Junior 'A' Football Championship 2023
August 27: Ferns St. Aidans 2-10, Oulart-The Ballagh 0-6
FERNS ST. Aidans got a strong two points on the board in the opening round of the Enniscorthy Farm Systems Junior 'A' football championship, defeating hosts Oulart-The Ballagh in Group A on Sunday.
The Gorey District club were coming into the unknown a little, against an outfit who raced through the Junior 'B' ranks last season. The home team could have offered anything, but Ferns put in a tidy performance to see off the upstarts.
It was an interesting match-up because Oulart-The Ballagh had their moments. They had several goal chances that a more polished outfit may have taken, but one would expect them to improve in the coming weeks and they will be a tough team to shift.
Both sides will be the better for this tough tie between two fit, physical teams. There were lots of impressive performers, but a special mention should be made for Billy Dunne, who appeared to cover every blade of grass from his wing-back starting point.
However, it was Ferns' day in the end and after Darryl Gray put the hosts ahead, they went about taking control.
A Seán Walsh run set up the opening goal in the second minute, with Tomás Hawkins finishing past Adam Nolan.
Garry Murphy responded in the tenth minute for Oulart-The Ballagh, but a purple patch before the end of the opening quarter saw Ivan Meegan score twice, with Christopher O'Connor and Hawkins also raising white flags to make it 1-4 to 0-2.
Oulart-The Ballagh hit back through Anthony Roche and Rory Jacob, but two Jason Maguire frees left Ferns in the ascendancy approaching the break.
The home side did see Murtha Doyle hit the post and Meegan save from Dunne as the visitors went into the break a little fortunate to be 1-6 to 0-4 ahead.
Ferns went about wrapping up the win in a professional manner in the second-half. O'Connor and Maguire added points that bettered a Darren Nolan to leave six between the sides at the end of the third quarter.
After an outrageous Meegan free from the right touchline, Ferns wrapped up the win when John Breen netted in the 47th minute.
Before the scorer and Barry Kehoe saw red for a late fist-fight, Jonny Dwyer rounded out the scoring for his side as they secured a ten-point victory.
Ferns St. Aidans: I van Meegan (0-3, 2 frees, 1 '45); Pat Nolan, Paddy O'Hagan, Brian O'Neill; Barry O'Toole, Conor O'Toole, Peter O'Toole; James Tonks, Seán Walsh; Derek Thorpe, Jason Maguire (0-3 frees), Brian Stafford; Liam Byrne, Tomás Hawkins (1-1), Christopher O'Connor (0-2). Subs. - John Breen (1-0) for Walsh (31), Jonny Dwyer (0-1) for O'Connor, inj. (34), Tommy Dwyer for Maguire (41), Benny Jordan for Stafford (48).
Oulart-The Ballagh: Adam Nolan; Barry Kehoe, Dennis Morton (capt.), Kevin Nimmo; Ian Storey, Anthony Roche (0-1), Billy Dunne; Shaun Murphy, Tomás Dunne; Lorcan Nimmo, Rory Jacob (0-1 free), Darryl Gray (0-1); Garry Murphy (0-1), Murtha Doyle, Darren Nolan (0-1). Subs. - Eamon Murphy (0-1) for K. Nimmo (43), Adam McRedmond for Gray (46), Daire Swords for D. Nolan (46), Seamus Ormonde for L. Nimmo (49).
Referee: Damian Lynch (Buffers Alley).
September 8: St. Joseph’s 1-10, Ferns St. Aidans 1-6
ST. JOSEPH'S notched their first win in three attempts in Group A of the Enniscorthy Farm Systems Junior 'A' football championship when they emerged from Ferns with a merited 1-10 to 1-6 victory on Friday.
The first-ever adult championship match played under the newly-installed floodlights on the roadside pitch didn't have the result the locals desired, and they especially found the direct running of St. Joseph's fleet-footed pair of Sky Moroney and Josh Kavanagh difficult to contain.
The Wexford town lads left 1-2 behind them in a profligate opening, including a genuine goal chance that Cian Carty screwed wide of the far post, before captain Decky Downes got them up and running after eight minutes.
Darragh Fitzpatrick demonstrated good ball handling skills to retain possession when adding a second in their next attack, although the hosts bit back thanks to a pair from Christopher O'Connor, with his free immediately followed by a nice effort from play.
Dean Roche teed up prime ball winner Paddy Harnett to make it 0-3 to 0-2 after 17 minutes, and St. Joseph's tacked on a further 1-1 to develop a lead they never subsequently let slip.
Moroney won a free which Cian Carty converted, and when Fitzpatrick fetched a wayward restart a couple of moments later, he was also involved in the build-up that led to Downes thudding home to the roof of the net.
Brian O'Neill pegged a point back for Ferns, but they had a lot of ground to make up at the break when they trailed by 1-6 to 0-3.
Carty curled over two impressive frees off the floor early into the new half but the visitors had to wait for over 20 minutes for their next score as Ferns started to dominate the possession stakes.
They pieced together a nice goal on 38 minutes when Oisín McPartlin played in the onrushing Willie Bolger to blast to the net, while three more O'Connor frees moved them to within 1-8 to 1-6 deep into the fourth quarter.
However, St. Joseph's had the final say through Josh Kavanagh and Carty (free) as Adrian Flynn finally broke his managerial duck.
Ferns St. Aidans: Pádraig Walsh; Brian O'Neill (0-1), Paddy O'Hagan (capt.), Pat Nolan; Barry O'Toole, James Tonks, Peter O'Toole; Seán Walsh, Willie Bolger (1-0); Brian Stafford, James Kinsella, Pádraig Kinsella; Christopher O'Connor (0-5, 4 frees), Oisín McPartlin, Shane Stafford. Sub. - David Murphy for S. Walsh, inj. (23).
St .Joseph's: Johnny Carroll-Hyland; Josh Guerrine, Wayne Carty, Aaron Tierney-Smith; Jason Brennan, Lee Wadding-Byrne, Ashley Houghton; Josh Kavanagh (0-1), Jim Berry; Sky Moroney, Cian Carty (0-4 frees), Darragh Fitzpatrick (0-1); Decky Downes (capt., 1-2), Paddy Harnett (0-1), Dean Roche (0-1). Subs. - Mark Shortall for Brennan (HT), Warren O'Connor for Guerrine (41), Kyle Turner for Harnett (41), Gary Roche for Houghton (47).
Referee: Pádraig Byrne (Kilanerin).
September 16: Ferns St. Aidans 1-14, HWH Bunclody 1-5
FOR ALL the struggles of their Intermediate team, Ferns St. Aidans experienced second-string advanced to the quarter-finals of the Enniscorthy Farm Systems Junior ‘A’ football championship when securing a 1-14 to 1-5 victory over HWH-Bunclody in Saturday’s re-arranged Group A round four tie under the lights in Bunclody.
Buoyed by an attacking sextet where second-year college student Brian Stafford was the youngest member by a distance, the visitors forged a 0-5 to 0-1 lead in the first quarter, with Benny Jordan supplying a pair of fine points from play to supplement three frees from Christopher O’Connor (two) and adventurous goalkeeper Ivan Meegan.
And Meegan played a significant role in the lead-up to Ferns’ goal two minutes later as his quick free released Jonny Dwyer, and even though it looked like the forward initially fumbled the chance, it was eventually recycled back out to him and he crashed home with conviction.
Byron Byrne and O’Connor swapped points in a minute, before the former gave the hosts renewed purpose as he played a one-two with a colleague on the way to smashing home an excellent goal on 25 minutes.
That helped to cut the gap to 1-7 to 1-2 by half-time, and another one was shaved from their deficit when David Reck pointed on the restart.
However, the leaders hit four points on the spin to re-assert control, with an outrageous Meegan free from the right sideline preceding further singles from the newly-married Tomás Hawkins, Dwyer and Meegan’s fourth free.
HWH-Bunclody, who have followed two opening wins in the group with consecutive defeats, hit late replies from Reck (free) and full-forward Ciarán Whiting, with Ferns finishing with a pair of O’Connor frees and the last score of the game from Dwyer.
They will take on table-toppers Marshalstown-Castedockrell this Sunday in Farmleigh as they attempt to improve their quarter-final seeding, while HWH-Bunclody limber up for their own last-eight clash when they host Oulart-The Ballagh at the same time.
Incidentally, there will be an anomaly in the final round of games in this group as Shamrocks were eliminated after conceding their second walkover last Sunday, to Marshalstown-Castledockrell.
While St. Joseph’s will get the two points from their game scheduled for next Sunday as a result, they can’t finish any higher than fifth and thus their season has ended a week earlier than everyone else.
Ferns St. Aidans: Ivan Meegan (0-4 frees); David Murphy, Paddy O’Hagan (capt.), Pat Nolan; Barry O’Toole, James Tonks, Brian O’Neill; John Breen, Willie Bolger; Derek Thorpe, Jonny Dwyer (1-2), Brian Stafford; Christopher O’Connor (0-5, 4 frees), Tomás Hawkins (0-1), Benny Jordan (0-2). Sub. - Peter O’Toole for Murphy (33). Sin-bin: Willie Bolger (49).
HWH-Bunclody: Liam Kelly; FaolÁin Ó Ceallaigh, Conor Hendrick, Diarmuid Crean; Cathal Dunbar, Steven Kavanagh, Conor Burke; Byron Byrne (1-1), James Taylor (capt.); David Reck (0-2 frees), Jerry Connors, Seán Taylor; Barry Kehoe, Ciarán Whiting (0-1), John Connors (0-1). Subs. - Paráic Doyle for Dunbar (HT), Mylie Connors for Jerry Connors (38), Michael Connors for S. Taylor (50), Seán Hogan for John Connors (56).
Referee: Martin Quigley (Rathnure).
FERNS ST. Aidans got a strong two points on the board in the opening round of the Enniscorthy Farm Systems Junior 'A' football championship, defeating hosts Oulart-The Ballagh in Group A on Sunday.
The Gorey District club were coming into the unknown a little, against an outfit who raced through the Junior 'B' ranks last season. The home team could have offered anything, but Ferns put in a tidy performance to see off the upstarts.
It was an interesting match-up because Oulart-The Ballagh had their moments. They had several goal chances that a more polished outfit may have taken, but one would expect them to improve in the coming weeks and they will be a tough team to shift.
Both sides will be the better for this tough tie between two fit, physical teams. There were lots of impressive performers, but a special mention should be made for Billy Dunne, who appeared to cover every blade of grass from his wing-back starting point.
However, it was Ferns' day in the end and after Darryl Gray put the hosts ahead, they went about taking control.
A Seán Walsh run set up the opening goal in the second minute, with Tomás Hawkins finishing past Adam Nolan.
Garry Murphy responded in the tenth minute for Oulart-The Ballagh, but a purple patch before the end of the opening quarter saw Ivan Meegan score twice, with Christopher O'Connor and Hawkins also raising white flags to make it 1-4 to 0-2.
Oulart-The Ballagh hit back through Anthony Roche and Rory Jacob, but two Jason Maguire frees left Ferns in the ascendancy approaching the break.
The home side did see Murtha Doyle hit the post and Meegan save from Dunne as the visitors went into the break a little fortunate to be 1-6 to 0-4 ahead.
Ferns went about wrapping up the win in a professional manner in the second-half. O'Connor and Maguire added points that bettered a Darren Nolan to leave six between the sides at the end of the third quarter.
After an outrageous Meegan free from the right touchline, Ferns wrapped up the win when John Breen netted in the 47th minute.
Before the scorer and Barry Kehoe saw red for a late fist-fight, Jonny Dwyer rounded out the scoring for his side as they secured a ten-point victory.
Ferns St. Aidans: I van Meegan (0-3, 2 frees, 1 '45); Pat Nolan, Paddy O'Hagan, Brian O'Neill; Barry O'Toole, Conor O'Toole, Peter O'Toole; James Tonks, Seán Walsh; Derek Thorpe, Jason Maguire (0-3 frees), Brian Stafford; Liam Byrne, Tomás Hawkins (1-1), Christopher O'Connor (0-2). Subs. - John Breen (1-0) for Walsh (31), Jonny Dwyer (0-1) for O'Connor, inj. (34), Tommy Dwyer for Maguire (41), Benny Jordan for Stafford (48).
Oulart-The Ballagh: Adam Nolan; Barry Kehoe, Dennis Morton (capt.), Kevin Nimmo; Ian Storey, Anthony Roche (0-1), Billy Dunne; Shaun Murphy, Tomás Dunne; Lorcan Nimmo, Rory Jacob (0-1 free), Darryl Gray (0-1); Garry Murphy (0-1), Murtha Doyle, Darren Nolan (0-1). Subs. - Eamon Murphy (0-1) for K. Nimmo (43), Adam McRedmond for Gray (46), Daire Swords for D. Nolan (46), Seamus Ormonde for L. Nimmo (49).
Referee: Damian Lynch (Buffers Alley).
September 8: St. Joseph’s 1-10, Ferns St. Aidans 1-6
ST. JOSEPH'S notched their first win in three attempts in Group A of the Enniscorthy Farm Systems Junior 'A' football championship when they emerged from Ferns with a merited 1-10 to 1-6 victory on Friday.
The first-ever adult championship match played under the newly-installed floodlights on the roadside pitch didn't have the result the locals desired, and they especially found the direct running of St. Joseph's fleet-footed pair of Sky Moroney and Josh Kavanagh difficult to contain.
The Wexford town lads left 1-2 behind them in a profligate opening, including a genuine goal chance that Cian Carty screwed wide of the far post, before captain Decky Downes got them up and running after eight minutes.
Darragh Fitzpatrick demonstrated good ball handling skills to retain possession when adding a second in their next attack, although the hosts bit back thanks to a pair from Christopher O'Connor, with his free immediately followed by a nice effort from play.
Dean Roche teed up prime ball winner Paddy Harnett to make it 0-3 to 0-2 after 17 minutes, and St. Joseph's tacked on a further 1-1 to develop a lead they never subsequently let slip.
Moroney won a free which Cian Carty converted, and when Fitzpatrick fetched a wayward restart a couple of moments later, he was also involved in the build-up that led to Downes thudding home to the roof of the net.
Brian O'Neill pegged a point back for Ferns, but they had a lot of ground to make up at the break when they trailed by 1-6 to 0-3.
Carty curled over two impressive frees off the floor early into the new half but the visitors had to wait for over 20 minutes for their next score as Ferns started to dominate the possession stakes.
They pieced together a nice goal on 38 minutes when Oisín McPartlin played in the onrushing Willie Bolger to blast to the net, while three more O'Connor frees moved them to within 1-8 to 1-6 deep into the fourth quarter.
However, St. Joseph's had the final say through Josh Kavanagh and Carty (free) as Adrian Flynn finally broke his managerial duck.
Ferns St. Aidans: Pádraig Walsh; Brian O'Neill (0-1), Paddy O'Hagan (capt.), Pat Nolan; Barry O'Toole, James Tonks, Peter O'Toole; Seán Walsh, Willie Bolger (1-0); Brian Stafford, James Kinsella, Pádraig Kinsella; Christopher O'Connor (0-5, 4 frees), Oisín McPartlin, Shane Stafford. Sub. - David Murphy for S. Walsh, inj. (23).
St .Joseph's: Johnny Carroll-Hyland; Josh Guerrine, Wayne Carty, Aaron Tierney-Smith; Jason Brennan, Lee Wadding-Byrne, Ashley Houghton; Josh Kavanagh (0-1), Jim Berry; Sky Moroney, Cian Carty (0-4 frees), Darragh Fitzpatrick (0-1); Decky Downes (capt., 1-2), Paddy Harnett (0-1), Dean Roche (0-1). Subs. - Mark Shortall for Brennan (HT), Warren O'Connor for Guerrine (41), Kyle Turner for Harnett (41), Gary Roche for Houghton (47).
Referee: Pádraig Byrne (Kilanerin).
September 16: Ferns St. Aidans 1-14, HWH Bunclody 1-5
FOR ALL the struggles of their Intermediate team, Ferns St. Aidans experienced second-string advanced to the quarter-finals of the Enniscorthy Farm Systems Junior ‘A’ football championship when securing a 1-14 to 1-5 victory over HWH-Bunclody in Saturday’s re-arranged Group A round four tie under the lights in Bunclody.
Buoyed by an attacking sextet where second-year college student Brian Stafford was the youngest member by a distance, the visitors forged a 0-5 to 0-1 lead in the first quarter, with Benny Jordan supplying a pair of fine points from play to supplement three frees from Christopher O’Connor (two) and adventurous goalkeeper Ivan Meegan.
And Meegan played a significant role in the lead-up to Ferns’ goal two minutes later as his quick free released Jonny Dwyer, and even though it looked like the forward initially fumbled the chance, it was eventually recycled back out to him and he crashed home with conviction.
Byron Byrne and O’Connor swapped points in a minute, before the former gave the hosts renewed purpose as he played a one-two with a colleague on the way to smashing home an excellent goal on 25 minutes.
That helped to cut the gap to 1-7 to 1-2 by half-time, and another one was shaved from their deficit when David Reck pointed on the restart.
However, the leaders hit four points on the spin to re-assert control, with an outrageous Meegan free from the right sideline preceding further singles from the newly-married Tomás Hawkins, Dwyer and Meegan’s fourth free.
HWH-Bunclody, who have followed two opening wins in the group with consecutive defeats, hit late replies from Reck (free) and full-forward Ciarán Whiting, with Ferns finishing with a pair of O’Connor frees and the last score of the game from Dwyer.
They will take on table-toppers Marshalstown-Castedockrell this Sunday in Farmleigh as they attempt to improve their quarter-final seeding, while HWH-Bunclody limber up for their own last-eight clash when they host Oulart-The Ballagh at the same time.
Incidentally, there will be an anomaly in the final round of games in this group as Shamrocks were eliminated after conceding their second walkover last Sunday, to Marshalstown-Castledockrell.
While St. Joseph’s will get the two points from their game scheduled for next Sunday as a result, they can’t finish any higher than fifth and thus their season has ended a week earlier than everyone else.
Ferns St. Aidans: Ivan Meegan (0-4 frees); David Murphy, Paddy O’Hagan (capt.), Pat Nolan; Barry O’Toole, James Tonks, Brian O’Neill; John Breen, Willie Bolger; Derek Thorpe, Jonny Dwyer (1-2), Brian Stafford; Christopher O’Connor (0-5, 4 frees), Tomás Hawkins (0-1), Benny Jordan (0-2). Sub. - Peter O’Toole for Murphy (33). Sin-bin: Willie Bolger (49).
HWH-Bunclody: Liam Kelly; FaolÁin Ó Ceallaigh, Conor Hendrick, Diarmuid Crean; Cathal Dunbar, Steven Kavanagh, Conor Burke; Byron Byrne (1-1), James Taylor (capt.); David Reck (0-2 frees), Jerry Connors, Seán Taylor; Barry Kehoe, Ciarán Whiting (0-1), John Connors (0-1). Subs. - Paráic Doyle for Dunbar (HT), Mylie Connors for Jerry Connors (38), Michael Connors for S. Taylor (50), Seán Hogan for John Connors (56).
Referee: Martin Quigley (Rathnure).
