Intermediate Football Championship 2017
April 23: Ferns St Aidans 1-8, HWH-Bunclody 1-6
Ferns St. Aidan's made a successful start to their Amber Springs/Ashdown Park Hotels Intermediate football championship Group A campaign with a two-point win over HWH-Bunclody in Monamolin on Sunday.
The very fit and influential Bunclody midfielder, John Dunne, took advantage of a free ball in the fifth minute and his attempt saw the green flag being raised to mark side's opening score. Eoin Kelly added a point, leaving Ferns were in need of a score.
Paul Morris was the most impressive man on the field for the red and white squad, and he started his tally of well-kicked points to counteract Bunclody. John Dunne was reliable over dead balls and his slick style proved successful for Bunclody.
David Reck secured a point for Bunclody but Morris quickly cancelled this out with a kick from 45 yards. Bunclody seemed well ahead before Ferns gathered themselves with five minutes left in the first-half. Morris and John Breen claimed a point each to leave one goal between the sides at the break (1-4 to 0-4).
The pace of Bunclody was matched by Ferns in the second-half. Ryan Nolan featured on the scoreboard in the opening two minutes whilst a much-needed goal was added when the Bunclody goalie made a save from a Ben Cowman shot but found his body behind the line and the green flag was raised.
A transfer of points between Darren Kehoe and Morris left the sides draw level with ten minutes remaining.
A red card to Bunclody's Peter Atkinson saw Ferns with an extra man on the field and they utilised this by edging ahead, with Patrick and John Breen being the main men in attack. The tensions were high in the concluding two minutes but Ferns drove home the victors with two points to spare.
Ferns St. Aidan's: Ivan Meegan; Declan Byrne, Pádraig Bolger (capt.), Brian O'Neill; Keith Breen, James Tonks, Peter Nolan; Patrick Breen (0-1), John Breen (0-2 frees); Paul Morris (0-4), Peter O'Toole, Derek Thorpe; Ben Cowman (1-0), Jonathan Dwyer, Ryan Nolan (0-1). Subs. - Tomás Hawkins for O'Toole, Tommy Dwyer for Cowman.
HWH-Bunclody: Patrick Kavanagh; Billy Kelly, John Atkinson, Enda Slevin; Colm Farrell, Martin O'Connor, Pádraic Sinnott; John Dunne (1-2, 0-2 frees), Seán Kenny; Josh Martin, Eoin Kelly (0-1), Keith O'Hara; David Reck (0-1), Darren Kehoe (0-2 frees), Peter Atkinson. Subs. - Conor Crean for Martin, Peter Atkinson for O'Hara.
Referee: John O'Loughlin (Monageer-Boolavogue).
April 29: Ferns St Aidans 1-10, Clongeen 0-5
‘Ducker’ Hawkins gave Ferns St Aidans the breathing room they needed when he fired home a late winning goal after Clongeen’s delayed rally in this Amber Springs/Ashdown Park Hotels Intermediate Football Championship Group A game in Bellefield on Saturday.
While the eventual winners always looked stronger, Clongeen gave them something to think about late on, putting them on the back foot and really making them earn their win.
Ferns coped well however, and after substitute Hawkins found the net, Ryan Nolan hit the insurance score going into injury time.
Clongeen opened the scoring through Paul Curtis, a point after two points that would be the only time they led in the whole game.
From here, Ferns began to show what they were made of, with points from Jonathan Dwyer, Ryan Nolan, John Breen and a tidy finish from Paul Morris, who could have had a goal moments later, only for his effort to barely roll wide.
Indeed, Ferns could have been further in front only for some wayward shooting in the second quarter.
Curtis and Leon Stafford reduced the gap before the impressive Nolan gave his side a two-point lead at the break.
The second half was a tame affair, with Peter Nolan and Morris finding the range within ten minutes of the restart, and it would be a further ten minutes before Clongeen replied through substitute Joe Toomey.
Curtis traded scores with Brian O’Neill, before Clongeen began upping the ante.
However, they tried in vain, and after an easy chance was missed with only minutes remaining, Tomás ‘Ducker’ Hawkins was on hand to rattle the net, ensuring his side’s second win of the campaign, along with Clongeen’s second defeat.
Ferns St Aidans: Ivan Meegan; Anthony Dwyer, Pádraig Bolger, Brian O’Neill (0-1); Keith Breen, James Tonks, Peter Nolan (0-1); Patrick Breen, John Breen (0-1); Paul Morris (0-2), Peter O’Toole, Derek Thorpe; Ben Cowman, Jonathan Dwyer (0-1), Ryan Nolan (0-4). Subs – Tommy Dwyer for Bolger, Tomás Hawkins (1-0) for Cowman, Eoin Murphy for O’Toole.
Clongeen: Ricky Rochford; Stephen Curtis, Barry Foxe, Donal Whelan; Tom Donovan, Anton Stafford, Marty Reville; Cathal Murphy, Paul Curtis (0-3); Adam O’Sullivan, Shane Kilkenny, Robert Farrell; Jamesie Rochford, Stephen Bennett, Leon Stafford (0-1). Subs – Ger Foxe for Bennett, Joe Toomey (0-1) for J. Rochford.
Referee: Eddie O’Sullivan (Kilanerin).
August 5: St Fintan’s 4-9, Ferns St. Aidans 0-16
As tired old clichés go, goals win games is up there among the most well worn. However, it is a fitting adage for this Amber Springs/Ashdown Park Hotels Intermediate football championship Group A clash that was played in Bellefield on Saturday.
Ferns St. Aidan's may have worked the scoreboard more often than their opponents, but it was the Wexford District's side's ability to cut through the last line of defence that proved the difference.
Shane Sinnott and Jason Pettit both got the green flag waving inside the opening nine minutes, with Pettit adding a second major just before the break and Conor Sinnott sealing the deal with a penalty deep into second-half injury time.
St. Fintan's couldn't have asked for a better start to the game, plundering the opening goal with just a minute on the clock. Donal Shanley picked out Shane Sinnott with a pass through the heart of the Ferns defence, and he did the rest, rifling the ball beyond Ivan Meegan.
They had to wait seven minutes for the next score, but again it was a green flag that the umpire raised aloft. Conor Sinnott pumped a delivery into the danger zone and the ball fell to Jason Pettit, who turned and finished with aplomb.
Conor Sinnott knocked over a 20th-minute free to extend the advantage to 2-1 to no score, and although Ferns did manage to register three of the next four points, through Christopher O'Connor (two) and John Breen (free), they were hit with a real sucker-punch deep into injury time.
Peter Goldsmith angled in a long ball from the right wing, which Niall Moore gathered. The corner-forward did well to earn himself a yard of space and picked out Jason Pettit who slid a low shot to the net to give them a 3-2 to 0-3 half-time lead.
Ferns rallied to get within four points by the 39th minute (3-3 to 0-8) thanks to a Christopher O'Connor point and four on the trot from Paul Morris, but St. Fintan's managed to keep the scoreboard ticking over, with Conor Sinnott accurate from placed balls and Jason Pettit and Shane Sinnott knocking over nice points.
An injury time John Breen score did leave Ferns just a kick of the ball away from what looked like a highly improbable win moments earlier (3-8 to 0-15).
However, after Shane Sinnott and Jonathan Dwyer swapped points, St. Fintan's finally got the chance to put the game to bed when substitute Shane Sinnott (Cregg) was dragged down for a penalty.
Up stepped Conor Sinnott, and he made no mistake in sliding a precise shot into the right-hand corner of the net.
Ferns St. Aidan's: Ivan Meegan; Anthony Dwyer, Pádraig Bolger, Brian O'Neill; Keith Breen, James Tonks, Peter Nolan; Patrick Breen (0-1), John Breen (0-2, 1 free); Paul Morris (0-8, 6 frees), Tommy Dwyer (0-1), Derek Thorpe; Peter O'Toole, Jonathan Dwyer (0-1), Christopher O'Connor (0-3). Subs. - Ciarán Roberts for O'Neill, Tomás Hawkins for O'Toole, Colm Whelan for Nolan.
St. Fintan's: Patrick McDonnell; Jimmy Staples, Frank Staples (0-1), Brian Lacey; Peter Goldsmith, Joey Wadding, Jamie Sinnott; Pádraig Doyle, Robert Coakley; Eoin O'Callaghan, Shane Sinnott (Mayglass, 1-3, 0-1 free), Donal Shanley; Conor Sinnott (1-4, 0-4 frees, 1-0 pen.), Jason Pettit (2-1), Niall Moore. Subs. - Shane Sinnott (Cregg) for Coakley, Adrian Murphy for O'Callaghan, David Moore for N. Moore, Pádhraic Rossiter for Lacey.
Referee: James Mullally (Gusserane).
Ferns St. Aidan's made a successful start to their Amber Springs/Ashdown Park Hotels Intermediate football championship Group A campaign with a two-point win over HWH-Bunclody in Monamolin on Sunday.
The very fit and influential Bunclody midfielder, John Dunne, took advantage of a free ball in the fifth minute and his attempt saw the green flag being raised to mark side's opening score. Eoin Kelly added a point, leaving Ferns were in need of a score.
Paul Morris was the most impressive man on the field for the red and white squad, and he started his tally of well-kicked points to counteract Bunclody. John Dunne was reliable over dead balls and his slick style proved successful for Bunclody.
David Reck secured a point for Bunclody but Morris quickly cancelled this out with a kick from 45 yards. Bunclody seemed well ahead before Ferns gathered themselves with five minutes left in the first-half. Morris and John Breen claimed a point each to leave one goal between the sides at the break (1-4 to 0-4).
The pace of Bunclody was matched by Ferns in the second-half. Ryan Nolan featured on the scoreboard in the opening two minutes whilst a much-needed goal was added when the Bunclody goalie made a save from a Ben Cowman shot but found his body behind the line and the green flag was raised.
A transfer of points between Darren Kehoe and Morris left the sides draw level with ten minutes remaining.
A red card to Bunclody's Peter Atkinson saw Ferns with an extra man on the field and they utilised this by edging ahead, with Patrick and John Breen being the main men in attack. The tensions were high in the concluding two minutes but Ferns drove home the victors with two points to spare.
Ferns St. Aidan's: Ivan Meegan; Declan Byrne, Pádraig Bolger (capt.), Brian O'Neill; Keith Breen, James Tonks, Peter Nolan; Patrick Breen (0-1), John Breen (0-2 frees); Paul Morris (0-4), Peter O'Toole, Derek Thorpe; Ben Cowman (1-0), Jonathan Dwyer, Ryan Nolan (0-1). Subs. - Tomás Hawkins for O'Toole, Tommy Dwyer for Cowman.
HWH-Bunclody: Patrick Kavanagh; Billy Kelly, John Atkinson, Enda Slevin; Colm Farrell, Martin O'Connor, Pádraic Sinnott; John Dunne (1-2, 0-2 frees), Seán Kenny; Josh Martin, Eoin Kelly (0-1), Keith O'Hara; David Reck (0-1), Darren Kehoe (0-2 frees), Peter Atkinson. Subs. - Conor Crean for Martin, Peter Atkinson for O'Hara.
Referee: John O'Loughlin (Monageer-Boolavogue).
April 29: Ferns St Aidans 1-10, Clongeen 0-5
‘Ducker’ Hawkins gave Ferns St Aidans the breathing room they needed when he fired home a late winning goal after Clongeen’s delayed rally in this Amber Springs/Ashdown Park Hotels Intermediate Football Championship Group A game in Bellefield on Saturday.
While the eventual winners always looked stronger, Clongeen gave them something to think about late on, putting them on the back foot and really making them earn their win.
Ferns coped well however, and after substitute Hawkins found the net, Ryan Nolan hit the insurance score going into injury time.
Clongeen opened the scoring through Paul Curtis, a point after two points that would be the only time they led in the whole game.
From here, Ferns began to show what they were made of, with points from Jonathan Dwyer, Ryan Nolan, John Breen and a tidy finish from Paul Morris, who could have had a goal moments later, only for his effort to barely roll wide.
Indeed, Ferns could have been further in front only for some wayward shooting in the second quarter.
Curtis and Leon Stafford reduced the gap before the impressive Nolan gave his side a two-point lead at the break.
The second half was a tame affair, with Peter Nolan and Morris finding the range within ten minutes of the restart, and it would be a further ten minutes before Clongeen replied through substitute Joe Toomey.
Curtis traded scores with Brian O’Neill, before Clongeen began upping the ante.
However, they tried in vain, and after an easy chance was missed with only minutes remaining, Tomás ‘Ducker’ Hawkins was on hand to rattle the net, ensuring his side’s second win of the campaign, along with Clongeen’s second defeat.
Ferns St Aidans: Ivan Meegan; Anthony Dwyer, Pádraig Bolger, Brian O’Neill (0-1); Keith Breen, James Tonks, Peter Nolan (0-1); Patrick Breen, John Breen (0-1); Paul Morris (0-2), Peter O’Toole, Derek Thorpe; Ben Cowman, Jonathan Dwyer (0-1), Ryan Nolan (0-4). Subs – Tommy Dwyer for Bolger, Tomás Hawkins (1-0) for Cowman, Eoin Murphy for O’Toole.
Clongeen: Ricky Rochford; Stephen Curtis, Barry Foxe, Donal Whelan; Tom Donovan, Anton Stafford, Marty Reville; Cathal Murphy, Paul Curtis (0-3); Adam O’Sullivan, Shane Kilkenny, Robert Farrell; Jamesie Rochford, Stephen Bennett, Leon Stafford (0-1). Subs – Ger Foxe for Bennett, Joe Toomey (0-1) for J. Rochford.
Referee: Eddie O’Sullivan (Kilanerin).
August 5: St Fintan’s 4-9, Ferns St. Aidans 0-16
As tired old clichés go, goals win games is up there among the most well worn. However, it is a fitting adage for this Amber Springs/Ashdown Park Hotels Intermediate football championship Group A clash that was played in Bellefield on Saturday.
Ferns St. Aidan's may have worked the scoreboard more often than their opponents, but it was the Wexford District's side's ability to cut through the last line of defence that proved the difference.
Shane Sinnott and Jason Pettit both got the green flag waving inside the opening nine minutes, with Pettit adding a second major just before the break and Conor Sinnott sealing the deal with a penalty deep into second-half injury time.
St. Fintan's couldn't have asked for a better start to the game, plundering the opening goal with just a minute on the clock. Donal Shanley picked out Shane Sinnott with a pass through the heart of the Ferns defence, and he did the rest, rifling the ball beyond Ivan Meegan.
They had to wait seven minutes for the next score, but again it was a green flag that the umpire raised aloft. Conor Sinnott pumped a delivery into the danger zone and the ball fell to Jason Pettit, who turned and finished with aplomb.
Conor Sinnott knocked over a 20th-minute free to extend the advantage to 2-1 to no score, and although Ferns did manage to register three of the next four points, through Christopher O'Connor (two) and John Breen (free), they were hit with a real sucker-punch deep into injury time.
Peter Goldsmith angled in a long ball from the right wing, which Niall Moore gathered. The corner-forward did well to earn himself a yard of space and picked out Jason Pettit who slid a low shot to the net to give them a 3-2 to 0-3 half-time lead.
Ferns rallied to get within four points by the 39th minute (3-3 to 0-8) thanks to a Christopher O'Connor point and four on the trot from Paul Morris, but St. Fintan's managed to keep the scoreboard ticking over, with Conor Sinnott accurate from placed balls and Jason Pettit and Shane Sinnott knocking over nice points.
An injury time John Breen score did leave Ferns just a kick of the ball away from what looked like a highly improbable win moments earlier (3-8 to 0-15).
However, after Shane Sinnott and Jonathan Dwyer swapped points, St. Fintan's finally got the chance to put the game to bed when substitute Shane Sinnott (Cregg) was dragged down for a penalty.
Up stepped Conor Sinnott, and he made no mistake in sliding a precise shot into the right-hand corner of the net.
Ferns St. Aidan's: Ivan Meegan; Anthony Dwyer, Pádraig Bolger, Brian O'Neill; Keith Breen, James Tonks, Peter Nolan; Patrick Breen (0-1), John Breen (0-2, 1 free); Paul Morris (0-8, 6 frees), Tommy Dwyer (0-1), Derek Thorpe; Peter O'Toole, Jonathan Dwyer (0-1), Christopher O'Connor (0-3). Subs. - Ciarán Roberts for O'Neill, Tomás Hawkins for O'Toole, Colm Whelan for Nolan.
St. Fintan's: Patrick McDonnell; Jimmy Staples, Frank Staples (0-1), Brian Lacey; Peter Goldsmith, Joey Wadding, Jamie Sinnott; Pádraig Doyle, Robert Coakley; Eoin O'Callaghan, Shane Sinnott (Mayglass, 1-3, 0-1 free), Donal Shanley; Conor Sinnott (1-4, 0-4 frees, 1-0 pen.), Jason Pettit (2-1), Niall Moore. Subs. - Shane Sinnott (Cregg) for Coakley, Adrian Murphy for O'Callaghan, David Moore for N. Moore, Pádhraic Rossiter for Lacey.
Referee: James Mullally (Gusserane).
August 20: St. Mary’s (Rosslare) 0-8, Ferns St Aidans 0-7
A late point from Niall Walsh maintained St. Mary's one hundred per cent record in Group A of the Amber Springs/Ashdown Park Hotels Intermediate football championship after a dour battle in a miserable Bellefield on Sunday.
Ferns will be kicking themselves for not taking anything from the game though, having recovered from missing a penalty late in the first-half to score four points on the trot to get their noses in front for the first time with 54 minutes on the clock.
However, a Cian Boggan free quickly got the Rosslare outfit back on level terms, before Niall Walsh struck a left-footed effort that sailed between the posts with just a minute of normal time remaining.
In difficult conditions the football was never likely to be pretty, but St. Mary's seemed to have adapted well to the elements as they built up a 0-5 to 0-1 advantage by the 17th minute, with Robert Butler twice splitting the posts, and Lee Devereux, Gearóid Byrne and Conor Cafferkey doing likewise.
All Ferns had to show for the opening quarter was a converted free from goalkeeper Ivan Meegan, and John Breen doubled their tally with another placed ball on 19 minutes.
Breen had the chance to draw his side level a minute before the break when Ian Byrne's shot was saved, and once Christopher O'Connor gathered possession he was hauled down for a penalty.
Breen picked his spot to the goalkeeper's right but his well-struck effort came back off the upright and rebounded to safety.
Christopher O'Connor and Robert Butler exchanged scores early in the second-half, before Ferns assumed an element of control, knocking over four points in a row.
First Ryan Nolan converted a free and then he turned provider, floating in a delivery which Christopher O'Connor got a fist to, and his effort grazed the top of the crossbar and went over.
Netminder Ivan Meegan came forward to fire over two more long-range frees to give Ferns the lead with just over five minutes remaining.
However, the St. Mary's response was instant as Cian Boggan converted a dead-ball and in the 60th minute they manufactured the winning score.
After finding Niall Walsh in space on the left wing, the defen der made no mistake, splitting the posts to secure a hard-fought victory.
Ferns St. Aidan's: Ivan Meegan (0-3 frees); Anthony Dwyer, Pádraig Bolger (capt.), Brian O'Neill; Keith Breen, James Tonks, Peter Nolan; Patrick Breen, John Breen (0-1 free); Ian Byrne, Tommy Dwyer, Derek Thorpe; Christopher O'Connor (0-2), Jonathan Dwyer, Ryan Nolan (0-1 free). Subs. - Tomás Hawkins for K. Breen, Eoin Murphy for Byrne.
St. Mary's (Rosslare): Stephen Breen; Barry Quirke, Gearóid Byrne (capt., 0-1), Conal Grant; Niall Walsh (0-1), Tiarnan Rossiter, Shay Boggan; Robert Butler (0-3), Naomhan Rossiter; Ultan Quirke, Andrew Murphy, Cian Boggan (0-1 free); Lee Devereux (0-1), David Murphy, Conor Cafferkey (0-1).
Referee: Pat Kehoe (Rathgarogue-Cushinstown).
A late point from Niall Walsh maintained St. Mary's one hundred per cent record in Group A of the Amber Springs/Ashdown Park Hotels Intermediate football championship after a dour battle in a miserable Bellefield on Sunday.
Ferns will be kicking themselves for not taking anything from the game though, having recovered from missing a penalty late in the first-half to score four points on the trot to get their noses in front for the first time with 54 minutes on the clock.
However, a Cian Boggan free quickly got the Rosslare outfit back on level terms, before Niall Walsh struck a left-footed effort that sailed between the posts with just a minute of normal time remaining.
In difficult conditions the football was never likely to be pretty, but St. Mary's seemed to have adapted well to the elements as they built up a 0-5 to 0-1 advantage by the 17th minute, with Robert Butler twice splitting the posts, and Lee Devereux, Gearóid Byrne and Conor Cafferkey doing likewise.
All Ferns had to show for the opening quarter was a converted free from goalkeeper Ivan Meegan, and John Breen doubled their tally with another placed ball on 19 minutes.
Breen had the chance to draw his side level a minute before the break when Ian Byrne's shot was saved, and once Christopher O'Connor gathered possession he was hauled down for a penalty.
Breen picked his spot to the goalkeeper's right but his well-struck effort came back off the upright and rebounded to safety.
Christopher O'Connor and Robert Butler exchanged scores early in the second-half, before Ferns assumed an element of control, knocking over four points in a row.
First Ryan Nolan converted a free and then he turned provider, floating in a delivery which Christopher O'Connor got a fist to, and his effort grazed the top of the crossbar and went over.
Netminder Ivan Meegan came forward to fire over two more long-range frees to give Ferns the lead with just over five minutes remaining.
However, the St. Mary's response was instant as Cian Boggan converted a dead-ball and in the 60th minute they manufactured the winning score.
After finding Niall Walsh in space on the left wing, the defen der made no mistake, splitting the posts to secure a hard-fought victory.
Ferns St. Aidan's: Ivan Meegan (0-3 frees); Anthony Dwyer, Pádraig Bolger (capt.), Brian O'Neill; Keith Breen, James Tonks, Peter Nolan; Patrick Breen, John Breen (0-1 free); Ian Byrne, Tommy Dwyer, Derek Thorpe; Christopher O'Connor (0-2), Jonathan Dwyer, Ryan Nolan (0-1 free). Subs. - Tomás Hawkins for K. Breen, Eoin Murphy for Byrne.
St. Mary's (Rosslare): Stephen Breen; Barry Quirke, Gearóid Byrne (capt., 0-1), Conal Grant; Niall Walsh (0-1), Tiarnan Rossiter, Shay Boggan; Robert Butler (0-3), Naomhan Rossiter; Ultan Quirke, Andrew Murphy, Cian Boggan (0-1 free); Lee Devereux (0-1), David Murphy, Conor Cafferkey (0-1).
Referee: Pat Kehoe (Rathgarogue-Cushinstown).
Sept. 1: Ferns St. Aidans 2-15, Adamstown 1-8
Anyone who thought that Ferns had given up on this year's title race must think against as they turned in a sparkling display to shock highly-fancied Adamstown in this crucial Amber Springs and Ashdown Park Round 5 Group A Intermediate football championship game at St. Patrick's Park, Enniscorthy, on Friday evening last.
With Ian Byrne celebrating his 25th birthday and marking his final game before his return to Dubai yesterday (Monday), the Ferns players chose the occasion to turn in their best display of the championship campaign to date, with the two points edging them through to a quarter-final meeting with St. Mary's (Maudlintown), while for Adamstown they made a shock exit from the title race having gone into the game as short odds favourites particularly following their convincing victory over St. Fintan's in their fourth round game.
It didn't look that promising for Ferns going into this game, given their concentration on hurling, but they dominated this game right through, despite trailing 1-1 to 0-2, at the end of the opening quarter, the Adamstown goal coming through Sean Barden after Liam Stafford's initial effort had been blocked, a goal against the run of play as Ferns had most of the possession.
Ferns soon began to translate that possession into scores with a succession of points through Jonathan Dwyer, a Ryan Nolan, free, and John Breen, with Nolan finding the net after twenty one minutes with a delicate flick of the ball past advancing keeper Alan Bradley.
Five minutes before the break it was Nolan who picked out Chris O'Connor with a superb crossfield ball leaving the corner-forward to shoot across goal into the opposite corner of the net, a goal that helped his side to a 2-8 to 1-1 interval lead.
After Peter Nolan and Conor Hickey, free, had exchanged opening second half points, it was Ferns who retained the initiative adding points through O'Connor and Nolan, while two Conor Hickey frees and a Michael Furlong effort giving Adamstown brief hope.
But it was to be brief as Ferns responded with points from O'Connor, Nolan and James Breen, but just to sum up a dismal evening for Adamstown, Conor Hickey had his penalty brilliantly saved by keeper Ivan Meegan, leaving Ferns to run out the most comfortable of winners.
Ferns St. Aidan's: Ivan Meegan (0-1 free); Anthony Dwyer, Padraig Bolger, Brian O'Neill; Jonathan Dwyer, James Tonks, Peter Nolan (0-1); Patrick Breen (0-1), John Breen (0-2); Paul Morris (0-1), Tommy Dwyer, Derek Thorpe; Chris O'Connors (1-3), Ian Byrne (0-1), Ryan Nolan (1-5, 0-3 frees). Sub: Eoin Murphy for Peter Nolan.
Adamstown: Alan Bradley; Johnny Connors, P J Carroll, James Breen (0-1); Sean Barden (1-0), Michael Furlong (0-1), Lorcan French; Tony French, Barry Power; Liam Stafford, Eric Bradley, Shane White; Conor Hickey (0-4 frees), Paudie Barden, Ian White (0-1). Subs: Shane O'Gorman for Lorcan French; Harry Cosgrave (0-1 free) for Ian White; James Delaney for Power.
Referee: Justin Heffernan (Blackwater).
Sept. 1, quarter-final: Ferns St. Aidans 2-18, St. Mary’s (Maudlintown) 3-13 (aet)
Ferns St. Aidans had to call upon all of their mental strength to eventually get the better of St. Mary’s (Maudlintown) when they eked out an extra time victory by 2-18 to 3-13 in a titanic Amber Springs/Ashdown Park Hotels intermediate football championship quarter-final under the lights at Bellefield on Friday.
St. Mary’s came into the clash as the higher seeded team after an impressive Group B campaign, and they produced some champagne football on occasion in the first half.
Richie Kehoe and Martin O’Connor shared three neat points from play between them, while youngster Jamie Thomas was a real ball of energy up front, as he teed up Dermot Flood for a clinically-taken goal on nine minutes and was also a central figure in the score of the game on 18 minutes.
Play developed from the far wing as the ball was transferred with speed through the hands of numerous players, before Thomas crashed home with composure to herald a 2-2 to 0-5 advantage.
But Ferns crucially struck back in the last attack of the half when county footballer Ryan Nolan swooped in on the break off Tommy Dwyer to stylishly net as the gap was cut to 2-4 to 1-6 at the changeover.
St. Mary’s re-asserted control on 33 minutes when Graham Carty’s looped handpass found the isolated Donal O’Leary to make it 3-5 to 1-8.
However, when Tommy Dwyer’s under-hit shot dropped short and caused panic around the goalmouth, Derek Thorpe was on hand to poke home and turn the tables by 2-9 to 3-5.
Late submissions from Ross Lynch, Kehoe and Flood gave St. Mary’s the slimmest of advantages down the home straight, but the consistent Nolan forged extra time when he converted his fifth free of the night in injury time to make it 2-12 to 3-9.
And ultimately, Ferns’ superior fitness levels made the difference as Nolan accounted for three of their four points in the first additional period, and added another six minutes from time to seal a semi-final berth for the second year running, after the 2016 replay loss to Taghmon-Camross.
Ferns St. Aidans: Ivan Meegan (0-3 frees); Declan Byrne, Pádraig Bolger (capt.), Brian O’Neill; Jonathan Dwyer, James Tonks, Peter Nolan; Patrick Breen, John Breen (0-2); Paul Morris, Tommy Dwyer, Derek Thorpe (1-0); Christopher O’Connor, Eoin Murphy (0-1), Ryan Nolan (1-11, 0-7 frees). Subs: Colm Whelan for Morris (inj.); Anthony Dwyer for Byrne; Keith Breen (0-1) for O’Neill; Conor Scallan for Thorpe; Thorpe for P. Nolan.
St. Mary’s (Maudlintown): Paul Dempsey; Mark Doyle, Alan Lynch (capt.), Gary Murphy; Alex Lynch, Graham Carty, Ross Lynch (0-1); Robert Kenny (0-1), Dermot Flood (1-6, 0-3 frees); Eddie Pitman, Martin O’Connor (0-2), Jamie Thomas (1-0); Jason Swords, Richie Kehoe (0-2), Donal O’Leary (1-0). Subs: Gavin Cullen for Pitman; Pierce Dooley (0-1) for O’Leary (black card); Pitman for Alex Lynch.
Referee: Brendan Martin (Ballyhogue).
Sept. 8, semi-final: HWH/Bunclody 2-10, Ferns St. Aidans 2-8
Trailing by 1-5 to 0-1 as the game moved towards the 20-minute mark, HWH-Bunclody looked clearly second best in this Amber Springs/Ashdown Park Hotels Intermediate football championship semi-final in Bellefield on Saturday, but then things started to change.
There was no one thing that really stood out as being a game-changer, as Bunclody started to play better football and Ferns lost a little of the impetus they had when they dominated the early stages.
What scoring three of the last four points of the first-half did for Bunclody was that it gave them a vital confidence boost, it gave them something to play with.
Without that, maybe Peter Atkinson's 32nd-minute goal, that put the game right in the balance, wouldn't have happened.
And then they bossed things. There wasn't an area of the field they didn't own for 20 minutes as Ferns struggled to make any progress into the Bunclody '45, whereas the gaps slowly began to appear for their opponents and they took advantage.
Ryan Nolan opened the scoring for Ferns in the sixth minute, a point that was quickly followed by a similar John Breen effort. Ivan Meegan's kick-outs were often successful and he also drilled a free from 46 metres to make it 0-3 to nil.
David Reck responded at the other end but it only provided momentary respite. Christopher O'Connor's left foot kick was followed by a Meegan '45 that sailed over the crossbar to make it 0-5 to 0-1.
There was a little fortune about Ferns' 18th-minute goal. Jonathan Dwyer's point attempt dropped short and skidded up on Patrick Kavanagh, with the ball squirming out to Colm Whelan and he was dragged down. Nolan converted the penalty with relative ease.
The concession of a goal helped wake Bunclody up. Aidan Nolan knocked over a brace of dead-balls before the interval and Peadair Cowman also hit the target as their side pulled within five at the change of ends (1-6 to 0-4).
In the first 19 minutes of the second-half Bunclody scored 2-5 without reply. Atkinson poked home after a long ball in broke in his vicinity and, after Colm Farrell pointed, the full-forward calmly netted again after Eoin Kelly sent him clear on goal.
Now ahead by 2-5 to 1-6, Bunclody pushed on at the start of the final quarter with scores from Seán Kenny, Cowman and Reck (two) in quick succession.
Ryan Nolan pulled a point back and soon thought that his exquisite chip over Kavanagh had got his side right back into the game with seven minutes left.
However, linesman Brendan Holohan had long-since put his flag up as Christopher O'Connor's sideline that picked him out was clearly taken inside the perimeter of the field. The fact that it was the correct call didn't appease Ferns, who were apoplectic.
After Tommy Dwyer was dismissed, there was still five points in it and four added minutes.
Ciarán Roberts fired home from a melee to give his side hope at two points down but Ferns couldn't create another goal-scoring chance, meaning HWH-Bunclody advance to face Kilanerin in the final.
Ferns St. Aidan's: Ivan Meegan (0-2, 1 free, 1 '45); Declan Byrne, Pádraig Bolger (capt.), Brian O'Neill; Jonathan Dwyer; James Tonks, Peter Nolan; Patrick Breen, Ciarán Roberts (1-0); Derek Thorpe, Tommy Dwyer, John Breen (0-2); Ryan Nolan (1-3, 1-0 pen., 0-2 frees), Colm Whelan, Christopher O'Connor (0-1). Subs. - Keith Breen for P. Nolan (39), Eoin Murphy for Whelan (42), Anthony Dwyer for O'Neill (51), Peter O'Toole for Murphy, inj. (60).
HWH-Bunclody: Patrick Kavanagh; Billy Kelly, Martin O'Connor, Adam Hogan; Peadair Cowman (0-2), John Atkinson (capt.), Colm Farrell (0-2); Seán Kenny (0-1), Aidan Nolan (0-2 frees); Edward Dunbar, Eoin Kelly, John Dunne; Josh Martin, Peter Atkinson (2-0), David Reck (0-3). Subs. - Mark Sheehan for Dunne (37), Keith O'Hara for Dunbar (60+1), Kevin Dunne for Reck (60+3).
Referee: Kevin Carty (Sarsfields).
Anyone who thought that Ferns had given up on this year's title race must think against as they turned in a sparkling display to shock highly-fancied Adamstown in this crucial Amber Springs and Ashdown Park Round 5 Group A Intermediate football championship game at St. Patrick's Park, Enniscorthy, on Friday evening last.
With Ian Byrne celebrating his 25th birthday and marking his final game before his return to Dubai yesterday (Monday), the Ferns players chose the occasion to turn in their best display of the championship campaign to date, with the two points edging them through to a quarter-final meeting with St. Mary's (Maudlintown), while for Adamstown they made a shock exit from the title race having gone into the game as short odds favourites particularly following their convincing victory over St. Fintan's in their fourth round game.
It didn't look that promising for Ferns going into this game, given their concentration on hurling, but they dominated this game right through, despite trailing 1-1 to 0-2, at the end of the opening quarter, the Adamstown goal coming through Sean Barden after Liam Stafford's initial effort had been blocked, a goal against the run of play as Ferns had most of the possession.
Ferns soon began to translate that possession into scores with a succession of points through Jonathan Dwyer, a Ryan Nolan, free, and John Breen, with Nolan finding the net after twenty one minutes with a delicate flick of the ball past advancing keeper Alan Bradley.
Five minutes before the break it was Nolan who picked out Chris O'Connor with a superb crossfield ball leaving the corner-forward to shoot across goal into the opposite corner of the net, a goal that helped his side to a 2-8 to 1-1 interval lead.
After Peter Nolan and Conor Hickey, free, had exchanged opening second half points, it was Ferns who retained the initiative adding points through O'Connor and Nolan, while two Conor Hickey frees and a Michael Furlong effort giving Adamstown brief hope.
But it was to be brief as Ferns responded with points from O'Connor, Nolan and James Breen, but just to sum up a dismal evening for Adamstown, Conor Hickey had his penalty brilliantly saved by keeper Ivan Meegan, leaving Ferns to run out the most comfortable of winners.
Ferns St. Aidan's: Ivan Meegan (0-1 free); Anthony Dwyer, Padraig Bolger, Brian O'Neill; Jonathan Dwyer, James Tonks, Peter Nolan (0-1); Patrick Breen (0-1), John Breen (0-2); Paul Morris (0-1), Tommy Dwyer, Derek Thorpe; Chris O'Connors (1-3), Ian Byrne (0-1), Ryan Nolan (1-5, 0-3 frees). Sub: Eoin Murphy for Peter Nolan.
Adamstown: Alan Bradley; Johnny Connors, P J Carroll, James Breen (0-1); Sean Barden (1-0), Michael Furlong (0-1), Lorcan French; Tony French, Barry Power; Liam Stafford, Eric Bradley, Shane White; Conor Hickey (0-4 frees), Paudie Barden, Ian White (0-1). Subs: Shane O'Gorman for Lorcan French; Harry Cosgrave (0-1 free) for Ian White; James Delaney for Power.
Referee: Justin Heffernan (Blackwater).
Sept. 1, quarter-final: Ferns St. Aidans 2-18, St. Mary’s (Maudlintown) 3-13 (aet)
Ferns St. Aidans had to call upon all of their mental strength to eventually get the better of St. Mary’s (Maudlintown) when they eked out an extra time victory by 2-18 to 3-13 in a titanic Amber Springs/Ashdown Park Hotels intermediate football championship quarter-final under the lights at Bellefield on Friday.
St. Mary’s came into the clash as the higher seeded team after an impressive Group B campaign, and they produced some champagne football on occasion in the first half.
Richie Kehoe and Martin O’Connor shared three neat points from play between them, while youngster Jamie Thomas was a real ball of energy up front, as he teed up Dermot Flood for a clinically-taken goal on nine minutes and was also a central figure in the score of the game on 18 minutes.
Play developed from the far wing as the ball was transferred with speed through the hands of numerous players, before Thomas crashed home with composure to herald a 2-2 to 0-5 advantage.
But Ferns crucially struck back in the last attack of the half when county footballer Ryan Nolan swooped in on the break off Tommy Dwyer to stylishly net as the gap was cut to 2-4 to 1-6 at the changeover.
St. Mary’s re-asserted control on 33 minutes when Graham Carty’s looped handpass found the isolated Donal O’Leary to make it 3-5 to 1-8.
However, when Tommy Dwyer’s under-hit shot dropped short and caused panic around the goalmouth, Derek Thorpe was on hand to poke home and turn the tables by 2-9 to 3-5.
Late submissions from Ross Lynch, Kehoe and Flood gave St. Mary’s the slimmest of advantages down the home straight, but the consistent Nolan forged extra time when he converted his fifth free of the night in injury time to make it 2-12 to 3-9.
And ultimately, Ferns’ superior fitness levels made the difference as Nolan accounted for three of their four points in the first additional period, and added another six minutes from time to seal a semi-final berth for the second year running, after the 2016 replay loss to Taghmon-Camross.
Ferns St. Aidans: Ivan Meegan (0-3 frees); Declan Byrne, Pádraig Bolger (capt.), Brian O’Neill; Jonathan Dwyer, James Tonks, Peter Nolan; Patrick Breen, John Breen (0-2); Paul Morris, Tommy Dwyer, Derek Thorpe (1-0); Christopher O’Connor, Eoin Murphy (0-1), Ryan Nolan (1-11, 0-7 frees). Subs: Colm Whelan for Morris (inj.); Anthony Dwyer for Byrne; Keith Breen (0-1) for O’Neill; Conor Scallan for Thorpe; Thorpe for P. Nolan.
St. Mary’s (Maudlintown): Paul Dempsey; Mark Doyle, Alan Lynch (capt.), Gary Murphy; Alex Lynch, Graham Carty, Ross Lynch (0-1); Robert Kenny (0-1), Dermot Flood (1-6, 0-3 frees); Eddie Pitman, Martin O’Connor (0-2), Jamie Thomas (1-0); Jason Swords, Richie Kehoe (0-2), Donal O’Leary (1-0). Subs: Gavin Cullen for Pitman; Pierce Dooley (0-1) for O’Leary (black card); Pitman for Alex Lynch.
Referee: Brendan Martin (Ballyhogue).
Sept. 8, semi-final: HWH/Bunclody 2-10, Ferns St. Aidans 2-8
Trailing by 1-5 to 0-1 as the game moved towards the 20-minute mark, HWH-Bunclody looked clearly second best in this Amber Springs/Ashdown Park Hotels Intermediate football championship semi-final in Bellefield on Saturday, but then things started to change.
There was no one thing that really stood out as being a game-changer, as Bunclody started to play better football and Ferns lost a little of the impetus they had when they dominated the early stages.
What scoring three of the last four points of the first-half did for Bunclody was that it gave them a vital confidence boost, it gave them something to play with.
Without that, maybe Peter Atkinson's 32nd-minute goal, that put the game right in the balance, wouldn't have happened.
And then they bossed things. There wasn't an area of the field they didn't own for 20 minutes as Ferns struggled to make any progress into the Bunclody '45, whereas the gaps slowly began to appear for their opponents and they took advantage.
Ryan Nolan opened the scoring for Ferns in the sixth minute, a point that was quickly followed by a similar John Breen effort. Ivan Meegan's kick-outs were often successful and he also drilled a free from 46 metres to make it 0-3 to nil.
David Reck responded at the other end but it only provided momentary respite. Christopher O'Connor's left foot kick was followed by a Meegan '45 that sailed over the crossbar to make it 0-5 to 0-1.
There was a little fortune about Ferns' 18th-minute goal. Jonathan Dwyer's point attempt dropped short and skidded up on Patrick Kavanagh, with the ball squirming out to Colm Whelan and he was dragged down. Nolan converted the penalty with relative ease.
The concession of a goal helped wake Bunclody up. Aidan Nolan knocked over a brace of dead-balls before the interval and Peadair Cowman also hit the target as their side pulled within five at the change of ends (1-6 to 0-4).
In the first 19 minutes of the second-half Bunclody scored 2-5 without reply. Atkinson poked home after a long ball in broke in his vicinity and, after Colm Farrell pointed, the full-forward calmly netted again after Eoin Kelly sent him clear on goal.
Now ahead by 2-5 to 1-6, Bunclody pushed on at the start of the final quarter with scores from Seán Kenny, Cowman and Reck (two) in quick succession.
Ryan Nolan pulled a point back and soon thought that his exquisite chip over Kavanagh had got his side right back into the game with seven minutes left.
However, linesman Brendan Holohan had long-since put his flag up as Christopher O'Connor's sideline that picked him out was clearly taken inside the perimeter of the field. The fact that it was the correct call didn't appease Ferns, who were apoplectic.
After Tommy Dwyer was dismissed, there was still five points in it and four added minutes.
Ciarán Roberts fired home from a melee to give his side hope at two points down but Ferns couldn't create another goal-scoring chance, meaning HWH-Bunclody advance to face Kilanerin in the final.
Ferns St. Aidan's: Ivan Meegan (0-2, 1 free, 1 '45); Declan Byrne, Pádraig Bolger (capt.), Brian O'Neill; Jonathan Dwyer; James Tonks, Peter Nolan; Patrick Breen, Ciarán Roberts (1-0); Derek Thorpe, Tommy Dwyer, John Breen (0-2); Ryan Nolan (1-3, 1-0 pen., 0-2 frees), Colm Whelan, Christopher O'Connor (0-1). Subs. - Keith Breen for P. Nolan (39), Eoin Murphy for Whelan (42), Anthony Dwyer for O'Neill (51), Peter O'Toole for Murphy, inj. (60).
HWH-Bunclody: Patrick Kavanagh; Billy Kelly, Martin O'Connor, Adam Hogan; Peadair Cowman (0-2), John Atkinson (capt.), Colm Farrell (0-2); Seán Kenny (0-1), Aidan Nolan (0-2 frees); Edward Dunbar, Eoin Kelly, John Dunne; Josh Martin, Peter Atkinson (2-0), David Reck (0-3). Subs. - Mark Sheehan for Dunne (37), Keith O'Hara for Dunbar (60+1), Kevin Dunne for Reck (60+3).
Referee: Kevin Carty (Sarsfields).
