with emerging talent.
The centre-back had willing helpers on either side of him as 17-year-old Philip Redmond, a youngster who wasn’t born when O’Leary was winning his first two Senior medals in 1996 and 1998, played his part on the right.
The tenacious Alan Ronan got through a mountain of work on the left wing, and the full-back line was every bit as miserly as Teddy O’Connor won his first-ever championship medal on the edge of the square, flanked by Aodhán Foley and the experienced John O’Connor, Wexford’s captain in their Leinster Senior final success in 2004.
With Seán O’Neill a bundle of tireless energy in midfield, and Syl Barron contributing an impressive eleven points including three from play, Rathnure took over in the second-half and made up for the disappointment of last year’s defeat to Liam Mellows in the Intermediate ‘A’ relegation decider.
It was a third final loss in seven years for the Rapps, after going down to Crossabeg-Ballymurn in 2012, and Gusserane twelve months ago. With three penultimate round exits in 2013, 2014 and 2016 also, they are finding it extremely hard to get over the line at this level, but they were never going to get the job done on a morning when their paltry twopoint haul from play came from midfielder Eoin Quigley.
Spare a thought, in particular, for joint captain Declan Ruth who was seeking a first adult hurling championship medal and faced an opposition team that included his brother-in-law, Teddy O’Connor.
His positioning at centre-back was as astute as ever in the firsthalf, but Rathnure were able to bypass the big number six more easily after the interval with the wind behind them.
Nigel Higgins got the eventual winners off the mark in the fifth minute before free-taker Syl Barron doubled their lead, but Rapparees responded when Ruth fed a short pass to Eoin Quigley who pointed from distance midway through the opening quarter.
A Barron brace, the first from play close to the left sideline, made it 0-4 to 0-1 after 15 minutes, but the town team produced their best spell as 1-2 was added to their tally without reply and they took the lead for the one and only time.
Another long-range point by Quigley was followed by a Neil McCrea free, and the latter also grabbed their goal in fortuitous circumstances in the 24th minute.
A foul on Anthony Murphy gave him another opportunity to split the posts and, while he appeared to be aiming for a point, the shot dropped short but went to the net via an unfortunate defender (1-3 to 0-4).
Rapparees were lucky to be in front on the balance of play up to that point, and Rathnure got back on level terms by the break after a couple of late frees were converted by Syl Barron.
The sides had only managed two points apiece from play in that first-half, but Rathnure resumed with the elements in their favour and serious intent on their minds as Barron (’65), Michael Martin and Francis Murphy left them clear by 0-9 to 1-3 after 36 minutes.
McCrea converted another free in a brief respite, only for a by-now fully dominant Rathnure to reel off four more points on the trot from Barron, including two from play (0-13 to 1-4).
While McCrea (free) and Ruth (‘65) slotted over points to give the Rapps hope, their best goal chance in between from Eoin Quigley was expertly kept out by veteran captain Seán Nolan.
A lovely pass into space by Seán O’Neill gave Francis Murphy the time to pick off a point, and the icing on the cake was provided by influential substitute Kiall Byrne with 15 seconds of normal time remaining.
After catching a crossfield ball from Micheál O’Connor, he bore down on goal before placing a low shot in the net past Jim O’Connor, although the Rapps man did get his stick to it but couldn’t keep it out.
There was still time for Syl Barron to add his eleventh point for the impressive winners who really showed their mettle in the knockout stages after two group game defeats, especially in the quarter-final when Horeswood brought them to extra-time.
It was their fourth Junior championship title in all, following on from previous successes in 1940, 1981 and 1983.
Rathnure: Seán Nolan (capt.); Aodhán Foley, Teddy O’Connor, John O’Connor; Philip Redmond, Mick O’Leary, Alan Ronan; Seán O’Neill, Micheál O’Connor; Mark Boland, Francis Murphy (0-2), Michael Martin (0-1); Nigel Higgins (0-1), Brendan O’Leary, Syl Barron (0-11, 7 frees, 1 ‘65). Subs. - James Flynn for B. O’Leary (55), Kiall Byrne (1-0) for Higgins (58), also John Haughney, Dylan Hogan, Ben Ronan, Anthony Westnott, Stephen Martin, Paddy Flynn, Liam Barron, Colm Flynn.
Rapparees: Jim O’Connor; Mark Redmond, John Barron (joint capt.), Cathal Ryan; Nathan O’Connor, Declan Ruth (joint capt., 0-1 ‘65), Anthony Peare; Peter O’Sullivan, Eoin Quigley (0-2); Joe Cullen, Diarmuid Cullen, Anthony Murphy; John Murphy, Lee Murphy, Neil McCrea (1-3 frees). Subs. - Garry Murphy for J. Cullen (26), Declan Courtney for Barron, inj. (39), Tommy Foley for D. Cullen (39), John Ryan for L. Murphy (49), Lee Treacy for McCrea (52), also Ryan Hadley, Anthony Russell, Tom Ryan, Mikey Dempsey, Brendan Doyle, Ronan Kirwan, Joe Carley, Brendan Kearney.
Referee: James Flood (St. Mary’s, Maudlintown).