U20 Hurling Championship 2021
August 18, Div. 2 semi-final: Ferns St. Aidans 0-19, Oulart/The Ballagh 1-11
Five unanswered points in the closing seven minutes inspired Ferns St. Aidan’s to a deserved victory over a battling Oulart-The Ballagh side in this hugely entertaining Greenstar Under-20 hurling Division 2 championship semi-final in Oulart on Wednesday.
The scoring exploits of centre-forward Corey Byrne-Dunbar contributed so much to this victory as he finished the game with a personal tally of 0-10. His excellent striking both from play and frees proved the real difference between the sides.
Corner-forward Lorcan Nimmo hauled the hosts back into the game after a very slow start. While they trailed by 0-5 to nil after twelve minutes, they showed plenty of dash thereafter which helped them to go in level at the interval.
Oulart-The Ballagh looked to have got themselves into a strong position when Jim Finn goaled within one minute of the restart, but Ferns rallied with Byrne-Dunbar being particularly prominent in a final quarter that saw them produce some excellent hurling.
Ferns took the lead within one minute of the start through a Byron Jordan point, while they went on to add further points through James Kinsella, Byrne-Dunbar (free and ’65), along with Pádraig Kinsella to lead by 0-5 to nil.
Oulart-The Ballagh worked their way back into the game mainly through Nimmo’s pointed frees and the sides went in level (0-8 each) at the interval.
The home team showed real dash on the resumption and, in a lightning attack inside the opening minute, Jim Finn found himself in space to fire a great ball across ’keeper Eoin Murphy into the opposite corner of the net, giving his side a three-point lead.
Undaunted by this setback, Ferns responded with three unanswered points through Rory Scallan and Byrne-Dunbar (two, one free) to draw level after 37 minutes (0-11 to 1-8).
The sides continued to trade points with Nimmo converting two frees, while scores from Liam Byrne and Byrne-Dunbar had the sides still deadlocked (0-13 to 1-10) at the second water break.
A Nimmo free pointed the home side back in front, but as it transpired this was their final score of the game as the superior fitness and hurling skills of Ferns began to dictate.
Once a George Warren point had Ferns back level, they went on to add further points through Byrne-Dunbar (three, one free), Pádraig Kinsella, Rory Scallan and James Kinsella to clinch victory.
Ferns were reduced to 14 players in additional time when corner-back Barry Murphy was sidelined on a second yellow card.
The final against Buffers Alley will be played in Bellefield this Wednesday.
Ferns St. Aidan’s: Eoin Murphy; Patrick O’Toole, Conor O’Toole, Barry Murphy; Barry O’Toole, Brian Stafford, Liam Byrne (0-1); Rory Scallan (0-2), Byron Jordan (0-1); Seb Rynhart, Corey Byrne-Dunbar (0-10, 6 frees, 1 ’65), Pádraig Kinsella (0-2, 1 line ball); James Kinsella (0-2), Kieran Murphy, George Warren (0-1). Sub. - Bob Byrne for K. Murphy.
Oulart-The Ballagh: Lee O’Connor; Oisín Dunne, Billy Dunne, Daire Swords; Ewan Kennedy, Darragh Hayes, Aaron Byrne; Darren Kelly (0-1), Aaron Doyle; Edward O’Dowd, Jim Finn (1-2), Ger Kennedy; Bertie Finn (0-1), John Roche, Lorcan Nimmo (0-7, 6 frees). Subs. - Seamus Ormonde for O. Dunne, Stephen Davitt for O’Dowd.
Referee: Niall McDonald (Crossabeg-Ballymurn).
August 25, Div. 2 Final: Buffers Alley 1-18, Ferns St. Aidans 2-10
THE 54th-MINUTE dismissal of joint captain Rory Scallan was sorely felt by Ferns St. Aidan’s as Buffers Alley bridged a ten-year gap to county Under-20 hurling championship title glory with Wednesday’s outright Greenstar Division 2 triumph at sun-kissed Bellefield.
Ferns were just two points down (1-14 to 2-9) and right in contention when Scallan crossed paths with Jack Twomey on the left sideline just as play developed towards midfield. With Twomey prone on the ground, referee Barry Redmond stopped play, and after consulting with linesman Martin Quigley he reached for the red card.
Ferns appeared in disarray thereafter while Buffers Alley grabbed four of the remaining five points to bridge the lengthy gap to their Under-21 Roinn 1 success of 2011, when the green and golds were captained by current selector Darren O’Brien, who shares the modern-day brains trust with Shane Grannell (manager), John O’Sullivan and Mick Farrell.
Ferns manager Ben Cowman and selector Brian O’Neill were themselves playing members when they last celebrated county honours at this level – the 2013 Under-21 Roinn 1 crown – with Lee Quigley and present-day Senior ‘keeper James Lawlor completing the selection team.
Expectations for a fascinating duel drew a sizeable attendance, and they weren’t disappointed as Buffers Alley burst 0-3 to nil clear after seven minutes through Jack Redmond and free-taker Cormac Walsh (two), before Ferns turned the tables by 1-3 to 0-3 after 15 minutes.
Fresh from his Senior heroics against St. Martin’s, Corey Byrne-Dunbar, whose magical touch was a delight, pegged back a point before wing-back Kieran Murphy burst up the left flank and, in keeping with the Brazilian-like weather, produced some samba-style hurling as his cross was tipped to the town-end net by Pádraig Kinsella at the far post. Kinsella and Brian Stafford (free) completed the transformation.
The intoxicating exchanges saw Buffers Alley immediately snap back to tie on 1-3 apiece as Cormac Walsh stormed through from the right to feed Michael Butler who flicked to the net with his right hand.
Wides were again hindering Buffers Alley during the first-half – when notching ten of their twelve for the hour – but they edged clear by 1-6 to 1-5 thanks to Eoin O’Meara and Oisín Fortune, before Shamey O’Hagan had a 27th-minute penalty saved after Michael Butler was impeded.
Moments later Ferns claimed their second goal to reassert by 2-5 to 1-6 after 28 minutes. Pádraig Kinsella was initially disposed out on the right, but he determinedly regained possession and fed Barry O’Toole, whose cross was netted at the back post by George Warren.
Buffers Alley responded to level with a brace of Michael Butler scores before Shamey O’Hagan edged them back in front at the break (1-9 to 2-5), with O’Hagan seeing a sideline cut scrambled off the goal-line by Rory Scallan in the dying seconds.
The sides tied three more times inside the first nine minutes of the second-half before Shamey O’Hagan and Michael Butler pointed the winners back in front (1-13 to 2-8).
A further exchange of points following the last water break kept everyone engrossed.
But then came that clash between Scallan and Twomey, and with Ferns opting to focus the threat of Corey Byrne-Dunbar at full-forward, they struggled to make meaningful headway while Butler (two frees and one from play) and O’Hagan eased the 15 men on to add to their 2018 Wexford People Minor hurling Roinn 2 title success against the same opposition – with Buffers Alley utilising twelve and Ferns 13 survivors from that clash.
Ferns St. Aidan’s: Evan Murphy; Barry O’Toole, Conor O’Toole, Barry Murphy; Byron Jordan, Brian Stafford (joint capt., 0-1 free), Kieran Murphy; Rory Scallan (joint capt.), Seb Rynhart; Liam Byrne, Corey Byrne-Dunbar (0-8, 5 frees), James Kinsella; Pádraig Kinsella (1-1), Bob Byrne, George Warren (1-0). Subs. - Craig Dreelan for B. Byrne (40), Jack Byrne for Warren (60+3), Adam Quinn for J. Kinsella (60+3), also Ryan McDonald, Josh Kinsella, Shane Breen, Patrick O’Toole.
Buffers Alley: Cian O’Connor; Oisín Tyrell, David Meleady, Adam Doyle; Edward Harney, Jack Twomey, Eoin O’Meara (0-1); Liam Walsh (capt.), Owen McNulty; Michael Butler (1-7, 0-3 frees), Oisín Fortune (0-1), Shamey O’Hagan (0-4); Cormac Walsh (0-3, 2 frees), Jack Redmond (0-1), Tomás Whelan (0-1). Subs. - Pádraig Kinsella for Redmond (55), Seán Kirwan for Tyrrell (60+4), Myles O’Connor for Doyle (60+5), James Reilly for Whelan (60+5), also Adam Back, David Hearne, Ciarán Hearne, Tristan Whelan, Jack Hearne, Stephen Furlong, Jack Whelan, Oisín O’Hagan, Darragh Prendergast, Martin Keane, John Burke, Ben Murphy, Adam Byrne, Kevin O’Connor.
Referee: Barry Redmond (Na Fianna Clonard).
Five unanswered points in the closing seven minutes inspired Ferns St. Aidan’s to a deserved victory over a battling Oulart-The Ballagh side in this hugely entertaining Greenstar Under-20 hurling Division 2 championship semi-final in Oulart on Wednesday.
The scoring exploits of centre-forward Corey Byrne-Dunbar contributed so much to this victory as he finished the game with a personal tally of 0-10. His excellent striking both from play and frees proved the real difference between the sides.
Corner-forward Lorcan Nimmo hauled the hosts back into the game after a very slow start. While they trailed by 0-5 to nil after twelve minutes, they showed plenty of dash thereafter which helped them to go in level at the interval.
Oulart-The Ballagh looked to have got themselves into a strong position when Jim Finn goaled within one minute of the restart, but Ferns rallied with Byrne-Dunbar being particularly prominent in a final quarter that saw them produce some excellent hurling.
Ferns took the lead within one minute of the start through a Byron Jordan point, while they went on to add further points through James Kinsella, Byrne-Dunbar (free and ’65), along with Pádraig Kinsella to lead by 0-5 to nil.
Oulart-The Ballagh worked their way back into the game mainly through Nimmo’s pointed frees and the sides went in level (0-8 each) at the interval.
The home team showed real dash on the resumption and, in a lightning attack inside the opening minute, Jim Finn found himself in space to fire a great ball across ’keeper Eoin Murphy into the opposite corner of the net, giving his side a three-point lead.
Undaunted by this setback, Ferns responded with three unanswered points through Rory Scallan and Byrne-Dunbar (two, one free) to draw level after 37 minutes (0-11 to 1-8).
The sides continued to trade points with Nimmo converting two frees, while scores from Liam Byrne and Byrne-Dunbar had the sides still deadlocked (0-13 to 1-10) at the second water break.
A Nimmo free pointed the home side back in front, but as it transpired this was their final score of the game as the superior fitness and hurling skills of Ferns began to dictate.
Once a George Warren point had Ferns back level, they went on to add further points through Byrne-Dunbar (three, one free), Pádraig Kinsella, Rory Scallan and James Kinsella to clinch victory.
Ferns were reduced to 14 players in additional time when corner-back Barry Murphy was sidelined on a second yellow card.
The final against Buffers Alley will be played in Bellefield this Wednesday.
Ferns St. Aidan’s: Eoin Murphy; Patrick O’Toole, Conor O’Toole, Barry Murphy; Barry O’Toole, Brian Stafford, Liam Byrne (0-1); Rory Scallan (0-2), Byron Jordan (0-1); Seb Rynhart, Corey Byrne-Dunbar (0-10, 6 frees, 1 ’65), Pádraig Kinsella (0-2, 1 line ball); James Kinsella (0-2), Kieran Murphy, George Warren (0-1). Sub. - Bob Byrne for K. Murphy.
Oulart-The Ballagh: Lee O’Connor; Oisín Dunne, Billy Dunne, Daire Swords; Ewan Kennedy, Darragh Hayes, Aaron Byrne; Darren Kelly (0-1), Aaron Doyle; Edward O’Dowd, Jim Finn (1-2), Ger Kennedy; Bertie Finn (0-1), John Roche, Lorcan Nimmo (0-7, 6 frees). Subs. - Seamus Ormonde for O. Dunne, Stephen Davitt for O’Dowd.
Referee: Niall McDonald (Crossabeg-Ballymurn).
August 25, Div. 2 Final: Buffers Alley 1-18, Ferns St. Aidans 2-10
THE 54th-MINUTE dismissal of joint captain Rory Scallan was sorely felt by Ferns St. Aidan’s as Buffers Alley bridged a ten-year gap to county Under-20 hurling championship title glory with Wednesday’s outright Greenstar Division 2 triumph at sun-kissed Bellefield.
Ferns were just two points down (1-14 to 2-9) and right in contention when Scallan crossed paths with Jack Twomey on the left sideline just as play developed towards midfield. With Twomey prone on the ground, referee Barry Redmond stopped play, and after consulting with linesman Martin Quigley he reached for the red card.
Ferns appeared in disarray thereafter while Buffers Alley grabbed four of the remaining five points to bridge the lengthy gap to their Under-21 Roinn 1 success of 2011, when the green and golds were captained by current selector Darren O’Brien, who shares the modern-day brains trust with Shane Grannell (manager), John O’Sullivan and Mick Farrell.
Ferns manager Ben Cowman and selector Brian O’Neill were themselves playing members when they last celebrated county honours at this level – the 2013 Under-21 Roinn 1 crown – with Lee Quigley and present-day Senior ‘keeper James Lawlor completing the selection team.
Expectations for a fascinating duel drew a sizeable attendance, and they weren’t disappointed as Buffers Alley burst 0-3 to nil clear after seven minutes through Jack Redmond and free-taker Cormac Walsh (two), before Ferns turned the tables by 1-3 to 0-3 after 15 minutes.
Fresh from his Senior heroics against St. Martin’s, Corey Byrne-Dunbar, whose magical touch was a delight, pegged back a point before wing-back Kieran Murphy burst up the left flank and, in keeping with the Brazilian-like weather, produced some samba-style hurling as his cross was tipped to the town-end net by Pádraig Kinsella at the far post. Kinsella and Brian Stafford (free) completed the transformation.
The intoxicating exchanges saw Buffers Alley immediately snap back to tie on 1-3 apiece as Cormac Walsh stormed through from the right to feed Michael Butler who flicked to the net with his right hand.
Wides were again hindering Buffers Alley during the first-half – when notching ten of their twelve for the hour – but they edged clear by 1-6 to 1-5 thanks to Eoin O’Meara and Oisín Fortune, before Shamey O’Hagan had a 27th-minute penalty saved after Michael Butler was impeded.
Moments later Ferns claimed their second goal to reassert by 2-5 to 1-6 after 28 minutes. Pádraig Kinsella was initially disposed out on the right, but he determinedly regained possession and fed Barry O’Toole, whose cross was netted at the back post by George Warren.
Buffers Alley responded to level with a brace of Michael Butler scores before Shamey O’Hagan edged them back in front at the break (1-9 to 2-5), with O’Hagan seeing a sideline cut scrambled off the goal-line by Rory Scallan in the dying seconds.
The sides tied three more times inside the first nine minutes of the second-half before Shamey O’Hagan and Michael Butler pointed the winners back in front (1-13 to 2-8).
A further exchange of points following the last water break kept everyone engrossed.
But then came that clash between Scallan and Twomey, and with Ferns opting to focus the threat of Corey Byrne-Dunbar at full-forward, they struggled to make meaningful headway while Butler (two frees and one from play) and O’Hagan eased the 15 men on to add to their 2018 Wexford People Minor hurling Roinn 2 title success against the same opposition – with Buffers Alley utilising twelve and Ferns 13 survivors from that clash.
Ferns St. Aidan’s: Evan Murphy; Barry O’Toole, Conor O’Toole, Barry Murphy; Byron Jordan, Brian Stafford (joint capt., 0-1 free), Kieran Murphy; Rory Scallan (joint capt.), Seb Rynhart; Liam Byrne, Corey Byrne-Dunbar (0-8, 5 frees), James Kinsella; Pádraig Kinsella (1-1), Bob Byrne, George Warren (1-0). Subs. - Craig Dreelan for B. Byrne (40), Jack Byrne for Warren (60+3), Adam Quinn for J. Kinsella (60+3), also Ryan McDonald, Josh Kinsella, Shane Breen, Patrick O’Toole.
Buffers Alley: Cian O’Connor; Oisín Tyrell, David Meleady, Adam Doyle; Edward Harney, Jack Twomey, Eoin O’Meara (0-1); Liam Walsh (capt.), Owen McNulty; Michael Butler (1-7, 0-3 frees), Oisín Fortune (0-1), Shamey O’Hagan (0-4); Cormac Walsh (0-3, 2 frees), Jack Redmond (0-1), Tomás Whelan (0-1). Subs. - Pádraig Kinsella for Redmond (55), Seán Kirwan for Tyrrell (60+4), Myles O’Connor for Doyle (60+5), James Reilly for Whelan (60+5), also Adam Back, David Hearne, Ciarán Hearne, Tristan Whelan, Jack Hearne, Stephen Furlong, Jack Whelan, Oisín O’Hagan, Darragh Prendergast, Martin Keane, John Burke, Ben Murphy, Adam Byrne, Kevin O’Connor.
Referee: Barry Redmond (Na Fianna Clonard).
