Intermediate Football Championship 2018
April 7: Ferns St. Aidans 2-9, St. Fintan’s 0-7
Ferns St. Aidan's put down an early statement of intent as they bossed St. Fintan's in St. Patrick's Park on Saturday to opening their Amber Springs/Ashdown Park Hotels Intermediate football championship Group B campaign with an impressive victory.
Minus several moments of brilliance from Donal Shanley in the first-half, and a couple of well-taken Jamie Sinnott points, this was a game that the Gorey District side completely dominated, and they were full value for their eight-point win.
There was nothing flashy about the way Ferns ground out this victory. They worked hard defensively as a team, built with patience and quality, and had two nippy inside forwards in Christopher O'Connor and Ryan Nolan capable of exploiting the chances their willing running created.
This group could prove very difficult for St. Fintan's to navigate to the knockout stages. Apart from Shanley's looping runs, they lacked a little cutting edge in the final third, and with Ballyhogue, Adamstown, HWH-Bunclody and Duffry Rovers still to come, it's not going to get any easier.
Ferns did a lot of the damage, especially psychologically, against the breeze in the first-half. A pair from Shanley had St. Fintan's 0-3 to 0-1 up, but the critical score came in the 15th minute when Ryan Nolan grasped in a long ball and dispatched it past Patrick McDonnell to the net.
St. Fintan's chances came and went in the couple of minutes either side of half-time. Ivan Meegan made up for a misplaced kick-out by saving David Moore's shot just before the interval to see his side in 1-3 to 0-5 up.
The Ballymore side went even closer in the first minute after the break. Shanley latched onto a breaking ball and brought a fantastic save out of the Ferns goalkeeper, but it rebounded to Robert Coakley who flashed it soccer style off the crossbar, bouncing down near the goal-line and spinning away to safety.
Ferns rarely looked troubled thereafter. The game was in the bag when O'Connor made the most of a perfect John Breen pass and fired to the Fintan's net in the 42nd minute to make it 2-6 to 0-6.
They didn't score again until added-time when Nolan grabbed a double and Patrick Breen pointed, but the result was never in doubt.
Ferns St. Aidan's: Ivan Meegan (0-2 frees); Keith Breen, James Tonks, Declan Byrne; Niall Murphy, Pádraig Bolger, Peter Nolan; John Breen, Patrick Breen (0-1); Brendan Jordan, James Lawlor, Derek Thorpe; Christopher O'Connor (1-0), Paul Morris (0-2), Ryan Nolan (1-4). Subs. - Ciarán Roberts for P. Nolan (53), Chris Turner for J. Breen, black card (55).
St. Fintan's: Patrick McDonnell (joint capt.); Shane Sinnott, Jim Rossiter, Kevin Day; Jamie Sinnott (0-2), Frank Staples, Brian Lacey; Conor Sinnott (0-1), Jason Pettit; Eoin Cummins, Donal Shanley (0-4), Niall Moore (joint capt.); Robert Coakley, Cathal O'Brien, David Moore. Subs. - Peter Goldsmith for Lacey, inj. (15), Pádhraic Rossiter for C. Sinnott, temp. (16-18), Brendan Hughes for J. Sinnott (40), Eoin O'Callaghan for Cummins (40), Rossiter for D. Moore (45).
Referee: John O'Loughlin (Monageer-Boolavogue).
April 14: Ferns St. Aidans 1-14, Ballyhogue 2-11
It was impossible to pick a winner in this action-packed Amber Springs/Ashdown Park Hotels Intermediate Football Championship Group B game right from the start, as both Ferns St. Aidans and Ballyhogue couldn’t be separated when they met in St. Patrick’s Park on Saturday.
After an evenly-fought first half where both sides finished level at the break, the second period was full of drama, including penalties, an exhibition of point-taking from opposing marksmen Ryan Nolan and Noel Roche, and four scores in added time that left players and supporters alike beathless and hoarse.
It was very much tit for tat for the majority of proceedings as Nolan and Roche did most of the scoring for their respective sides, with the latter absolutely excellent from placed balls.
But midway through the second period, Nolan gave Ferns a four point lead when he expertly placed a penalty in the net.
It was a lead that was short-lived however, as minutes later Noel Roche buried a penalty for Ballyhogue in almost identical fashion, before they were given a huge boost as James Parle charged up the field to find the net and they suddenly found themselves ahead by six in the final quarter.
It looked like Ferns’ luck may have run out but they battled ferociously in the final ten minutes and, thanks to the accuracy of goalkeeper Ivan Meegan and dazzling corner forward Ryan Nolan, they accounted for the next seven scores, three of which came in added time, putting them ahead by one with 33 minutes played in the half.
It would have been a cruel finish for Ballyhogue as they had arguably, albeit very slightly, played the better football for most of the game.
But as it ended, the fairest result was indeed the draw, as Noel Roche calmly kicked a long-range free between the posts to earn his side third place in the group after one game, while Ferns take top spot, having played two.
Ferns St. Aidans: Ivan Meegan (0-3 frees); Keith Breen, James Tonks, Declan Byrne; Niall Murphy, Pádraig Bolger, Peter Nolan; John Breen, Patrick Breen; Benny Jordan (0-1), James Lawlor (0-1), Derek Thorpe; Christopher O’Connor (0-1), Paul Morris (0-2), Ryan Nolan (1-6, 1-0 pen, 0-1 free). Subs: Eoin Murphy for J. Breen, Ciarán Roberts for P. Nolan, Chris Turner for Jordan, Jonny Dwyer for Thorpe.
Ballyhogue: Myles Roche; Tomás Moriarty, Graham Parker, Colm Parnell; Tony Ryan, James Parle (1-0), Enda Minogue; Syl Byrne, Shane Byrne; Dylan Dalton, Shane Rochford, Shane Doyle (0-1); Dean Doyle (0-1), Eddie Galavan, Noel Roche (1-9, 0-8 frees, 1-0 pen). Subs: Conor Byrne for Rochford, Cian Wickham for Dalton, Shane Roche for D. Doyle.
Referee: Justin Heffernan (Blackwater).
July 29: Duffry Rovers 2-10, Ferns St. Aidans 1-8
Duffry Rovers recorded their first win and jumped above Ferns St. Aidans in Group B of the Amber Springs/Ashdown Park Hotels Intermediate Football Championship in Farmleigh on Sunday.
Although they were winless before the game, they were also unbeaten, having registered draws in their two opening games. This five-point victory now puts them in a very strong position with two group games left to play.
It was an impressive first half which laid the foundations for their win. After Ryan Nolan’s early Ferns point, they fired their way into control of the game with a goal in the fourth minute. Michael Bowler and Robert Frayne linked up before Niall Beggan finished to the roof of the net.
They dominated the remainder of the half, outscoring Ferns by seven points to two. Beggan and John Dunne both registered twice, while Gavin Watchorn, Stephen Watchorn and Cian Fitzhenry all pitched in with singles too.
The limited Ferns response came via points by Niall Murphy and Ciarán Roberts, as they trailed by 1-7 to 0-3 at the break.
The second half started just as the first had, with a Ferns point and a Duffry goal. Roberts kicked over his second before Beggan finished low with his left foot, leaving a gap between the sides that Ferns could not overturn.
However, they did try their best. Ivan Meegan added their fifth score but Roberts and Chris Turner blazed two good goal chances over the bar.
Meanwhile, Beggan and Gavin Watchorn had added points to the Rovers tally to keep themselves at arm’s length, as they spent the majority of the time defending in their own half.
By the time substitute Willie Bolger finally broke through and ruined the Duffry’s clean sheet, it was too little, too late.
His bouncing shot found its way past keeper Cathal Clince in the 57th minute to narrow the deficit to four points (2-9 to 1-8), before Gavin Watchorn got the game’s final score to wrap up a five-point Duffry win.
Ferns St. Aidans: Ivan Meegan (0-1 free); Brian O’Neill, Declan Byrne, Keith Breen; Niall Murphy (0-1), Pádraig Bolger, Peter Nolan (capt.); Patrick Breen, Ciarán Roberts (0-3); John Breen, James Lawlor, Derek Thorpe; Ryan Nolan (0-1), Jonny Dwyer, Christopher O’Connor. Subs: Ian Byrne for P. Nolan (31), Willie Bolger (1-1) for Lawlor (37), Chris Turner (0-1) for J. Breen (37), Jamie Whelan for Thorpe (53).
Duffry Rovers: Cathal Clince; Thomas Dunne, Conor Jordan, Liam Pender; Aidan Byrne (capt.), Feargal Kenny, John Dunne (0-2); Seamus Doyle, Gavin Watchorn (0-3); Glenn Rafter, Robert Frayne, Stephen Watchorn (0-1 free); Cian Fitzhenry (0-1), Michael Bowler, Niall Beggan (2-3, 0-1 free). Subs: Craig Casey for Kenny (31), John McCarthy for Doyle (49).
Referee: Brendan Holohan (Rathgarogue-Cushinstown).
August 11: Ferns St. Aidans 3-8, HWH/Bunclody 1-9
A goal of outstanding quality decided the outcome in raid-sodden Bellefield on Saturday as Ferns St. Aidans gained some measure of compensation for last year’s semi-final defeat to close rivals HWH/Bunclody in Group B of the Amber Springs/Ashdown Park Hotels Intermediate Football Championship.
The red and whites were clinging to a 2-8 to 1-9 lead in the last minute of normal time when top scorer Ryan Nolan applied a clinical finishing touch to a glorious move.
It was all about the angles of the running and the timing of the passing, with the initial surge made by captain Patrick Breen before he fed Ian Byrne at the perfect moment.
And the former county hurler, who exerted a notable calming influence every time he had the ball, delivered an inch-perfect pass over the head of a defender into the path of Nolan, who billowed the net with a pile-driving finish.
While that game-clinching strike from Nolan was memorable, his first goal of the evening was unusual, to say the least.
It arrived in the 39th minute, with Ferns already ahead by 1-7 to 1-6, when he was fouled and his subsequent shot appeared to have been saved.
That’s how it looked to referee James Owens, who blew for the free as it seemed no advantage had accrued, before John Breen bundled the rebound to the net.
However, animated Ferns appeals that Nolan’s shot had actually crossed the line prompted the man in black to consult with an umpire, and the green flag was duly raised to stretch the Ferns lead to four points.
They came under heavy pressure midway through the half, with points from Eoin Kelly (free), John Dunne and Kevin Dunne between the 41st and 47th minutes narrowing the deficit to a minimum.
It looked like HWH/Bunclody had timed their run to perfection and would add the scores needed for victory, but instead they didn’t register again as the Ferns defence excelled.
Pádraig Bolger, who made one spectacular catch, and Declan Byrne were responsible for numerous key interceptions, while young Niall Murphy was composed in everything he did.
Indeed, after more than eleven scoreless minutes as Ferns defended that one-point lead, he kicked a vital point from an Ian Byrne pass after substitute James Lawlor initially intercepted a HWH/Bunclody line ball with a fine catch under the pavilion.
There was no way back for the 2017 beaten finalists after that late Ryan Nolan goal as Ferns repeated their group stage win from last year. And it means that a win will be essential for the losers’ back fixture against Ballyhogue in St. Patrick’s Park on Sunday.
The scores had been plentiful early on, with eight points shared in the opening eleven minutes.
David Reck and Ferns goalkeeper Ivan Meegan (free) got their respective sides off the mark before the accurate Peter Atkinson and Colm Farrell put HWH/Bunclody 0-3 to 0-1 ahead, but Ryan Nolan registered three of the next four scores (two from frees).
Atkinson also added his second in that spell before Ferns had the first big goal chance in the 18th minute when Chris Turner rattled the crossbar from short range after a high ball in by Nolan.
They made no mistake three minutes later though, when Patrick Breen fed John Breen, who drilled a low shot across Patrick Kavanagh and into the far corner of the net (1-4 to 0-4).
Nolan put four between the sides, but Peter Atkinson and Cathal Doyle kept HWH/Bunclody breathing down their necks before Ian Byrne converted a beauty from distance.
The Carlow border side levelled (1-6 each) with a fine goal in the 29th minute, just after Ivan Meegan had kicked a 45 wide for Ferns.
Seán Kenny claimed a mark from the kickout and fed Colm Farrell, who carved out the opening for Kevin Dunne. His shot was saved by Meegan, but Keith O’Hara was on hand to finish the rebound to the net.
The lively Ryan Nolan restored the Ferns lead six minutes into the second half, and those two goals from the ex-Wexford senior and current League of Ireland footballer left his team on five points with one group game to come, against Adamstown.
Ferns St. Aidans: Ivan Meegan (0-1 free); Ciarán Roberts, Declan Byrne, Keith Breen; Jonny Dwyer, Pádraig Bolger, Niall Murphy (0-1); Patrick Breen (capt.), Ian Byrne (0-1); Derek Thorpe, Tommy Dwyer, Chris Turner; Ryan Nolan (2-5, 2 frees), Christopher O’Connor, John Breen (1-0). Subs: James Lawlor for T. Dwyer (inj., 43); Brian O’Neill for Roberts (inj., 48); Jamie Whelan for J. Breen (60).
HWH/Bunclody: Patrick Kavanagh; William Atkinson, Conor Crean, Billy Kelly; Peadair Cowman, John Atkinson (capt.), John Dunne (0-1); Colm Farrell (0-1), Seán Kenny; Cathal Doyle (0-1), Eoin Kelly (0-1 free), Keith O’Hara (1-0); Kevin Dunne (0-1), Peter Atkinson (0-3), David Reck (0-1). Subs: Eddie Dunbar for Reck (38); Josh Martin for O’Hara (46); Eddie Black for Doyle (46); Mark Sheehan for Dunbar (black card, 60+3).
Referee: James Owens (Kilrush)
Sept. 16: Adamstown 1-10, Ferns St. Aidans 1-7
Victory proved futile for Adamstown as the delayed conclusion to Group B of the Amber Springs/Ashdown Park Hotels Intermediate Football Championship saw the New Ross district side defeat already qualified Ferns St. Aidans in Sunday’s round five tie at Farmleigh.
With a far inferior score difference to everyone else around them in the group, Adamstown need a mathematical miracle to avoid dropping into the dreaded relegation decider.
And while they held on to their end of the bargain, wins elsewhere for Ballyhogue and HWH/Bunclody saw any hope of them sneaking through to the knockout stages evaporated.
While Michael Furlong and Shane O’Gorman got early nerve-settlers for the eventual victors, Fenrs found the net on eight minutes when Chris Turner and Jamie Whelan played in their full-forward line colleague Lee Quigley, and the newcomer finished neatly.
Tony French restored balance on ten minutes, and it looked like Adamstown’s chances were hampered when Furlong hobbled off with a back injury midway through the first half.
Ben Cowman, Patrick Breen and county under-20 star Ivan Meegan(free) added to Ferns’ tally, while Conor Hickey replied with a free for Adamstown to leave his side with a lot to ponder at the break as they trailed by 1-4 to 0-4.
However, the verdict oscillated back in their favour with 1-2 in the early exchanges of the new half, with Harry Cosgrave pouncing for a goal with a low finish despite being fouled in the process.
James Lawlor (free) pulled a point back for Ferns, but an exquisite effort from the outstanding Sean Barden kept Adamstown ahead.
Although Patrick Breen lofted over his second score of the game soon after, that was quickly cancelled out by Barden again as the score stood at 1-9 to 1-6 with time rapidly depleting.
Quigley tagged on the last Ferns point as the game entered injury time, before Hickey capped a fruitless win with his fourth point after his introduction from the bench.
Defeat here sees Ferns drop to third in the pecking order, although their more immediate concern will be their senior hurling tussle with champions St. Martin’s this weekend.
Ferns St. Aidans: Ivan Meegan (0-1 free); Brian O’Neill, Pádraig Bolger, Keith Breen; Jonny Dwyer, Peter Nolan, Niall Murphy; Patrick Breen (capt., 0-2), James Lawlor (0-2, 1 free); Derek Thorpe, Christopher O’Connor, Ben Cowman (0-1); Chris Turner, Jamie Whelan, Lee Quigley (1-1). Subs: Peter O’Toole for Cowman (51), James Tonks for Dwyer (59).
Adamstown: Paul Delaney; Lorcan French, PJ Carroll, Johnny Connors; Sean Barden (0-2), Brendan Furlong, Tomás Harrington; Michael Furlong (0-1), Shane O’Gorman (0-1); Jonathan Moore, Tony French (capt., 0-2), Liam Stafford; Peter Finn, Colm Boland, Harry Cosgrave (1-0). Subs: Conor Hickey (0-4, 2 frees) for M. Furlong (inj., 15), Colm Feeney for Finn (40).
Referee: Ian Plunkett (Marshalstown-Castledockrell).
Sept. 30, quarter-final: Crossabeg-Ballymurn 2-5, Ferns St. Aidans 0-9
Crossabeg-Ballymurn’s steady progress through the football ranks gathered some more momentum when they advanced to the last four of the Amber Springs/Ashdown Park Hotels Intermediate Championship with a 2-5 to 0-9 victory over a disjointed Ferns St. Aidans side in Sunday’s rather dour quarter-final in Bellefield.
With the Devereux brothers in particularly inspired mood, the reigning Intermediate ‘A’ champions scored all bar one of their total from play, in stark contrast to Ferns, who managed only three points from play over the hour.
In a largely stop-start game ruined by too much pulling and dragging off the ball, when the football did break out intermittently, it was Ferns who perhaps looked the more vibrant in the first half as they developed a 0-5 to 0-2 lead by the 23rd minute, with Ian Byrne, Ryan Nolan, John Breen (free) and goalkeeper Ivan Meegan (two frees) doing the needful.
But there was nothing Meegan could do to prevent Crossabeg-Ballymurn rattling the net for their first goal on 24 minutes.
Pádraig Foley claimed a mark and immediately fed to the graceful Paddy Devereux to scythe through the defence, and while his shot was blocked, the ball spilled to Mark O’Connor, who finished to the top corner with conviction.
Ian Byrne immediately responded with a point to edge Ferns back in front, but too often their play lacked any discernible pattern to really trouble Crossabeg-Ballymurn’s defence.
In fact, that Byrne score was their last from play, although Meegan’s third successful free of the half did have them in front by 0-7 to 1-2 at the break.
Seamus Carroll’s clever run produced a score for Cormac O’Rourke three minutes into the new half.
And when the latter’s shot at the posts three minutes later appeared to be dropping harmlessly short, Meegan fumbled the ball out to Andy Butler, who had anticipated the chance to palm to the net from close range (2-3 to 0-7).
Frees from John Breen and Meegan made extra time a distinct possibility, but Mark O’Connor’s free and a point under no pressure whatsoever from Ronan Devereux gave Crossabeg-Ballymurn a 2-5 to 0-9 lead to cling onto with full time approaching.
And Ferns made no tangible gains thereafter as Crossabeg-Ballymurn clinched a semi-final spot against HWH-Bunclody, but not before a mass free-for-all in injury time which yielded red cards for Martin Redmond and Derek Thorpe.
Ferns St. Aidans: Ivan Meegan (0-4 frees); Declan Byrne, James Tonks, Keith Breen; Niall Murphy, Pádraig Bolger, Jonny Dwyer; Patrick Breen, Ian Byrne (0-2); Tommy Dwyer, Christopher O’Connor, Derek Thorpe; Ryan Nolan (0-1), John Breen (0-2 frees), James Lawlor. Subs: Chris Turner for Nolan (34), Jamie Whelan for Lawlor (45), Ciarán Roberts for P. Breen, black card (49), Peter Nolan for Bolger (56).
Crossabeg-Ballymurn: Ben Turner; Martin Redmond, Oisín Foley, Conor Barlow; Seamus Carroll, Bill Eviston, Conor Devereux; Paddy Devereux (0-1), Ronan Devereux (0-1); Cathal Devereux, Pádraig Foley (0-1), Mark O’Connor (1-1, 0-1 free); Cormac O’Rourke (0-1), Robert Byrne, Andy Butler (1-0). Subs: Sam Kelly for Turner (inj., 10), Oran Maddock for Butler (44), Cian Lambert for O’Rourke, black card (46), Matty Sludds for Barlow (52), Davy Kehoe for Byrne (52).
Referee: Paddy Brady (Réalt na Mara).
Ferns St. Aidan's put down an early statement of intent as they bossed St. Fintan's in St. Patrick's Park on Saturday to opening their Amber Springs/Ashdown Park Hotels Intermediate football championship Group B campaign with an impressive victory.
Minus several moments of brilliance from Donal Shanley in the first-half, and a couple of well-taken Jamie Sinnott points, this was a game that the Gorey District side completely dominated, and they were full value for their eight-point win.
There was nothing flashy about the way Ferns ground out this victory. They worked hard defensively as a team, built with patience and quality, and had two nippy inside forwards in Christopher O'Connor and Ryan Nolan capable of exploiting the chances their willing running created.
This group could prove very difficult for St. Fintan's to navigate to the knockout stages. Apart from Shanley's looping runs, they lacked a little cutting edge in the final third, and with Ballyhogue, Adamstown, HWH-Bunclody and Duffry Rovers still to come, it's not going to get any easier.
Ferns did a lot of the damage, especially psychologically, against the breeze in the first-half. A pair from Shanley had St. Fintan's 0-3 to 0-1 up, but the critical score came in the 15th minute when Ryan Nolan grasped in a long ball and dispatched it past Patrick McDonnell to the net.
St. Fintan's chances came and went in the couple of minutes either side of half-time. Ivan Meegan made up for a misplaced kick-out by saving David Moore's shot just before the interval to see his side in 1-3 to 0-5 up.
The Ballymore side went even closer in the first minute after the break. Shanley latched onto a breaking ball and brought a fantastic save out of the Ferns goalkeeper, but it rebounded to Robert Coakley who flashed it soccer style off the crossbar, bouncing down near the goal-line and spinning away to safety.
Ferns rarely looked troubled thereafter. The game was in the bag when O'Connor made the most of a perfect John Breen pass and fired to the Fintan's net in the 42nd minute to make it 2-6 to 0-6.
They didn't score again until added-time when Nolan grabbed a double and Patrick Breen pointed, but the result was never in doubt.
Ferns St. Aidan's: Ivan Meegan (0-2 frees); Keith Breen, James Tonks, Declan Byrne; Niall Murphy, Pádraig Bolger, Peter Nolan; John Breen, Patrick Breen (0-1); Brendan Jordan, James Lawlor, Derek Thorpe; Christopher O'Connor (1-0), Paul Morris (0-2), Ryan Nolan (1-4). Subs. - Ciarán Roberts for P. Nolan (53), Chris Turner for J. Breen, black card (55).
St. Fintan's: Patrick McDonnell (joint capt.); Shane Sinnott, Jim Rossiter, Kevin Day; Jamie Sinnott (0-2), Frank Staples, Brian Lacey; Conor Sinnott (0-1), Jason Pettit; Eoin Cummins, Donal Shanley (0-4), Niall Moore (joint capt.); Robert Coakley, Cathal O'Brien, David Moore. Subs. - Peter Goldsmith for Lacey, inj. (15), Pádhraic Rossiter for C. Sinnott, temp. (16-18), Brendan Hughes for J. Sinnott (40), Eoin O'Callaghan for Cummins (40), Rossiter for D. Moore (45).
Referee: John O'Loughlin (Monageer-Boolavogue).
April 14: Ferns St. Aidans 1-14, Ballyhogue 2-11
It was impossible to pick a winner in this action-packed Amber Springs/Ashdown Park Hotels Intermediate Football Championship Group B game right from the start, as both Ferns St. Aidans and Ballyhogue couldn’t be separated when they met in St. Patrick’s Park on Saturday.
After an evenly-fought first half where both sides finished level at the break, the second period was full of drama, including penalties, an exhibition of point-taking from opposing marksmen Ryan Nolan and Noel Roche, and four scores in added time that left players and supporters alike beathless and hoarse.
It was very much tit for tat for the majority of proceedings as Nolan and Roche did most of the scoring for their respective sides, with the latter absolutely excellent from placed balls.
But midway through the second period, Nolan gave Ferns a four point lead when he expertly placed a penalty in the net.
It was a lead that was short-lived however, as minutes later Noel Roche buried a penalty for Ballyhogue in almost identical fashion, before they were given a huge boost as James Parle charged up the field to find the net and they suddenly found themselves ahead by six in the final quarter.
It looked like Ferns’ luck may have run out but they battled ferociously in the final ten minutes and, thanks to the accuracy of goalkeeper Ivan Meegan and dazzling corner forward Ryan Nolan, they accounted for the next seven scores, three of which came in added time, putting them ahead by one with 33 minutes played in the half.
It would have been a cruel finish for Ballyhogue as they had arguably, albeit very slightly, played the better football for most of the game.
But as it ended, the fairest result was indeed the draw, as Noel Roche calmly kicked a long-range free between the posts to earn his side third place in the group after one game, while Ferns take top spot, having played two.
Ferns St. Aidans: Ivan Meegan (0-3 frees); Keith Breen, James Tonks, Declan Byrne; Niall Murphy, Pádraig Bolger, Peter Nolan; John Breen, Patrick Breen; Benny Jordan (0-1), James Lawlor (0-1), Derek Thorpe; Christopher O’Connor (0-1), Paul Morris (0-2), Ryan Nolan (1-6, 1-0 pen, 0-1 free). Subs: Eoin Murphy for J. Breen, Ciarán Roberts for P. Nolan, Chris Turner for Jordan, Jonny Dwyer for Thorpe.
Ballyhogue: Myles Roche; Tomás Moriarty, Graham Parker, Colm Parnell; Tony Ryan, James Parle (1-0), Enda Minogue; Syl Byrne, Shane Byrne; Dylan Dalton, Shane Rochford, Shane Doyle (0-1); Dean Doyle (0-1), Eddie Galavan, Noel Roche (1-9, 0-8 frees, 1-0 pen). Subs: Conor Byrne for Rochford, Cian Wickham for Dalton, Shane Roche for D. Doyle.
Referee: Justin Heffernan (Blackwater).
July 29: Duffry Rovers 2-10, Ferns St. Aidans 1-8
Duffry Rovers recorded their first win and jumped above Ferns St. Aidans in Group B of the Amber Springs/Ashdown Park Hotels Intermediate Football Championship in Farmleigh on Sunday.
Although they were winless before the game, they were also unbeaten, having registered draws in their two opening games. This five-point victory now puts them in a very strong position with two group games left to play.
It was an impressive first half which laid the foundations for their win. After Ryan Nolan’s early Ferns point, they fired their way into control of the game with a goal in the fourth minute. Michael Bowler and Robert Frayne linked up before Niall Beggan finished to the roof of the net.
They dominated the remainder of the half, outscoring Ferns by seven points to two. Beggan and John Dunne both registered twice, while Gavin Watchorn, Stephen Watchorn and Cian Fitzhenry all pitched in with singles too.
The limited Ferns response came via points by Niall Murphy and Ciarán Roberts, as they trailed by 1-7 to 0-3 at the break.
The second half started just as the first had, with a Ferns point and a Duffry goal. Roberts kicked over his second before Beggan finished low with his left foot, leaving a gap between the sides that Ferns could not overturn.
However, they did try their best. Ivan Meegan added their fifth score but Roberts and Chris Turner blazed two good goal chances over the bar.
Meanwhile, Beggan and Gavin Watchorn had added points to the Rovers tally to keep themselves at arm’s length, as they spent the majority of the time defending in their own half.
By the time substitute Willie Bolger finally broke through and ruined the Duffry’s clean sheet, it was too little, too late.
His bouncing shot found its way past keeper Cathal Clince in the 57th minute to narrow the deficit to four points (2-9 to 1-8), before Gavin Watchorn got the game’s final score to wrap up a five-point Duffry win.
Ferns St. Aidans: Ivan Meegan (0-1 free); Brian O’Neill, Declan Byrne, Keith Breen; Niall Murphy (0-1), Pádraig Bolger, Peter Nolan (capt.); Patrick Breen, Ciarán Roberts (0-3); John Breen, James Lawlor, Derek Thorpe; Ryan Nolan (0-1), Jonny Dwyer, Christopher O’Connor. Subs: Ian Byrne for P. Nolan (31), Willie Bolger (1-1) for Lawlor (37), Chris Turner (0-1) for J. Breen (37), Jamie Whelan for Thorpe (53).
Duffry Rovers: Cathal Clince; Thomas Dunne, Conor Jordan, Liam Pender; Aidan Byrne (capt.), Feargal Kenny, John Dunne (0-2); Seamus Doyle, Gavin Watchorn (0-3); Glenn Rafter, Robert Frayne, Stephen Watchorn (0-1 free); Cian Fitzhenry (0-1), Michael Bowler, Niall Beggan (2-3, 0-1 free). Subs: Craig Casey for Kenny (31), John McCarthy for Doyle (49).
Referee: Brendan Holohan (Rathgarogue-Cushinstown).
August 11: Ferns St. Aidans 3-8, HWH/Bunclody 1-9
A goal of outstanding quality decided the outcome in raid-sodden Bellefield on Saturday as Ferns St. Aidans gained some measure of compensation for last year’s semi-final defeat to close rivals HWH/Bunclody in Group B of the Amber Springs/Ashdown Park Hotels Intermediate Football Championship.
The red and whites were clinging to a 2-8 to 1-9 lead in the last minute of normal time when top scorer Ryan Nolan applied a clinical finishing touch to a glorious move.
It was all about the angles of the running and the timing of the passing, with the initial surge made by captain Patrick Breen before he fed Ian Byrne at the perfect moment.
And the former county hurler, who exerted a notable calming influence every time he had the ball, delivered an inch-perfect pass over the head of a defender into the path of Nolan, who billowed the net with a pile-driving finish.
While that game-clinching strike from Nolan was memorable, his first goal of the evening was unusual, to say the least.
It arrived in the 39th minute, with Ferns already ahead by 1-7 to 1-6, when he was fouled and his subsequent shot appeared to have been saved.
That’s how it looked to referee James Owens, who blew for the free as it seemed no advantage had accrued, before John Breen bundled the rebound to the net.
However, animated Ferns appeals that Nolan’s shot had actually crossed the line prompted the man in black to consult with an umpire, and the green flag was duly raised to stretch the Ferns lead to four points.
They came under heavy pressure midway through the half, with points from Eoin Kelly (free), John Dunne and Kevin Dunne between the 41st and 47th minutes narrowing the deficit to a minimum.
It looked like HWH/Bunclody had timed their run to perfection and would add the scores needed for victory, but instead they didn’t register again as the Ferns defence excelled.
Pádraig Bolger, who made one spectacular catch, and Declan Byrne were responsible for numerous key interceptions, while young Niall Murphy was composed in everything he did.
Indeed, after more than eleven scoreless minutes as Ferns defended that one-point lead, he kicked a vital point from an Ian Byrne pass after substitute James Lawlor initially intercepted a HWH/Bunclody line ball with a fine catch under the pavilion.
There was no way back for the 2017 beaten finalists after that late Ryan Nolan goal as Ferns repeated their group stage win from last year. And it means that a win will be essential for the losers’ back fixture against Ballyhogue in St. Patrick’s Park on Sunday.
The scores had been plentiful early on, with eight points shared in the opening eleven minutes.
David Reck and Ferns goalkeeper Ivan Meegan (free) got their respective sides off the mark before the accurate Peter Atkinson and Colm Farrell put HWH/Bunclody 0-3 to 0-1 ahead, but Ryan Nolan registered three of the next four scores (two from frees).
Atkinson also added his second in that spell before Ferns had the first big goal chance in the 18th minute when Chris Turner rattled the crossbar from short range after a high ball in by Nolan.
They made no mistake three minutes later though, when Patrick Breen fed John Breen, who drilled a low shot across Patrick Kavanagh and into the far corner of the net (1-4 to 0-4).
Nolan put four between the sides, but Peter Atkinson and Cathal Doyle kept HWH/Bunclody breathing down their necks before Ian Byrne converted a beauty from distance.
The Carlow border side levelled (1-6 each) with a fine goal in the 29th minute, just after Ivan Meegan had kicked a 45 wide for Ferns.
Seán Kenny claimed a mark from the kickout and fed Colm Farrell, who carved out the opening for Kevin Dunne. His shot was saved by Meegan, but Keith O’Hara was on hand to finish the rebound to the net.
The lively Ryan Nolan restored the Ferns lead six minutes into the second half, and those two goals from the ex-Wexford senior and current League of Ireland footballer left his team on five points with one group game to come, against Adamstown.
Ferns St. Aidans: Ivan Meegan (0-1 free); Ciarán Roberts, Declan Byrne, Keith Breen; Jonny Dwyer, Pádraig Bolger, Niall Murphy (0-1); Patrick Breen (capt.), Ian Byrne (0-1); Derek Thorpe, Tommy Dwyer, Chris Turner; Ryan Nolan (2-5, 2 frees), Christopher O’Connor, John Breen (1-0). Subs: James Lawlor for T. Dwyer (inj., 43); Brian O’Neill for Roberts (inj., 48); Jamie Whelan for J. Breen (60).
HWH/Bunclody: Patrick Kavanagh; William Atkinson, Conor Crean, Billy Kelly; Peadair Cowman, John Atkinson (capt.), John Dunne (0-1); Colm Farrell (0-1), Seán Kenny; Cathal Doyle (0-1), Eoin Kelly (0-1 free), Keith O’Hara (1-0); Kevin Dunne (0-1), Peter Atkinson (0-3), David Reck (0-1). Subs: Eddie Dunbar for Reck (38); Josh Martin for O’Hara (46); Eddie Black for Doyle (46); Mark Sheehan for Dunbar (black card, 60+3).
Referee: James Owens (Kilrush)
Sept. 16: Adamstown 1-10, Ferns St. Aidans 1-7
Victory proved futile for Adamstown as the delayed conclusion to Group B of the Amber Springs/Ashdown Park Hotels Intermediate Football Championship saw the New Ross district side defeat already qualified Ferns St. Aidans in Sunday’s round five tie at Farmleigh.
With a far inferior score difference to everyone else around them in the group, Adamstown need a mathematical miracle to avoid dropping into the dreaded relegation decider.
And while they held on to their end of the bargain, wins elsewhere for Ballyhogue and HWH/Bunclody saw any hope of them sneaking through to the knockout stages evaporated.
While Michael Furlong and Shane O’Gorman got early nerve-settlers for the eventual victors, Fenrs found the net on eight minutes when Chris Turner and Jamie Whelan played in their full-forward line colleague Lee Quigley, and the newcomer finished neatly.
Tony French restored balance on ten minutes, and it looked like Adamstown’s chances were hampered when Furlong hobbled off with a back injury midway through the first half.
Ben Cowman, Patrick Breen and county under-20 star Ivan Meegan(free) added to Ferns’ tally, while Conor Hickey replied with a free for Adamstown to leave his side with a lot to ponder at the break as they trailed by 1-4 to 0-4.
However, the verdict oscillated back in their favour with 1-2 in the early exchanges of the new half, with Harry Cosgrave pouncing for a goal with a low finish despite being fouled in the process.
James Lawlor (free) pulled a point back for Ferns, but an exquisite effort from the outstanding Sean Barden kept Adamstown ahead.
Although Patrick Breen lofted over his second score of the game soon after, that was quickly cancelled out by Barden again as the score stood at 1-9 to 1-6 with time rapidly depleting.
Quigley tagged on the last Ferns point as the game entered injury time, before Hickey capped a fruitless win with his fourth point after his introduction from the bench.
Defeat here sees Ferns drop to third in the pecking order, although their more immediate concern will be their senior hurling tussle with champions St. Martin’s this weekend.
Ferns St. Aidans: Ivan Meegan (0-1 free); Brian O’Neill, Pádraig Bolger, Keith Breen; Jonny Dwyer, Peter Nolan, Niall Murphy; Patrick Breen (capt., 0-2), James Lawlor (0-2, 1 free); Derek Thorpe, Christopher O’Connor, Ben Cowman (0-1); Chris Turner, Jamie Whelan, Lee Quigley (1-1). Subs: Peter O’Toole for Cowman (51), James Tonks for Dwyer (59).
Adamstown: Paul Delaney; Lorcan French, PJ Carroll, Johnny Connors; Sean Barden (0-2), Brendan Furlong, Tomás Harrington; Michael Furlong (0-1), Shane O’Gorman (0-1); Jonathan Moore, Tony French (capt., 0-2), Liam Stafford; Peter Finn, Colm Boland, Harry Cosgrave (1-0). Subs: Conor Hickey (0-4, 2 frees) for M. Furlong (inj., 15), Colm Feeney for Finn (40).
Referee: Ian Plunkett (Marshalstown-Castledockrell).
Sept. 30, quarter-final: Crossabeg-Ballymurn 2-5, Ferns St. Aidans 0-9
Crossabeg-Ballymurn’s steady progress through the football ranks gathered some more momentum when they advanced to the last four of the Amber Springs/Ashdown Park Hotels Intermediate Championship with a 2-5 to 0-9 victory over a disjointed Ferns St. Aidans side in Sunday’s rather dour quarter-final in Bellefield.
With the Devereux brothers in particularly inspired mood, the reigning Intermediate ‘A’ champions scored all bar one of their total from play, in stark contrast to Ferns, who managed only three points from play over the hour.
In a largely stop-start game ruined by too much pulling and dragging off the ball, when the football did break out intermittently, it was Ferns who perhaps looked the more vibrant in the first half as they developed a 0-5 to 0-2 lead by the 23rd minute, with Ian Byrne, Ryan Nolan, John Breen (free) and goalkeeper Ivan Meegan (two frees) doing the needful.
But there was nothing Meegan could do to prevent Crossabeg-Ballymurn rattling the net for their first goal on 24 minutes.
Pádraig Foley claimed a mark and immediately fed to the graceful Paddy Devereux to scythe through the defence, and while his shot was blocked, the ball spilled to Mark O’Connor, who finished to the top corner with conviction.
Ian Byrne immediately responded with a point to edge Ferns back in front, but too often their play lacked any discernible pattern to really trouble Crossabeg-Ballymurn’s defence.
In fact, that Byrne score was their last from play, although Meegan’s third successful free of the half did have them in front by 0-7 to 1-2 at the break.
Seamus Carroll’s clever run produced a score for Cormac O’Rourke three minutes into the new half.
And when the latter’s shot at the posts three minutes later appeared to be dropping harmlessly short, Meegan fumbled the ball out to Andy Butler, who had anticipated the chance to palm to the net from close range (2-3 to 0-7).
Frees from John Breen and Meegan made extra time a distinct possibility, but Mark O’Connor’s free and a point under no pressure whatsoever from Ronan Devereux gave Crossabeg-Ballymurn a 2-5 to 0-9 lead to cling onto with full time approaching.
And Ferns made no tangible gains thereafter as Crossabeg-Ballymurn clinched a semi-final spot against HWH-Bunclody, but not before a mass free-for-all in injury time which yielded red cards for Martin Redmond and Derek Thorpe.
Ferns St. Aidans: Ivan Meegan (0-4 frees); Declan Byrne, James Tonks, Keith Breen; Niall Murphy, Pádraig Bolger, Jonny Dwyer; Patrick Breen, Ian Byrne (0-2); Tommy Dwyer, Christopher O’Connor, Derek Thorpe; Ryan Nolan (0-1), John Breen (0-2 frees), James Lawlor. Subs: Chris Turner for Nolan (34), Jamie Whelan for Lawlor (45), Ciarán Roberts for P. Breen, black card (49), Peter Nolan for Bolger (56).
Crossabeg-Ballymurn: Ben Turner; Martin Redmond, Oisín Foley, Conor Barlow; Seamus Carroll, Bill Eviston, Conor Devereux; Paddy Devereux (0-1), Ronan Devereux (0-1); Cathal Devereux, Pádraig Foley (0-1), Mark O’Connor (1-1, 0-1 free); Cormac O’Rourke (0-1), Robert Byrne, Andy Butler (1-0). Subs: Sam Kelly for Turner (inj., 10), Oran Maddock for Butler (44), Cian Lambert for O’Rourke, black card (46), Matty Sludds for Barlow (52), Davy Kehoe for Byrne (52).
Referee: Paddy Brady (Réalt na Mara).
