Junior 'A' Football Championship 2025
July 13: Ferns St. Aidans 1-9, St. Mary’s Maudlintown 1-7
FERNS ST. Aidans ground out victory against St. Mary's (Maudlintown) on Sunday, coming from behind at the interval to emerge with an important opening two points in Group B of the Enniscorthy Farm Systems Junior 'A' football championship.
The visitors to The Rocks were under pressure at the break after a goal from Warren Broaders gave the hosts the advantage at the change of ends (1-4 to 0-4).
However, Ferns put in a monumental defensive effort in the second-half, conceding just three points.
Patrick Breen's charges chipped away at the deficit but the critical score was a Ryan Nolan goal, which proved just enough to see Ferns St. Aidans to a 1-9 to 1-7 victory.
July 20: Ferns St. Aidans 6-6, Rathgarogue-Cushinstown 0-6
WHILE FERNS St. Aidans may be surprising a few at the moment after they won their second game in the Enniscorthy Farm Systems Junior football championship, they know themselves there's plenty of talent in this group of lads.
This time around it was a massive Group B victory over Rathgarogue-Cushinstown that got others to sit up and take note, with the Gorey District side rattling in five goals in the first-half alone on their way to a comprehensive win.
Ryan Nolan is a blue chip forward to have at this level and he netted twice in the opening period, while Rob Murphy, Jason McGuire and Ivan Meegan all raised green flags too as their club moved into a 5-6 to 0-1 lead at the interval.
While the visitors eased off the gas in the second period and Rathgarogue-Cushinstown kept them honest with some nice scores of their own, Rob Murphy collected his second major as his side took top spot in Group B with a 6-6 to 0-6 success.
August 16: Ferns St. Aidans w/o, Shamrocks scr.
- No report
August 22: Ferns St. Aidans 0-19, St. Abban’s Adamstown 1-6
Ferns St. Aidans sent Adamstown packing under a barrage of scores in the opening period, before eventually securing a commanding double-digits victory.
Ryan Nolan led the way with seven points for the winners, which included a two-pointer.
Jason Maguire scored six points for Ferns and went one better in the orange flag department by picking up a pair.
However, the score of the day went to Ivan Meegan, who flighted an outrageous two-pointer off his left boot as Ferns claimed a 0-19 to 1-6 win.
September 12: Davidstown-Courtnacuddy 5-8, Ferns St. Aidans 1-9
It turned out to be a fairly straightforward encounter for the Boolabawn-based side in Samaritans St. Patrick's Park on Sunday.
They took a commanding lead at the interval on the back of goals from Rhyan Whelan and Pádraig O'Donoghue, going in with a 2-6 to 0-3 advantage.
Ferns were better after the interval but Davidstown-Courtnacuddy still motored away, winning by 5-8 to 1-11. Liam Lynch got two goals in the second period while Lucas Fitzpatrick also netted, with both also scoring a point.
There were also two points each from Seán Fitzpatrick and Tomás O'Connor, while Oisín Hayes chipped in with one to send Davidstown-Courtnacuddy into a quarter-final against neighbours Starlights with their form in tip-top shape.
Ferns St. Aidan's will be disappointed with the loss but happy enough with their lot, and they will face Ballyhogue in the last eight.
October 4, quarter-final: Ferns St. Aidans 0-12, Ballyhogue 1-7
THE FAVOURITES in the Enniscorthy Farm Systems Junior 'A' football championship remain in situ, but there was a tough outing for Ferns St. Aidan's against a resilient Ballyhogue.
Patrick Breen's side eventually triumphed by 0-12 to 1-7 in Boolabawn on Saturday but they were made to work for it.
A James Tonks single and three Ivan Meegan points were not enough to see them into the break with the upper hand, with the Bree-based side holding a 0-6 to 0-4 advantage.
A Ryan Nolan two-pointer and a couple of singles did ease them 0-9 to 0-7 ahead at the end of the third quarter, and that lead swelled to four after points from Tommy Dwyer and another from Nolan.
However, when Dylan Cloke-Rochford found the net for Ballyhogue it was game on with seven minutes remaining.
Shane Breen settled the nerves a minute after the concession of the goal, and Ferns St. Aidan's were able to play out the remaining time to advance to a meeting with St. Joseph's.
October 19, semi-final: St. Joseph’s 2-11, Ferns St. Aidans 1-6
St. Joseph’s played two of their ace cards 37 minutes into Sunday’s semi-final in a pivotal move as the Bishopswater men cracked the Ferns St. Aidans second-string to reach the final of the Enniscorthy Farm Systems Junior ‘A’ football championship.
The repeat of last year’s quarter-final, which Ferns had shaded by 1-4 to 0-5, was similarly tight, with the Gorey District men leading by 1-5 to 0-5 six minutes into the second-half.
St. Joseph’s then sprung the elder of the Murphys, Jason, from the bench together with Chris Curran, and the pair had a massive impact in the Wexford town men making a decisive break to the decider.
Paul Murphy edged his side ahead by 1-6 to 1-5 on 41 minutes when crashing a penalty to the country-end net after midfielder Mark Shortall had been impeded after gathering a free from the penalty-shooter.
Substitute Curran was now adding real force to the Joseph’s attack from the right flank, and they continued to build a head of steam with three unanswered points between the 43rd and 46th minutes – with captain Decky Downes, Cian Carty and substitute Darragh Whelan extending their advantage to 1-9 to 1-5.
Ferns struggled to stem the tide, and while Ivan Meegan pegged back a pointed free on 51 minutes following a foul on Shane Breen, Paul Murphy responded with a fisted finish, before he calmly played in his brother Jason to slot the clinching goal 40 seconds into added time.
Josh Kavanagh and Brandon Stafford combined prior to Stafford feeding Paul Murphy, who sent a neat angled ball across the face of the square for Jason to create that 2-10 to 1-6 advantage.
And Jason got on the end of a Chris Curran delivery to add an insurance point from the right of goal in the second minute of injury-time.
But he immediately fell to the ground having tweaked a leg muscle in converting that score, leaving St. Joseph’s to close out with 14 men having used their quota of substitutes.
They had burst 0-3 to nil clear inside six minutes in Samaritans St. Patrick’s Park on Sunday as Cian Carty opened with a two-pointer before Gary Hall-Roche also registered.
But Ryan Nolan responded with 1-2 without reply between the seventh and 20th minutes – slotting a 14th-minute penalty earned by James Tonks – before Paul Murphy tied on 0-5 to 1-2 after 24 minutes with a brace of points.
Both goals enjoyed narrow shaves before Ivan Meegan ultimately edged Ferns ahead by 1-3 to 0-5 at the break from a free earned by captain Peter Nolan.
While Ryan Nolan’s two early second-half points (one free) pushed Ferns three clear, St. Joseph’s sprung their couple of game-changers from the bench to produce the decisive push.
Ferns St. Aidans: William Kavanagh; Brian O’Neill (St. Aidans), Pat Nolan, Jerry Sheridan; David Murphy, Barry Murphy, Stephen O’Toole; Peter O’Toole, Liam Byrne; Shane Breen, Tommy Dwyer, Peter Nolan (capt.); James Tonks, Ivan Meegan (0-2 frees), Ryan Nolan (1-4, 1-0 pen., 0-1 free). Subs. – Ciarán Roberts for D. Murphy (44), Lucas Kinsella for P. O’Toole (50), Conor Kehoe for Dwyer (50), Shane Stafford for B. Murphy (50).
St. Joseph’s: Wayne Carty; Gloudie Makiese, Eddie Byrne, Aaron Tierney-Smith; Paddy Harnett, Brandon Stafford, Darragh Fitzpatrick; Decky Downes (capt., 0-1), Mark Shortall; Cian Carty (0-3, 1 2p), Jason Gordon, Josh Kavanagh; Gary Byrne, Paul Murphy (1-4, 1-0 pen.), Gary Hall-Roche (0-1). Subs. – Darragh Whelan (0-1) for Makiese (20), Tadhg Berry for Tierney-Smith (20), Jason Murphy (1-1) for Byrne (37), Chris Curran for Hall-Roche (37), Josh Guerrine for Harnett (59).
Referee: Ian Dwyer (Starlights).
FERNS ST. Aidans ground out victory against St. Mary's (Maudlintown) on Sunday, coming from behind at the interval to emerge with an important opening two points in Group B of the Enniscorthy Farm Systems Junior 'A' football championship.
The visitors to The Rocks were under pressure at the break after a goal from Warren Broaders gave the hosts the advantage at the change of ends (1-4 to 0-4).
However, Ferns put in a monumental defensive effort in the second-half, conceding just three points.
Patrick Breen's charges chipped away at the deficit but the critical score was a Ryan Nolan goal, which proved just enough to see Ferns St. Aidans to a 1-9 to 1-7 victory.
July 20: Ferns St. Aidans 6-6, Rathgarogue-Cushinstown 0-6
WHILE FERNS St. Aidans may be surprising a few at the moment after they won their second game in the Enniscorthy Farm Systems Junior football championship, they know themselves there's plenty of talent in this group of lads.
This time around it was a massive Group B victory over Rathgarogue-Cushinstown that got others to sit up and take note, with the Gorey District side rattling in five goals in the first-half alone on their way to a comprehensive win.
Ryan Nolan is a blue chip forward to have at this level and he netted twice in the opening period, while Rob Murphy, Jason McGuire and Ivan Meegan all raised green flags too as their club moved into a 5-6 to 0-1 lead at the interval.
While the visitors eased off the gas in the second period and Rathgarogue-Cushinstown kept them honest with some nice scores of their own, Rob Murphy collected his second major as his side took top spot in Group B with a 6-6 to 0-6 success.
August 16: Ferns St. Aidans w/o, Shamrocks scr.
- No report
August 22: Ferns St. Aidans 0-19, St. Abban’s Adamstown 1-6
Ferns St. Aidans sent Adamstown packing under a barrage of scores in the opening period, before eventually securing a commanding double-digits victory.
Ryan Nolan led the way with seven points for the winners, which included a two-pointer.
Jason Maguire scored six points for Ferns and went one better in the orange flag department by picking up a pair.
However, the score of the day went to Ivan Meegan, who flighted an outrageous two-pointer off his left boot as Ferns claimed a 0-19 to 1-6 win.
September 12: Davidstown-Courtnacuddy 5-8, Ferns St. Aidans 1-9
It turned out to be a fairly straightforward encounter for the Boolabawn-based side in Samaritans St. Patrick's Park on Sunday.
They took a commanding lead at the interval on the back of goals from Rhyan Whelan and Pádraig O'Donoghue, going in with a 2-6 to 0-3 advantage.
Ferns were better after the interval but Davidstown-Courtnacuddy still motored away, winning by 5-8 to 1-11. Liam Lynch got two goals in the second period while Lucas Fitzpatrick also netted, with both also scoring a point.
There were also two points each from Seán Fitzpatrick and Tomás O'Connor, while Oisín Hayes chipped in with one to send Davidstown-Courtnacuddy into a quarter-final against neighbours Starlights with their form in tip-top shape.
Ferns St. Aidan's will be disappointed with the loss but happy enough with their lot, and they will face Ballyhogue in the last eight.
October 4, quarter-final: Ferns St. Aidans 0-12, Ballyhogue 1-7
THE FAVOURITES in the Enniscorthy Farm Systems Junior 'A' football championship remain in situ, but there was a tough outing for Ferns St. Aidan's against a resilient Ballyhogue.
Patrick Breen's side eventually triumphed by 0-12 to 1-7 in Boolabawn on Saturday but they were made to work for it.
A James Tonks single and three Ivan Meegan points were not enough to see them into the break with the upper hand, with the Bree-based side holding a 0-6 to 0-4 advantage.
A Ryan Nolan two-pointer and a couple of singles did ease them 0-9 to 0-7 ahead at the end of the third quarter, and that lead swelled to four after points from Tommy Dwyer and another from Nolan.
However, when Dylan Cloke-Rochford found the net for Ballyhogue it was game on with seven minutes remaining.
Shane Breen settled the nerves a minute after the concession of the goal, and Ferns St. Aidan's were able to play out the remaining time to advance to a meeting with St. Joseph's.
October 19, semi-final: St. Joseph’s 2-11, Ferns St. Aidans 1-6
St. Joseph’s played two of their ace cards 37 minutes into Sunday’s semi-final in a pivotal move as the Bishopswater men cracked the Ferns St. Aidans second-string to reach the final of the Enniscorthy Farm Systems Junior ‘A’ football championship.
The repeat of last year’s quarter-final, which Ferns had shaded by 1-4 to 0-5, was similarly tight, with the Gorey District men leading by 1-5 to 0-5 six minutes into the second-half.
St. Joseph’s then sprung the elder of the Murphys, Jason, from the bench together with Chris Curran, and the pair had a massive impact in the Wexford town men making a decisive break to the decider.
Paul Murphy edged his side ahead by 1-6 to 1-5 on 41 minutes when crashing a penalty to the country-end net after midfielder Mark Shortall had been impeded after gathering a free from the penalty-shooter.
Substitute Curran was now adding real force to the Joseph’s attack from the right flank, and they continued to build a head of steam with three unanswered points between the 43rd and 46th minutes – with captain Decky Downes, Cian Carty and substitute Darragh Whelan extending their advantage to 1-9 to 1-5.
Ferns struggled to stem the tide, and while Ivan Meegan pegged back a pointed free on 51 minutes following a foul on Shane Breen, Paul Murphy responded with a fisted finish, before he calmly played in his brother Jason to slot the clinching goal 40 seconds into added time.
Josh Kavanagh and Brandon Stafford combined prior to Stafford feeding Paul Murphy, who sent a neat angled ball across the face of the square for Jason to create that 2-10 to 1-6 advantage.
And Jason got on the end of a Chris Curran delivery to add an insurance point from the right of goal in the second minute of injury-time.
But he immediately fell to the ground having tweaked a leg muscle in converting that score, leaving St. Joseph’s to close out with 14 men having used their quota of substitutes.
They had burst 0-3 to nil clear inside six minutes in Samaritans St. Patrick’s Park on Sunday as Cian Carty opened with a two-pointer before Gary Hall-Roche also registered.
But Ryan Nolan responded with 1-2 without reply between the seventh and 20th minutes – slotting a 14th-minute penalty earned by James Tonks – before Paul Murphy tied on 0-5 to 1-2 after 24 minutes with a brace of points.
Both goals enjoyed narrow shaves before Ivan Meegan ultimately edged Ferns ahead by 1-3 to 0-5 at the break from a free earned by captain Peter Nolan.
While Ryan Nolan’s two early second-half points (one free) pushed Ferns three clear, St. Joseph’s sprung their couple of game-changers from the bench to produce the decisive push.
Ferns St. Aidans: William Kavanagh; Brian O’Neill (St. Aidans), Pat Nolan, Jerry Sheridan; David Murphy, Barry Murphy, Stephen O’Toole; Peter O’Toole, Liam Byrne; Shane Breen, Tommy Dwyer, Peter Nolan (capt.); James Tonks, Ivan Meegan (0-2 frees), Ryan Nolan (1-4, 1-0 pen., 0-1 free). Subs. – Ciarán Roberts for D. Murphy (44), Lucas Kinsella for P. O’Toole (50), Conor Kehoe for Dwyer (50), Shane Stafford for B. Murphy (50).
St. Joseph’s: Wayne Carty; Gloudie Makiese, Eddie Byrne, Aaron Tierney-Smith; Paddy Harnett, Brandon Stafford, Darragh Fitzpatrick; Decky Downes (capt., 0-1), Mark Shortall; Cian Carty (0-3, 1 2p), Jason Gordon, Josh Kavanagh; Gary Byrne, Paul Murphy (1-4, 1-0 pen.), Gary Hall-Roche (0-1). Subs. – Darragh Whelan (0-1) for Makiese (20), Tadhg Berry for Tierney-Smith (20), Jason Murphy (1-1) for Byrne (37), Chris Curran for Hall-Roche (37), Josh Guerrine for Harnett (59).
Referee: Ian Dwyer (Starlights).
