Three quick goals at the start of the second-half sent Ferns St. Aidans on their way to New Ross Standard Coiste na nOg Under-14 hurling Division 2 shield glory against Crossabeg-Ballymurn in Blackwater.
There was very little to choose between two competitive teams in a tight and entertaining first-half, but things changed after the re-start as Tom Browne, Rory Scallan and Corey Dunbar all hit the rigging to send their side to victory.
Crossabeg-Ballymurn will be understandably disappointed with the result but they couldn't be faulted for effort and had it not been for their opponents' burst of scoring shortly after half-time, then things could well have been different.
Mark Byrne opened the scoring inside 60 seconds but Kieran Murphy replied in kind at the other end. Ferns hit the front for the first time in the fifth minute when Ned Cash got on the end of Rory Scallan's free and snuck the sliothar over the line for the game's first major.
While Murphy and Barry O'Toole pointed for Ferns, Crossabeg slowly worked their way back on terms. Indeed, after a trio from Byrne and minors from James Dixon and Peter Duffy (two), the Wexford District side took a 0-7 to 1-3 lead at the interval.
Then Ferns got hot. Tom Browne levelled after the interval and then goaled after a Shane Breen assist. Rory Scallan's '65 flew all the way to the net before Dunbar flicked Kieran Murphy's free past Nick Scallan to make it 4-4 to 0-7.
To Crossabeg-Ballymurn's credit they never gave up and got a consolation goal from Mark Byrne's free midway through the second-half. However, there was no denying Ferns who ended the game as worthy victors.
Ferns St. Aidans: Evan Murphy; Bob Byrne, Patrick O'Toole, Conor O'Toole; Seb Rynhart, Rory Scallan (capt., 1-0 '65), Barry Murphy; Rob Murphy, Shane Breen; Pádraig Kinsella, Kieran Murphy (0-3 frees), Tom Browne (1-1); Barry O'Toole (0-1), Ned Cash (1-0), Corey Dunbar (1-2). Subs. - Brian Stafford for O'Toole, Adam Quinn for Byrne, Byron Jordan for Kinsella, also James Kinsella, Jerry Cash, Jerry Connors, Adrian Breen, Alex Rothwell, Ryan McDonald.
Crossabeg-Ballymurn: Nick Scallan; Shane Cullen, Cathal Burke (joint capt.), Seán Reck; Josh Waldron, Michael Cullen, Patrick Redmond; Aaron Cummins, Mark Byrne (joint capt., 1-6 frees); Cian Kinlough, Calfhinn Kinsella, Brody Murphy; Cian Mac Aogháin, James Dixon (0-1), Peter Duffy (0-2). Subs. - Conor Bernard for Waldron, also Adam O'Brien, Kyle O'Toole, Joe Kelly.
Referee: Dean O'Connor (Oulart-The Ballagh).
Captain fantastic Ciarán Kavanagh scored a goal and saved a last-minute penalty as HWH-Bunclody edged out Ferns St. Aidans in a hard-fought New Ross Standard Coiste na nOg Under-14 football Division 3 championship final in St. Patrick's Park.
Half Way House had kept their noses in front ever since Kavanagh had intercepted in midfield and drove in on a slalom run through the Ferns defence to goal in the 18th minute, only for his side to give away a last-gasp penalty when Pádraig Kinsella was fouled.
Kavanagh went back between the sticks in place of the reliable Stuart Power for the added-time spot-kick and moved to his right to smartly save a Kieran Murphy effort that was heading towards the corner of the netting.
The penalty save ended a tough battle for the winners who had resisted all they could handle from their lively opponents. Ferns came into the game as slight underdogs having finished second in the table and lost out by the same two-point margin when the sides met all the way back in April.
The Gorey District lads put it up to their opponents again and led by 0-2 to 0-1 after points from Rory Scallan and Kieran Murphy.
James Black, scorer of three points, had opened the Bunclody account but they hit the front when Kavanagh netted.
Shortly after Ciarán Regan pointed, the diminutive forward hared away on the right and flashed a stunning shot to the roof of Patrick O'Toole's net.
However, Ferns goaled through Barry O'Toole from Páraic Nolan's pass and added a further point from Byron Jordan to trail by 2-3 to 1-4 at the interval.
While Ferns nabbed the first point of the second-half through Corey Dunbar, Black immediately responded and his side would never be caught.
Regan's free opened the gap to three but Kieran Murphy's third point made it 2-5 to 1-6 with eleven minutes remaining.
Again Black pointed to round out a fine individual performance, meaning that despite Murphy's free, and the late penalty drama, HWH-Bunclody hung on to claim the first part of a potential football and hurling double.
Ferns St. Aidans: Patrick O'Toole; Bob Byrne, Alex Rothwell, Conor O'Toole; Barry Murphy, Rob Murphy (capt.), Seb Rynhart; Rory Scallan (0-1), Shane Breen; Pádraig Kinsella, Tom Browne, Byron Jordan (0-1); Barry O'Toole (1-0), Kieran Murphy (0-4, 3 frees), Corey Dunbar (0-1). Subs. - Adam Quinn for B. Murphy (41), Brian Stafford for B. O'Toole (43), Ned Cash for Jordan (45), also Adrian Breen, James Kinsella, Jerry Cash, Keelyn Roche, Evan Murphy.
HWH-Bunclody: Stuart Power; Thomas Fitzgerald, Lee Levingston, Alan Carton; Páraic Nolan, Cathal Dunbar, Ben Martin; Gerry Connors, Ciarán Kavanagh (1-0); Mick 'Red' Connors, Jerry Connors, Eoin McDonnell; Ciarán Regan (1-3, 0-2 frees), James Black (0-3), Mylie Connors. Subs. - Larry Connors for Mick Connors (26), also Oisín Kelly, Mick Connors, Mick Connors, Derry Mahon, Mylie Connors, Paddy Connors.
Mogue O'Rahillys withstood a ferocious Ferns St Aidans fightback to nab the Enniscorthy Guardian Coiste na nOg Juvenile hurling Roinn 1 championship title at St Patrick's Park.
The Gusserane/Fethard combo were worthy winners, racking up 22 scores in 60 minutes of enthralling hurling.
Unsurprisingly, it's a team with lots of talent. Indeed, their spine is particularly strong, with Jimmy Sutton orchestrating from centre back behind the dynamic double act of Gavin Sheehan and Mark Kehoe in midfield.
Up front, Sam Wall was superb. Not only was the attacker deadly from placed balls, but his build-up play and his link-up with the dangerous Kevin O'Donohoe at full forward was almost telepathic at times.
That said, their endeavours were nearly not enough, as their opponents, driven on by Jeff Tobin and Eoin Murphy in midfield, rallied all the way back to within a point after a quick-fire major double by Chris Turner with just nine minutes remaining.
Crucially, Ferns could never get that score to bring them level as Mogue O'Rahillys battened down the hatches and pressed forward again to pick off points from Wall (two), O'Donohoe, and Jamie Sheehan, to take the trophy.
The sides produced a blistering start as well as a tense end. The New Ross District combination hit the front with a Wall goal inside three minutes, only for Ferns to respond in kind when Turner grabbed his first seconds later.
A superb individual goal by Brian O'Neill gave Ferns their only lead in the fourth minute (2-0 to 1-0) as Mogue O'Rahillys scored the next 1-7 on the bounce to take control.
Jamie Sheehan grabbed the goal, while Wall (four), Gavin Sheehan, O'Donohoe and Sutton all pointed, to ease their side 2-7 to 2-0 ahead.
There was six in it at half time (2-11 to 3-2) after Jeff Tobin's net-rippler for Ferns was countered by points from Wall (two), Adam Waters, and Gavin Sheehan. Mogue O'Rahillys still looked comfortable as they increased that lead to 2-16 to 3-6 after 50 minutes.
Turner then beat Oisín Foran twice in less than 60 seconds to give his side hope, but they could never edge in front, and the late settlers came to see Mogue O'Rahillys over the finish line to title glory.
Ferns St Aidans: James Lawlor; Robert Murphy, Patrick O'Hagan, Steve Warren; Shane Stafford, Conor Scallan, William Bolger; Eoin Murphy (capt., 0-1 free), Jeff Tobin (1-1); Michael O'Brien, Chris Tuner (3-6, 0-5 frees), Brian O'Neill (1-0); Rory Scallan, Niall Murphy, Thomas Breen. Subs: Jordan Kirwan for Breen (45), Eoghan Murphy for O'Brien (55), also Kevin Stafford, Patrick O'Toole.
Mogue O'Rahillys: Oisín Foran; Aaron Murphy, Thomas Ryan, Donal Kinsella; Eoin Dunne-Codd, Jimmy Sutton (0-1), Pádraig Pilkington; Gavin Sheehan (capt., 0-2), Mark Kehoe; Seán Dunne, Sam Wall (1-11, 0-8 frees, 0-3 65s), Adam Waters (0-1); Jamie Sheehan (1-1), Kevin O'Donohoe (0-4), Brian Dillon. Subs: Adam Ross for S. Dunne (38), Jack Pierce for Dillon (59), also Eoin Pilkington, Stephen Whelan, Colin Walsh, Jacob Ferguson, Eoghan Stafford, Zachary Lavery, Emmett Cullen.
Two goals in the closing ten minutes helped Our Lady's Island/St. Fintan's to a rather flattering six-point victory over Ferns St. Aidans in their Wexford People Minor football Roinn 2 championship final in Bree on Saturday.
Despite missing out on numerous scoring opportunities, the south county side held their nerve as the game entered the closing stages. Still trailing by one point with nine minutes remaining, the signs did not look good.
However, wing-back Robert Coakley stepped up to the mark when, following a fine run, he finished with a low shot across the goal into the opposite corner of the net, and his side never looked back.
Ferns had looked good for a victory up to this. Their defence was holding firm and they appeared comfortable despite their narrow lead, but once they conceded that second goal they were unable to haul themselves back into contention. Still, they played some quality football through different phases of the game and did not deserve to lose by a six-point margin.
Our Lady's Island/St. Fintan's started well with a Cian Wright point inside 90 seconds, but thereafter the sides struggled for scores. Following a six-minute barren spell, a Patrick O'Hagan point brought the sides level.
An Ivan Meegan 13th-minute point had his side in front by 0-2 to 0-1, but during this spell of dominance the Ferns finishing was wayward with a number of scoring opportunities going to waste.
Despite their best efforts, the eventual winners went a full 24 minutes before their second score arrived, when Sam Berry punched to the net after a Philip Foley shot for goal was blocked into the air, giving his side a 1-1 to 0-2 lead. Approaching the break an Ivan Meegan pointed free left the minimum separating the sides (1-1 to 0-3).
Ferns took the early initiative on the resumption with Conor Nolan goaling inside three minutes of the re-start. Jack Pettit and James Lawlor exchanged points, but Ferns were clinging to a 1-5 to 1-4 lead when Coakley found the net ten minutes from the end.
Peter O'Toole and Quinn Saunders went on to exchange points before three minutes into additional time a Saunders goal put the issue beyond doubt, seeing the Larry Murray Cup going down south.
Ferns St. Aidans: Jason Maguire; Patrick O'Hagan (0-1), Aaron Cahill, Brian O'Neill; William Bolger, Conor Scallan, Niall Murphy; Ivan Meegan (0-2 frees), Peter O'Toole (0-1); Jeff Tobin, Chris Turner, Jack O'Hagan (0-1); Conor Jordan, James Lawlor (0-1), Conor Nolan (1-0). Subs. - Ciarán Doran for Turner, black card (40), Eoin Murphy for Jordan, John Roche for Bolger, Conor Jordan for O'Toole, black card (54), Jack Ryan for J. O'Hagan.
Our Lady's Island/St. Fintan's: Jarlath Molloy; Seán Kehoe, John Cullen, Robert Cloney; Adam Devereux, Jack Pettit (0-2), Robert Coakley (1-0); Eoin O'Callaghan, Eoin Cummins; Cian Wright (0-1), Cathal Devereux (0-1), Philip Foley; Quinn Saunders (1-1), Sam Berry (1-0), Kevin Wright. Subs. - James Sinnott for K. Wright, Cian Meyler for Berry, Liam Flood (0-1) for A. Devereux.
Crossabeg-Ballymurn eventually took the Wexford People Minor hurling Roinn 1 shield after a titanic tussle with a hearty Ferns St. Aidans outfit in St. Patrick's Park on Saturday.
The Wexford District side trailed just once in the 80 minutes of action, when Peter O'Toole put his side 2-16 to 2-15 up in extra-time.
The sign of a strong team is often shown in how they respond, and Crossabeg-Ballymurn immediately levelled before playing the second-half of overtime without conceding to take a superbly entertaining victory.
Crossabeg-Ballymurn made their intentions known with a goal in the seventh minute. It came when Luke Redmond struck a low shot off the foot of the post but Nicholas Murphy, who would later be forced off with a nasty head injury, reacted quickest to pull the rebound to the net.
With the work of inspirational captain Oisín Foley keeping a Jeff Tobin and Chris Turner-led Ferns at arm's length, the eventual winners hit their second goal in the 26th minute when Lorcan Murphy fed Luke Lacey and the full-forward thumped past James Lawlor to the net.
A 2-5 to 0-6 lead looked reasonably comfortable for the victors but the second-half was anything but. Key to the Ferns revival was a rather fortuitous long-range goal from Tobin to narrow the gap to two.
Foley nailed the first five points of the second-half for his side to ensure they led by 2-10 to 1-9 with nine minutes remaining. However, Ferns' second goal scored by Conor Jordan after a stunning double save by Robert Cullen put the game back in the balance.
A 58th-minute Eoin Murphy point finally brought Ferns level, only for Foley to edge Crossabeg-Ballymurn one clear again. Chris Turner's seventh point, with seconds of normal time left, did grant his side another chance in the extra period (2-12 each).
Things stayed close through that first half (2-16 apiece), but points from Foley and influential substitute Shane Conroy (two) guided Crossabeg-Ballymurn to shield success.
Ferns St. Aidans: James Lawlor (0-1 free); Patrick O'Hagan, Aaron Cahill, Brian O'Neill; Niall Murphy, Conor Scallan, William Bolger; Eoin Murphy (0-1), Peter O'Toole (0-1); Jeff Tobin (1-3), Jack O'Hagan, Chris Turner (capt., 0-10, 6 frees); Jack Ryan, Conor Nolan, Conor Jordan (1-0). Subs. - John Roche for Ryan (31), Conor Doran for Nolan (75), also Ciarán Doran, Ivan Meegan, John Power, Ken Power.
Crossabeg-Ballymurn: Robert Cullen; Lorcan Cummins, Paul Larrissy, Tommy Ring; Conor Browne, David Kehoe, Conor Murphy; Ronan Devereux (0-1), Robert Byrne; Dylan Ring, Oisín Foley (capt., 0-12, 8 frees), Luke Redmond (0-1); Nicholas Murphy (1-0), Luke Lacey (1-1), Lorcan Murphy. Subs. - Shane Conroy (0-3) for N. Murphy, inj. (42), Evan Kinlough (0-1) for Byrne (43), James White for L. Lacey (53), Lacey for L. Murphy (61), Byrne for C. Murphy, inj. (65), also Lorcan Lacey, Robert Murphy, Alex Sludds, Robert Scallan, Jacob English, Jack Fortune.