Intermediate Football Championship 2026
July 10: Ballyhogue 1-14, Ferns St. Aidans 0-11
IF POSSESSION is nine-tenths of the law, the exception was proven at Boolabawn on Friday as last year's beaten finalists Ballyhogue bagged the opening-round Group A spoils in the Amber Springs and Ashdown Park Hotels Intermediate football championship.
Ferns St. Aidans dominated the possession stakes, but they lacked the required incisiveness to hurt Tom Wall's well-drilled Ballyhogue rearguard.
And the winners could have avenged last year's 3-17 to 1-9 group stage loss to the same opposition far more comfortably had they made the most of four gilt-edged goaling chances.
Ballyhogue will be satisfied nevertheless with their work on a sun-scorched evening when they had bright showings from adult football championship debutants Oisín Cloke-Rochford at corner-back and Tadhg Doyle in attack.
The blue and whites will now look to build upon this showing against Cloughbawn on Saturday at Samaritans St. Patrick's Park, where Ferns face Horeswood in the early throw-in in the Conor Swaine derby.
A hamstring strain robbed Ferns of Swaine's goalkeeping prowess for this rematch with Ballyhogue, but William Kavanagh distinguished himself on his debut, particularly when denying Tadhg Doyle and Ben Asple in the 13th and 26th minutes respectively.
But there was little the Ferns stopper could do in the second minute when a turnover led to midfielder John R. Kehoe feeding Dean Doyle to net the ideal start for the winners.
Ferns, with captain Patrick Breen and Rory Scallan influential together with Niall Murphy, then began to enjoy the lion's share of the ball, and initially they began to make it pay when pulling level after ten minutes through Conor O'Toole, Breen (free) and Niall Murphy.
Shane Doyle and Tadhg Doyle shot Ballyhogue 1-2 to 0-3 clear before the latter failed to get sufficient power behind a goaling effort which was safely mopped up by the Ferns netminder.
The sides traded two-pointer frees - Noel Roche for Ballyhogue after a foul on Cloke-Rochford, before Kenny Murphy responded when Gavin Bailey met with a high challenge - before the winners went close with another goaling threat from Ben Asple as the blue and whites fastened onto the kick-out arising from Byron Jordan having narrowed the gap to 1-4 to 0-6.
Regardless, Ballyhogue's much greater economy saw them forge clear by 1-7 to 0-7 at the break courtesy of Peter Kelly and a pair of Noel Kehoe (one free) points, with Ferns' lack of real impact in the final third seeing them confined to a late pointed free from Patrick Breen.
Ballyhogue again threatened the goal shortly after the resumption when Ferns corner-back Jack Brennan parried a Noel Roche effort from a Dean Doyle assist at the expense of a fruitless '45.
And after John R. Kehoe opened up a 1-8 to 0-7 gap after 36 minutes, Noel Roche burst in from the left wing only to see his powerful drive crash off the crossbar.
Ferns' chances could never really be discounted, and a couple of frees from Patrick Breen book-ended substitute Jonny Dwyer and Niall Murphy obliging from play as the red and whites closed to within 1-10 to 0-11 after 55 minutes.
But Ballyhogue finished with a decisive flourish, a brace from the prolific Noel Roche (one free) and an addition from corner-back Conor Dawson stretching them 1-13 to 0-11 clear, before they forced yet another save after a turnover by Enda Minogue led to Asple again threatening the net.
Promising youngster Kenny Murphy had a consolation pointed '45 for Ferns after the Ballyhogue 'keeper was forced into evasive action from a Hail Mary kick by Gavin Bailey.
FERNS ST. AIDANS: William Kavanagh; Jack Brennan, Conor Scallan, Jerry Sheridan; Gavin Bailey, Patrick Breen (capt., 0-4 frees), Conor O'Toole (0-1); Brian Stafford, Charlie Roark; Byron Jordan (0-1), Rory Scallan, Seán Gahan; Stephen O'Toole, Kenny Murphy (0-3, 1 2p free, 1 '45), Niall Murphy (0-2). Sub. - Jonny Dwyer (0-1) for S. O'Toole (41).
BALLYHOGUE: Eamon Asple; Conor Dawson (0-1), David Hennebry, Oisín Cloke-Rochford; Ben Asple, James Parle, Eamonn Doyle (joint-capt.); Shane Doyle (0-1), John R. Kehoe (0-1); Tadhg Doyle (0-1), Peter Kelly (0-1), Cian Wickham; Dean Doyle (1-0), Odhrán Kehoe, Noel Roche (joint-capt., 0-8, 1 2p free, 3 frees). Subs. - Liam Rossiter for Wickham (HT), Enda Minogue for O. Kehoe (53), Dylan Dalton for D. Doyle (60+1).
REFEREE: Adrian Harris (Oylegate-Glenbrien).
July 18: Horeswood 3-16, Ferns St. Aidans 0-3
WHAT A difference a year, or, to be exact, 11 months make!
On August 23 last in McCauley Park, Bellefield, Ferns St. Aidans had produced an impeccable showing when thrashing Horeswood by 2-22 to 2-6 in the group stages of the Amber Springs and Ashdown Park Hotels Intermediate football championship.
Well, the roles were very much reversed on Saturday in the same competition, at Samaritans St. Patrick's Park, as the ageless Declan Murphy brought much of the magic to lead Horeswood to a revenge routing as they made it back-to-back Group B wins.
Ferns had offered real encouragement in defeat to Ballyhogue eight days earlier, and despite being down by 0-4 to 0-1 at the first water break in their re-match with Horeswood, the Gorey District men had contributed enough to suggest they'd provide a stern test.
However, they were lacking in inspiration after that hydration break, and trailed by a worrying 1-8 to 0-1 at half-time.
Horeswood's goal came from out of the blue after a pointing effort into the dressing-room end by Darragh Flannelly skewed towards the left endline.
But corner-forward Joe O'Sullivan didn't give up on that attack, as he kept the ball in play before cutting in to crash to the net for a 1-5 to 0-1 lead after 21 minutes.
Declan Murphy was adorning the scorecard of the 2022 runners-up with an assortment of quality points - and one from a rather humdrum free.
Their interval buffer also comprised an early fisted point from Jason Murphy together with a tidy addition by Conor Foley in the latter's first start for the Campile side's footballers since 2023.
Gavin Bailey was sterling in his efforts to try to lift Ferns, but their cause certainly wasn't helped after absorbing the sucker-punch of shipping another goal just 23 seconds after the restart.
Jason Murphy made a turnover before feeding P.J. Banville who threaded Declan Murphy through for a smart finish (2-8 to 0-1).
The sharpshooting full-forward was close to adding another major shortly afterwards - again from a Banville assist, before Horeswood gathered a Joe O'Sullivan point off the rebound, while Murphy and Banville (free) extended the gap to 2-11 to 0-1 after 38 minutes.
Ferns just weren't finding the spark they so dearly needed, but Rory Scallan got them back on target from a Jonny Dwyer set-up.
And Charlie Roark was denied a goal after a one-two with Jack Young, with Ferns forcing a free in that instance from which Kenny Murphy made it 2-11 to 0-3.
But Horeswood comfortably avenged last year's eye-opening loss to the same opposition, with Adam Harris nestling the ball in the net on 46 minutes after a free from Banville was threaded through by Conor Foley (3-11 to 0-3).
Following the last water break, the latter produced a quickfire double of points, and goalie Ryan Walsh-Rowe, in his first campaign at this level, copper-fastened victory with a two-pointer free in the closing stages as Graeme Molloy's charges appear well set to park last year's disappointment of failing to qualify.
FERNS ST. AIDANS: William Kavanagh; Byron Jordan, Conor Scallan, Jerry Sheridan; Seán Gahan, Gavin Bailey, Conor O'Toole; Brian Stafford, Charlie Roark; Kenny Murphy (0-1 free), Rory Scallan (0-1), Jack Young; Stephen O'Toole, Jonny Dwyer, Patrick Breen (capt., 0-1). Subs. - Liam Byrne for Bailey, temp. (14-16), Chris Turner for Dwyer, inj. (53).
HORESWOOD: Ryan Walsh-Rowe (0-2, 1 2p free); Kevin Parker, Shane Rowe (capt.), Tom Cummins; Ryan Harris, Darragh Flannelly (0-1), Tom Dempsey; Jason Murphy (0-1), Shane O'Hanlon; Conor Foley (0-3), P.J. Banville (0-1), Jamie Myler; Joe O'Sullivan (1-1), Declan Murphy (1-7, 0-1 free), Adam Harris (1-0). Subs. - Seán Óg Lyng for Cummins (39), David Larkin for Parker (39), Danny Nolan for O'Hanlon (40), Darragh Nolan for Harris (46), Barry Hearn for Banville (51).
REFEREE: Adrian Harris (Oylegate-Glenbrien).
IF POSSESSION is nine-tenths of the law, the exception was proven at Boolabawn on Friday as last year's beaten finalists Ballyhogue bagged the opening-round Group A spoils in the Amber Springs and Ashdown Park Hotels Intermediate football championship.
Ferns St. Aidans dominated the possession stakes, but they lacked the required incisiveness to hurt Tom Wall's well-drilled Ballyhogue rearguard.
And the winners could have avenged last year's 3-17 to 1-9 group stage loss to the same opposition far more comfortably had they made the most of four gilt-edged goaling chances.
Ballyhogue will be satisfied nevertheless with their work on a sun-scorched evening when they had bright showings from adult football championship debutants Oisín Cloke-Rochford at corner-back and Tadhg Doyle in attack.
The blue and whites will now look to build upon this showing against Cloughbawn on Saturday at Samaritans St. Patrick's Park, where Ferns face Horeswood in the early throw-in in the Conor Swaine derby.
A hamstring strain robbed Ferns of Swaine's goalkeeping prowess for this rematch with Ballyhogue, but William Kavanagh distinguished himself on his debut, particularly when denying Tadhg Doyle and Ben Asple in the 13th and 26th minutes respectively.
But there was little the Ferns stopper could do in the second minute when a turnover led to midfielder John R. Kehoe feeding Dean Doyle to net the ideal start for the winners.
Ferns, with captain Patrick Breen and Rory Scallan influential together with Niall Murphy, then began to enjoy the lion's share of the ball, and initially they began to make it pay when pulling level after ten minutes through Conor O'Toole, Breen (free) and Niall Murphy.
Shane Doyle and Tadhg Doyle shot Ballyhogue 1-2 to 0-3 clear before the latter failed to get sufficient power behind a goaling effort which was safely mopped up by the Ferns netminder.
The sides traded two-pointer frees - Noel Roche for Ballyhogue after a foul on Cloke-Rochford, before Kenny Murphy responded when Gavin Bailey met with a high challenge - before the winners went close with another goaling threat from Ben Asple as the blue and whites fastened onto the kick-out arising from Byron Jordan having narrowed the gap to 1-4 to 0-6.
Regardless, Ballyhogue's much greater economy saw them forge clear by 1-7 to 0-7 at the break courtesy of Peter Kelly and a pair of Noel Kehoe (one free) points, with Ferns' lack of real impact in the final third seeing them confined to a late pointed free from Patrick Breen.
Ballyhogue again threatened the goal shortly after the resumption when Ferns corner-back Jack Brennan parried a Noel Roche effort from a Dean Doyle assist at the expense of a fruitless '45.
And after John R. Kehoe opened up a 1-8 to 0-7 gap after 36 minutes, Noel Roche burst in from the left wing only to see his powerful drive crash off the crossbar.
Ferns' chances could never really be discounted, and a couple of frees from Patrick Breen book-ended substitute Jonny Dwyer and Niall Murphy obliging from play as the red and whites closed to within 1-10 to 0-11 after 55 minutes.
But Ballyhogue finished with a decisive flourish, a brace from the prolific Noel Roche (one free) and an addition from corner-back Conor Dawson stretching them 1-13 to 0-11 clear, before they forced yet another save after a turnover by Enda Minogue led to Asple again threatening the net.
Promising youngster Kenny Murphy had a consolation pointed '45 for Ferns after the Ballyhogue 'keeper was forced into evasive action from a Hail Mary kick by Gavin Bailey.
FERNS ST. AIDANS: William Kavanagh; Jack Brennan, Conor Scallan, Jerry Sheridan; Gavin Bailey, Patrick Breen (capt., 0-4 frees), Conor O'Toole (0-1); Brian Stafford, Charlie Roark; Byron Jordan (0-1), Rory Scallan, Seán Gahan; Stephen O'Toole, Kenny Murphy (0-3, 1 2p free, 1 '45), Niall Murphy (0-2). Sub. - Jonny Dwyer (0-1) for S. O'Toole (41).
BALLYHOGUE: Eamon Asple; Conor Dawson (0-1), David Hennebry, Oisín Cloke-Rochford; Ben Asple, James Parle, Eamonn Doyle (joint-capt.); Shane Doyle (0-1), John R. Kehoe (0-1); Tadhg Doyle (0-1), Peter Kelly (0-1), Cian Wickham; Dean Doyle (1-0), Odhrán Kehoe, Noel Roche (joint-capt., 0-8, 1 2p free, 3 frees). Subs. - Liam Rossiter for Wickham (HT), Enda Minogue for O. Kehoe (53), Dylan Dalton for D. Doyle (60+1).
REFEREE: Adrian Harris (Oylegate-Glenbrien).
July 18: Horeswood 3-16, Ferns St. Aidans 0-3
WHAT A difference a year, or, to be exact, 11 months make!
On August 23 last in McCauley Park, Bellefield, Ferns St. Aidans had produced an impeccable showing when thrashing Horeswood by 2-22 to 2-6 in the group stages of the Amber Springs and Ashdown Park Hotels Intermediate football championship.
Well, the roles were very much reversed on Saturday in the same competition, at Samaritans St. Patrick's Park, as the ageless Declan Murphy brought much of the magic to lead Horeswood to a revenge routing as they made it back-to-back Group B wins.
Ferns had offered real encouragement in defeat to Ballyhogue eight days earlier, and despite being down by 0-4 to 0-1 at the first water break in their re-match with Horeswood, the Gorey District men had contributed enough to suggest they'd provide a stern test.
However, they were lacking in inspiration after that hydration break, and trailed by a worrying 1-8 to 0-1 at half-time.
Horeswood's goal came from out of the blue after a pointing effort into the dressing-room end by Darragh Flannelly skewed towards the left endline.
But corner-forward Joe O'Sullivan didn't give up on that attack, as he kept the ball in play before cutting in to crash to the net for a 1-5 to 0-1 lead after 21 minutes.
Declan Murphy was adorning the scorecard of the 2022 runners-up with an assortment of quality points - and one from a rather humdrum free.
Their interval buffer also comprised an early fisted point from Jason Murphy together with a tidy addition by Conor Foley in the latter's first start for the Campile side's footballers since 2023.
Gavin Bailey was sterling in his efforts to try to lift Ferns, but their cause certainly wasn't helped after absorbing the sucker-punch of shipping another goal just 23 seconds after the restart.
Jason Murphy made a turnover before feeding P.J. Banville who threaded Declan Murphy through for a smart finish (2-8 to 0-1).
The sharpshooting full-forward was close to adding another major shortly afterwards - again from a Banville assist, before Horeswood gathered a Joe O'Sullivan point off the rebound, while Murphy and Banville (free) extended the gap to 2-11 to 0-1 after 38 minutes.
Ferns just weren't finding the spark they so dearly needed, but Rory Scallan got them back on target from a Jonny Dwyer set-up.
And Charlie Roark was denied a goal after a one-two with Jack Young, with Ferns forcing a free in that instance from which Kenny Murphy made it 2-11 to 0-3.
But Horeswood comfortably avenged last year's eye-opening loss to the same opposition, with Adam Harris nestling the ball in the net on 46 minutes after a free from Banville was threaded through by Conor Foley (3-11 to 0-3).
Following the last water break, the latter produced a quickfire double of points, and goalie Ryan Walsh-Rowe, in his first campaign at this level, copper-fastened victory with a two-pointer free in the closing stages as Graeme Molloy's charges appear well set to park last year's disappointment of failing to qualify.
FERNS ST. AIDANS: William Kavanagh; Byron Jordan, Conor Scallan, Jerry Sheridan; Seán Gahan, Gavin Bailey, Conor O'Toole; Brian Stafford, Charlie Roark; Kenny Murphy (0-1 free), Rory Scallan (0-1), Jack Young; Stephen O'Toole, Jonny Dwyer, Patrick Breen (capt., 0-1). Subs. - Liam Byrne for Bailey, temp. (14-16), Chris Turner for Dwyer, inj. (53).
HORESWOOD: Ryan Walsh-Rowe (0-2, 1 2p free); Kevin Parker, Shane Rowe (capt.), Tom Cummins; Ryan Harris, Darragh Flannelly (0-1), Tom Dempsey; Jason Murphy (0-1), Shane O'Hanlon; Conor Foley (0-3), P.J. Banville (0-1), Jamie Myler; Joe O'Sullivan (1-1), Declan Murphy (1-7, 0-1 free), Adam Harris (1-0). Subs. - Seán Óg Lyng for Cummins (39), David Larkin for Parker (39), Danny Nolan for O'Hanlon (40), Darragh Nolan for Harris (46), Barry Hearn for Banville (51).
REFEREE: Adrian Harris (Oylegate-Glenbrien).
