Our intermediate footballers came through an epic quarter-final tie under lights in Bellefield last night, as they eventually saw off St. Mary's (Maudlintown) by 2-18 to 3-13 after extra time.

This was a see-saw game that had a bit of everything, until eventually it was settled in Ferns's favour as the clock ticked well past 10 p.m.

Ryan Nolan was star man as he scored 1-10, including 1-5 from play, while the other goal came from Derek Thorpe and there was a number of good points from others too.

The other semi-finalists are Kilanerin, St. Mary's (Rosslare) and HWH/Bunclody, and the draw for who plays who is expected to take place on Monday.

The focus turns to football this weekend as our intermediates will take on St. Mary's (Maudlintown) in their championship quarter-final under lights in Bellefield at 8.30 p.m. on Friday night (Sept. 15).

A close and tough game is expected, but hopefully Ferns will have enough to win through. All support will be much appreciated.

It was a bad weekend all round, as three of our teams saw their championship seasons go up in smoke. Even worse, our senior hurlers are now facing into a relegation play-off with Cloughbawn, instead of the place in the quarter-finals that we'd hoped for.

The first team to go down was the U-14 footballers, who took on St. Mary's (Maudlintown) in their championship semi-final in Bree on Saturday. The Ferns lads had a good lead at the break, but faced into a strong wind in the second half and saw the town team overturn that lead. They eventually went down by two points: 2-8 to 2-6.

Later in Bree, our junior hurlers took on Gusserane in their quarter-final, and unfortunately also came up short. Gusserane were in command throughout this game, as they led by seven at the break, maintained a healthy lead for most of the second half, and then killed the game off with two goals in quick succession with about ten minutes to go.

Our seniors faced Oulart/The Ballagh in Bellefield on Sunday with their championship season on the line, and a surprise result seemed possible when we really put it up to them in the first half and went in level at the break. However, Oulart/The Ballagh turned in a much stronger performance in the second half, and eventually won by ten points (3-14 to 1-10).

Worse than that though was that a combination of other results condemned Ferns to finishing bottom of the table, instead of in the safety of fifth place, and so we will now have to face Cloughbawn with our senior status on the line.  The game is likely to be played the weekend after next....and it will be REAL crunch time. Let's hope we can pull this one off.

It’s crunch time for our senior hurlers on Sunday, and unfortunately they’ve one of the toughest tasks in Wexford hurling, as the only way they can be 100% sure of making the quarter-finals is by beating Oulart/The Ballagh.

Even a draw to lift us onto four points mightn’t be enough, if Naomh Eanna beat Faythe Harriers and the Rapps pull off a surprise win over St. Martin’s. That would leave ourselves, the Rapps, and Gorey, on four points each – and since they both already have a better points difference, we’d finish in fifth place.

There are all sorts of things that could happen, and here are just some of them:

• First things first – we’re not completely clear of the relegation battle yet. If both Gorey and the Rapps win, and we lose, then we’ll finish bottom – unless Gorey beat the Harriers by at least four points more than we lose to Oulart by. Let’s not dwell too much on that one.
• We’re also in trouble if we lose and both other matches end as draws. That too would leave us on the bottom.
• However, we can lose and still go through if both Naomh Eanna and the Rapps are also beaten.
• If we lose, the Rapps lose, and Naomh Eanna win, then we finish fifth – unless Naomh Eanna beat the Harriers by at least four points more than we lose to Oulart by.
• If we lose, Rapps lose, and Naomh Eanna v Harriers is a draw, then we’ll finish level on Gorey with three points – but we’ll go through in fourth spot by virtue of having beaten them in the opening round.
• If we get a draw against Oulart, we’ll go through unless both Naomh Eanna and the Rapps both win. Points difference would come into play again then,  and we’d end up in fifth.
• As said at the top, the only way we can be 100% sure of going through is winning the game ourselves on Sunday.
• And if you want to try work out any other possibilities, you can see the table for yourself here.
  

Throw-in at Bellefield will be at 5.30 p.m. on Sunday. And there’ll probably be as much attention paid to scorelines coming out of the other grounds as there will be to the action on the pitch there.

Let’s hope for the best anyway. Hon Ferns!

Just four weeks after John and Helen Tonks claimed €19,300 in our lotto, the jackpot was won again last night!

This time, the winner was Ger Kinsella, of Castlewhite, Askamore. The lucky numbers were 8, 10, 21 and 24.

Ferns Lucky Dip winners were Fr Paddy Cushen, Joan Nolan (Kiltown), John Reynolds (c/o Omnipro), and our esteemed club chairman, Johnny Sinnott.

The jackpot now goes back again to €3,000 for the next draw, to be held in The Courtyard on September 19.

Well, our intermediate footballers did the needful in St Patrick's Park last night as they comfortably beat Adamstown by 2-15 to 1-8, to book their place in the quarter-finals. Ferns were well in control all the way through, and the result was never in any doubt.

And after today's games in the other groups, the quarter-finals line-up has taken shape. We'll be playing St. Mary's (Maudlintown). The match is likely to be fixed for the weekend of Friday September 15 to Sunday September 17.

It's crunch time for our intermediate footballers this evening, as they take on Adamstown in their final championship group game in St. Patrick's Park (throw-in 7 p.m.)

As tends to be the case going into the closing round of championship groups, things are a little complicated, but what it boils down from a Ferns point of view is this:

• If Ferns win, we definitely go through. That's the easy bit to explain.
  
• If Ferns draw, we PROBABLY go through...depending on other results. But, if we draw, St Fintan's beat Clongeen, and Bunclody beat Rosslare, then even a draw wouldn't be enough.
  
• Bizarrely, while a draw might not be enough, we could even lose and still go through...again, depending on other results. Basically, if we lose, and Rosslare beat Bunclody, then we'll go through anyway.
  

It's complicated now, but the picture will be a lot clearer by about 8.30 p.m. tonight. We hope to have good news then!

Our minor hurlers turned in another great and gutsy performance tonight, to earn a well-deserved 4-12 to 2-13 win over Oylegate/Glenbrien in the Minor Championship quarter-final.

Our lads were in charge all through the first half after Chris Turner struck from an early goal from a free, and he added a second play some ten minutes later, to make it 2-3 to 0-3. The sides swapped points before Chris completed his hat-trick just before the break, leaving it 3-7 to 0-7 for Ferns at half time.

It seemed that Ferns would cruise to victory when a Jeff Tobin goal early in the second half made it 4-9 to 0-9. But back came Oylegate/Glenbrien with two goals of their own and a succession of points, that narrowed the gap to just three points with six minutes to go.

The Ferns lads got back on top of things then though, and saw out the game as the stronger side, with the sort of determination that was also the hallmark of their win over Rapparees in the last of the group games.

Great credit is due to all players and mentors for tonight's victory, and we hope for another stirring performance when the semi-final comes round.

Our under-16 hurlers saw their season come to an end last night, as they lost to Our Lady’s Island/St. Fintan’s in their Shield quarter final on a scoreline of 4-15 to 2-8.
 
It’s been a difficult year hurling-wise for this group,  but they still have a number of talented player among the ranks, some of whom have been making a good contribution the Minors at Premier level.
 
Things are going better in football for the Juveniles, and they’ve a championship quarter-final against St. Joseph’s to look forward to next Monday evening (September 4). We wish them the best of luck.

Calling all poker players! We want to see you in The Thatch on Friday night, for a Texas Hold 'Em poker tournament that's being organised by James Tonks as his team's Ferns' Fittest Family fundraiser.

It will cost just €10 to register, and as you might expect at that price, plenty of action is anticipated and you'll be able to buy back in as many times as you like until the break.

Play is due to begin at 8.30 p.m., but latecomers will be able to join in too - just as well, since many could be at the football match in St. Patrick's Park first!

Give James a shout at 086 1761892 if you want to register in advance, or else just turn up on the night. Now...shuffle up and deal!