Junior Hurling Championship 2024
July 7: Ferns St. Aidans 0-15, Naomh Éanna 1-12
No report carried in local press.
July 13: Ferns St. Aidans 1-12, Duffry Rovers 0-15
DUFFRY ROVERS came within a whisker on home soil of being pipped by the Ferns St. Aidans second string in Saturday's second round Kavanagh Meats Junior hurling championship Group A clash in a damp Coolree.
Indeed, Ferns placed-ball specialist Seán Walsh had the chance to send the red and whites home victorious - they had also drawn in round one, against the promoted Naomh Éanna's seconds.
That chance came after referee John Tobin had consulted with an umpire to confirm that Walsh had forced a '65 which initially was waved wide.
But Walsh couldn't make the most of the opportunity as Patrick Breen's visitors had to settle for a draw, which is something that really shouldn't provide any comfort for the Duffry.
The Enniscorthy District crew really ought to be bossing this division and bouncing back towards transforming their dramatic downward spiral into a massive upward trajectory.
They were confident a week earlier against the second string of Faythe Harriers, but this wasn't good enough from their perspective.
All credit to Ferns for making it an enthralling affair on the scoreboard - the game just wasn't above average on quality - but the Duffry need to be far more convincing than they were here.
Some might choose to hide Saturday's disappointing effort under the cloak of teams not really needing to hit their peak until the knockout stages in this bizarre new hurling format, but anyone availing of such an excuse is merely a budding spin-doctor.
And Ferns, quarter-finalists in the past two campaigns, shook up the Duffry when James Kinsella picked a quickfire point before Shane Stafford sent Seb Rynhart through to stitch the net, and Stafford then helped the visitors to go 1-2 to nil clear after three minutes.
The locals seemed to be flexing their muscle though when reacting to tie on 0-5 to 1-2 after twelve minutes through Stephen Watchorn (two frees), Cian Fitzhenry (who was sadly forced off after 17 minutes), James Lawless and captain Aidan 'Chesney' Byrne.
But they didn't hit the front until the 19th minute, and required a late Watchorn strike from play to continue to edge it at the break (0-9 to 1-5).
A fourth Seán Walsh free after a chop on Liam Byrne levelled it up again two minutes into the second-half.
And the sides were inseparable once more on 40 and 42 minutes before Dylan Purcell and Watchorn (free) grabbed a 0-13 to 1-8 Duffry lead on 46 minutes, while the Ferns goal enjoyed a close shave after a goalkeeping error.
A wonderful Watchorn interception and resulting score from midfield helped Duffry Rovers to move 0-15 to 1-9 clear on 55 minutes.
But Ferns then called upon one of their recent Senior champions, Christopher 'Bitsy' O'Connor - another of their 2022 heroes, James Tonks, had started - and while a Duffry attacker produced a tame goaling effort, the visitors bridged the gap through three Walsh dead-balls before he was off-cue from that last-gasp chance.
Ferns St. Aidans: Mick Walsh; Peter Nolan, Paddy O'Hagan, Charlie Murphy; Conor O'Toole, James Tonks, Peter O'Toole (capt., 0-1); Willie Bolger, Liam Byrne; P.J. O'Neill, Seán Walsh (0-9, 8 frees, 1 '65), Shane Stafford (0-1); Seb Rynhart (1-0), Pádraig Kinsella, James Kinsella (0-1). Subs. - James Murray for P. Kinsella (HT), Barry Murphy for Nolan (37), Brian O'Neill (St. Aidans) for Bolger (54), Christopher O'Connor for Stafford (54).
Duffry Rovers: Michael Murphy; Alan Doyle, Liam Pender, Craig Casey; Gearóid Doyle, Johnny Flynn-O'Connor, Aaron Coleman; Jamie Roban (0-1), Aidan Byrne (capt., 0-1); David Nolan, Stephen Watchorn (0-9, 6 frees), Loughlin Rafter; James Lawless (0-1), Dylan Purcell (0-1), Cian Fitzhenry (0-1). Subs. - Jason Sheridan (0-1) for Fitzhenry, inj. (17), Danny Fitzhenry for Byrne, temp. (22-24), D. Fitzhenry for Rafter (35), Gavin Rafter for Nolan (40).
Referee: John Tobin (Geraldine O'Hanrahans).
August 2: Ferns St. Aidans 1-17, Shamrocks 1-13
No report carried in local press.
No report carried in local press.
July 13: Ferns St. Aidans 1-12, Duffry Rovers 0-15
DUFFRY ROVERS came within a whisker on home soil of being pipped by the Ferns St. Aidans second string in Saturday's second round Kavanagh Meats Junior hurling championship Group A clash in a damp Coolree.
Indeed, Ferns placed-ball specialist Seán Walsh had the chance to send the red and whites home victorious - they had also drawn in round one, against the promoted Naomh Éanna's seconds.
That chance came after referee John Tobin had consulted with an umpire to confirm that Walsh had forced a '65 which initially was waved wide.
But Walsh couldn't make the most of the opportunity as Patrick Breen's visitors had to settle for a draw, which is something that really shouldn't provide any comfort for the Duffry.
The Enniscorthy District crew really ought to be bossing this division and bouncing back towards transforming their dramatic downward spiral into a massive upward trajectory.
They were confident a week earlier against the second string of Faythe Harriers, but this wasn't good enough from their perspective.
All credit to Ferns for making it an enthralling affair on the scoreboard - the game just wasn't above average on quality - but the Duffry need to be far more convincing than they were here.
Some might choose to hide Saturday's disappointing effort under the cloak of teams not really needing to hit their peak until the knockout stages in this bizarre new hurling format, but anyone availing of such an excuse is merely a budding spin-doctor.
And Ferns, quarter-finalists in the past two campaigns, shook up the Duffry when James Kinsella picked a quickfire point before Shane Stafford sent Seb Rynhart through to stitch the net, and Stafford then helped the visitors to go 1-2 to nil clear after three minutes.
The locals seemed to be flexing their muscle though when reacting to tie on 0-5 to 1-2 after twelve minutes through Stephen Watchorn (two frees), Cian Fitzhenry (who was sadly forced off after 17 minutes), James Lawless and captain Aidan 'Chesney' Byrne.
But they didn't hit the front until the 19th minute, and required a late Watchorn strike from play to continue to edge it at the break (0-9 to 1-5).
A fourth Seán Walsh free after a chop on Liam Byrne levelled it up again two minutes into the second-half.
And the sides were inseparable once more on 40 and 42 minutes before Dylan Purcell and Watchorn (free) grabbed a 0-13 to 1-8 Duffry lead on 46 minutes, while the Ferns goal enjoyed a close shave after a goalkeeping error.
A wonderful Watchorn interception and resulting score from midfield helped Duffry Rovers to move 0-15 to 1-9 clear on 55 minutes.
But Ferns then called upon one of their recent Senior champions, Christopher 'Bitsy' O'Connor - another of their 2022 heroes, James Tonks, had started - and while a Duffry attacker produced a tame goaling effort, the visitors bridged the gap through three Walsh dead-balls before he was off-cue from that last-gasp chance.
Ferns St. Aidans: Mick Walsh; Peter Nolan, Paddy O'Hagan, Charlie Murphy; Conor O'Toole, James Tonks, Peter O'Toole (capt., 0-1); Willie Bolger, Liam Byrne; P.J. O'Neill, Seán Walsh (0-9, 8 frees, 1 '65), Shane Stafford (0-1); Seb Rynhart (1-0), Pádraig Kinsella, James Kinsella (0-1). Subs. - James Murray for P. Kinsella (HT), Barry Murphy for Nolan (37), Brian O'Neill (St. Aidans) for Bolger (54), Christopher O'Connor for Stafford (54).
Duffry Rovers: Michael Murphy; Alan Doyle, Liam Pender, Craig Casey; Gearóid Doyle, Johnny Flynn-O'Connor, Aaron Coleman; Jamie Roban (0-1), Aidan Byrne (capt., 0-1); David Nolan, Stephen Watchorn (0-9, 6 frees), Loughlin Rafter; James Lawless (0-1), Dylan Purcell (0-1), Cian Fitzhenry (0-1). Subs. - Jason Sheridan (0-1) for Fitzhenry, inj. (17), Danny Fitzhenry for Byrne, temp. (22-24), D. Fitzhenry for Rafter (35), Gavin Rafter for Nolan (40).
Referee: John Tobin (Geraldine O'Hanrahans).
August 2: Ferns St. Aidans 1-17, Shamrocks 1-13
No report carried in local press.
