U21 Hurling Championship 2013
August 6, county semi-final: Ferns St Aidans 0-24, Davidsgate 1-11
FIFTEEN POINTS from Ian Byrne proved the key as Ferns St. Aidans stormed to an impressive ten-point victory over Davidsgate in this Under-21 hurling Roinn 1 championship semi-final at St. Patrick's Park on Tuesday last.
Davidsgate, a combination of Oylegate-Glenbrien and Davidstown-Courtnacuddy, put in a brave display, but in truth they had no answer to the power and skill of Byrne. Along with his scoring exploits, from frees, play, a semi-penalty and a sideline cut, he demonstrated all the arts of hurling, and this eventually separated the sides at the finish.
Ferns were strong in defence and excellent in midfield where Pádraig O'Leary dominated, while along with Byrne, Andy Cash, Ben Cowman and Jason Collier looked impressive in attack.
Davidsgate started well, but really they had little answer to the more composed Ferns outfit despite the best efforts of Peadar O'Mahoney, Darragh Freeman, Conor Heffernan, Walter Furlong and David Dunne.
Ian Byrne with two pointed frees inside the opening three minutes set the tone for what was to follow, with Davidsgate having to wait until the 13th minute for their opening score, a Conor Heffernan pointed free.
A further Byrne pointed free left the eventual winners leading by 0-3 to 0-1 at the end of the opening quarter, while points from Heffernan frees and Walter Furlong left the minimum separating the sides (0-5 to 0-4) after 20 minutes.
Approaching the break Byrne had an effort for goal from a semi-penalty deflected over for a point, but still his side looked comfortable as they led by 0-10 to 0-5 at the interval.
With Byrne adding four early second-half points along with a Ben Cowman effort, Ferns had stretched into a 0-16 to 0-5 lead by the 37th minute. One minute later Davidsgate forced a 25-metre free, and Conor Heffernan had his effort for goal deflected into the path of John Reck who crashed the ball first-time to the net.
Heffernan (two) and David Dunne with pointed frees reduced the deficit to 0-16 to 1-8 after 40 minutes, but the final quarter belonged to Ferns and Byrne in particular as they cruised to a comfortable enough victory in the end.
Ferns St. Aidans: Gavin Bailey; Pádraig Bolger, Aaron Bailey, Brian O'Neill; Declan Byrne, Patrick Breen, Pádraig Walsh; Pádraig O'Leary (0-3), Gavin Collier (0-1); Jason Collier (0-1), Ian Byrne (0-15, 9 frees, 1 '65, 1 line ball), Peter Codd; Andy Cash (0-2), Oisín McPartlin, Ben Cowman (0-2). Subs.: P.J. O'Neill for McPartlin, Ger Turner for Codd, Gearóid Bennett for Cowman.
Davidsgate: James Doyle; Shane Lambert, Darragh Freeman, James Greene; Cathal Mernagh, Peadar O'Mahoney, Paul Sheridan; Conor Heffernan (0-7 frees), Brian Doran (0-1); Mark Kavanagh (0-1), John McCormack, Walter Furlong (0-1 free); David Dunne (0-1 free), John Reck (1-0), Ciarán McCabe. Subs.: Kevin Reck for Mernagh, John Lambert for McCormack.
Referee: Philip Murphy (Faythe Harriers).
November 2, County Final: Ferns St Aidans 2-11, Fethard 0-7
THE TWO clubs experiencing the pain of county Senior championship final loss met in the Under-21 hurling Roinn 1 decider in Wexford Park on Saturday last, with Ferns St. Aidan’s collecting this notable consolation prize with an emphatic victory over a disappointing Fethard side.
The Gorey District outfit had a lot of the hard work done by half-time when they led by 1-4 to 0-4 after playing into a strong wind blowing towards the town end, and they had nothing to worry about after their triumphant Minor captain from six days earlier, Andy Cash, grabbed their second goal within two minutes of the re-start.
It was merely a matter of what they would win by at that stage, with county Under-21 Ian Byrne showcasing his vast repertoire of skills as he fired over a string of points to leave ten between the sides at the finish. Byrne also struck seven of the winners’ 13 wides but Fethard had 14 misses themselves and could only muster a solitary point from play.
No fewer than nine of their first 15 had started in the previous weekend’s Senior football final, and they seemed to be feeling the after-effects as they never got going in a very lethargic opening half.
Ferns also had the advantage of playing a lot more hurling than their rivals since their respective penultimate round victories thanks to their Senior and Minor exploits. And it clearly showed as they were sharper from the outset, taking a decisive lead as early as the fourth minute when a high delivery from Ian Byrne broke around the square and full-forward Oisín MacPartlin was on hand to pull first-time to the net.
Free-taker Graham O’Grady got Fethard off the mark but they made no inroads with the wind in their favour and never threatened a goal as Ferns captain Declan Byrne capably marshalled a strong back line.
Ian Byrne hit a brace of points midway through the first quarter, one from a free and the other from a short ’65 taken by Gavin Bailey after the former’s low shot was well saved by Kieran Furlong.
It was 1-2 to 0-2 by the 15th minute after Graham O’Grady converted another free, and the gap remained the same at the break as Byrne added two more points, one from a free, while O’Grady sent over his third placed ball and Cia-rán Dwyer got the sole Fethard score from play in the 25th minute (1-4 to 0-4).
Andy Cash, one of five Minors to feature before the game was over, really knocked the wind out
of Fethard’s sails 90 seconds into the new half when he goaled at the second attempt.
The sides went on to share six points in the third quarter as Ferns remained in a comfortable position, with Cash and the prolific Ian Byrne on target from play.
A bad day got worse for Fethard in the 47th minute when centre-back Darren Foley was dismissed for his second yellow card offence on Byrne, and the seasiders didn’t score again although Edmund Power’s goal effort had gone narrowly wide shortly before that incident.
Ian Byrne brought his own tally to nine points before the finish, with the pick of his strikes coming from close to the right touchline after a solo run in the 54th minute.
Substitute Jason Collier closed the scoring for the victors who will be in Premier football action now next weekend against near neighbours Starlights.
Ferns St Aidans: Gavin Collier; Pádraig Bolger, Aaron Collier, Brian O’Neill; Patrick Breen, Declan Byrne (capt.), Pádraig Walsh; Gavin Bailey, Paddy O’Leary; Peter Codd, Ian Byrne (0-9, 4 frees), Andy Cash (1-1); Keith Breen, Oisín MacPartlin (1-0), Ben Cowman. Subs: Jason Collier (0-1) for MacPartlin (46), Gearóid Bennett for K. Breen (59), Robert Murphy for O’Leary (59), also Ger Turner, Darren Dwyer, Dean Collier, Colm O’Hagan, P.J. O’Neill.
Fethard: Kieran Furlong; Andrew Whelan, Cathal Walsh, Seán Donohoe; Martin O’Hara, Darren Foley, Daire Barden; Garrett Foley (0-1 free), Edmund Power; Conan Murphy (capt.), Graham O’Grady (0-5 frees), Noel Colfer; Ciarán Dwyer (0-1), John Tubritt, Jeff Barry. Subs: Adam Swan for Barry (35), also Peter Mullan, Stephen Barry, Niall Roche, Evan Rowe, Ricky Rowe, Seán Sutton, Rúairí Tubrid, Brian Power.
Referee: Brendan O’Brien (St. Fintan’s).
FIFTEEN POINTS from Ian Byrne proved the key as Ferns St. Aidans stormed to an impressive ten-point victory over Davidsgate in this Under-21 hurling Roinn 1 championship semi-final at St. Patrick's Park on Tuesday last.
Davidsgate, a combination of Oylegate-Glenbrien and Davidstown-Courtnacuddy, put in a brave display, but in truth they had no answer to the power and skill of Byrne. Along with his scoring exploits, from frees, play, a semi-penalty and a sideline cut, he demonstrated all the arts of hurling, and this eventually separated the sides at the finish.
Ferns were strong in defence and excellent in midfield where Pádraig O'Leary dominated, while along with Byrne, Andy Cash, Ben Cowman and Jason Collier looked impressive in attack.
Davidsgate started well, but really they had little answer to the more composed Ferns outfit despite the best efforts of Peadar O'Mahoney, Darragh Freeman, Conor Heffernan, Walter Furlong and David Dunne.
Ian Byrne with two pointed frees inside the opening three minutes set the tone for what was to follow, with Davidsgate having to wait until the 13th minute for their opening score, a Conor Heffernan pointed free.
A further Byrne pointed free left the eventual winners leading by 0-3 to 0-1 at the end of the opening quarter, while points from Heffernan frees and Walter Furlong left the minimum separating the sides (0-5 to 0-4) after 20 minutes.
Approaching the break Byrne had an effort for goal from a semi-penalty deflected over for a point, but still his side looked comfortable as they led by 0-10 to 0-5 at the interval.
With Byrne adding four early second-half points along with a Ben Cowman effort, Ferns had stretched into a 0-16 to 0-5 lead by the 37th minute. One minute later Davidsgate forced a 25-metre free, and Conor Heffernan had his effort for goal deflected into the path of John Reck who crashed the ball first-time to the net.
Heffernan (two) and David Dunne with pointed frees reduced the deficit to 0-16 to 1-8 after 40 minutes, but the final quarter belonged to Ferns and Byrne in particular as they cruised to a comfortable enough victory in the end.
Ferns St. Aidans: Gavin Bailey; Pádraig Bolger, Aaron Bailey, Brian O'Neill; Declan Byrne, Patrick Breen, Pádraig Walsh; Pádraig O'Leary (0-3), Gavin Collier (0-1); Jason Collier (0-1), Ian Byrne (0-15, 9 frees, 1 '65, 1 line ball), Peter Codd; Andy Cash (0-2), Oisín McPartlin, Ben Cowman (0-2). Subs.: P.J. O'Neill for McPartlin, Ger Turner for Codd, Gearóid Bennett for Cowman.
Davidsgate: James Doyle; Shane Lambert, Darragh Freeman, James Greene; Cathal Mernagh, Peadar O'Mahoney, Paul Sheridan; Conor Heffernan (0-7 frees), Brian Doran (0-1); Mark Kavanagh (0-1), John McCormack, Walter Furlong (0-1 free); David Dunne (0-1 free), John Reck (1-0), Ciarán McCabe. Subs.: Kevin Reck for Mernagh, John Lambert for McCormack.
Referee: Philip Murphy (Faythe Harriers).
November 2, County Final: Ferns St Aidans 2-11, Fethard 0-7
THE TWO clubs experiencing the pain of county Senior championship final loss met in the Under-21 hurling Roinn 1 decider in Wexford Park on Saturday last, with Ferns St. Aidan’s collecting this notable consolation prize with an emphatic victory over a disappointing Fethard side.
The Gorey District outfit had a lot of the hard work done by half-time when they led by 1-4 to 0-4 after playing into a strong wind blowing towards the town end, and they had nothing to worry about after their triumphant Minor captain from six days earlier, Andy Cash, grabbed their second goal within two minutes of the re-start.
It was merely a matter of what they would win by at that stage, with county Under-21 Ian Byrne showcasing his vast repertoire of skills as he fired over a string of points to leave ten between the sides at the finish. Byrne also struck seven of the winners’ 13 wides but Fethard had 14 misses themselves and could only muster a solitary point from play.
No fewer than nine of their first 15 had started in the previous weekend’s Senior football final, and they seemed to be feeling the after-effects as they never got going in a very lethargic opening half.
Ferns also had the advantage of playing a lot more hurling than their rivals since their respective penultimate round victories thanks to their Senior and Minor exploits. And it clearly showed as they were sharper from the outset, taking a decisive lead as early as the fourth minute when a high delivery from Ian Byrne broke around the square and full-forward Oisín MacPartlin was on hand to pull first-time to the net.
Free-taker Graham O’Grady got Fethard off the mark but they made no inroads with the wind in their favour and never threatened a goal as Ferns captain Declan Byrne capably marshalled a strong back line.
Ian Byrne hit a brace of points midway through the first quarter, one from a free and the other from a short ’65 taken by Gavin Bailey after the former’s low shot was well saved by Kieran Furlong.
It was 1-2 to 0-2 by the 15th minute after Graham O’Grady converted another free, and the gap remained the same at the break as Byrne added two more points, one from a free, while O’Grady sent over his third placed ball and Cia-rán Dwyer got the sole Fethard score from play in the 25th minute (1-4 to 0-4).
Andy Cash, one of five Minors to feature before the game was over, really knocked the wind out
of Fethard’s sails 90 seconds into the new half when he goaled at the second attempt.
The sides went on to share six points in the third quarter as Ferns remained in a comfortable position, with Cash and the prolific Ian Byrne on target from play.
A bad day got worse for Fethard in the 47th minute when centre-back Darren Foley was dismissed for his second yellow card offence on Byrne, and the seasiders didn’t score again although Edmund Power’s goal effort had gone narrowly wide shortly before that incident.
Ian Byrne brought his own tally to nine points before the finish, with the pick of his strikes coming from close to the right touchline after a solo run in the 54th minute.
Substitute Jason Collier closed the scoring for the victors who will be in Premier football action now next weekend against near neighbours Starlights.
Ferns St Aidans: Gavin Collier; Pádraig Bolger, Aaron Collier, Brian O’Neill; Patrick Breen, Declan Byrne (capt.), Pádraig Walsh; Gavin Bailey, Paddy O’Leary; Peter Codd, Ian Byrne (0-9, 4 frees), Andy Cash (1-1); Keith Breen, Oisín MacPartlin (1-0), Ben Cowman. Subs: Jason Collier (0-1) for MacPartlin (46), Gearóid Bennett for K. Breen (59), Robert Murphy for O’Leary (59), also Ger Turner, Darren Dwyer, Dean Collier, Colm O’Hagan, P.J. O’Neill.
Fethard: Kieran Furlong; Andrew Whelan, Cathal Walsh, Seán Donohoe; Martin O’Hara, Darren Foley, Daire Barden; Garrett Foley (0-1 free), Edmund Power; Conan Murphy (capt.), Graham O’Grady (0-5 frees), Noel Colfer; Ciarán Dwyer (0-1), John Tubritt, Jeff Barry. Subs: Adam Swan for Barry (35), also Peter Mullan, Stephen Barry, Niall Roche, Evan Rowe, Ricky Rowe, Seán Sutton, Rúairí Tubrid, Brian Power.
Referee: Brendan O’Brien (St. Fintan’s).
