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).
August 8: St. Abban's Adamstown 3-12, Ferns St. Aidans 3-7
ADAMSTOWN PUT their best scoring fists forward to ultimately shake off Ferns St. Aidans with a string of closing points from James Furlong, substitute Peter Finn and Ruairí O'Brien in Saturday's third round Amber Springs and Ashdown Park Hotels Intermediate football championship Group B clash in Samaritans St. Patrick's Park.
While Adamstown substitute Conor Hickey netted to secure a 53rd-minute 3-9 to 2-6 lead for the winners, Ferns maintained a live interest, and a second goal from the emerging Charlie Roark had them trailing by 3-9 to 3-7 after 59 minutes.
That's when a few of the Adamstown crew showed their wisdom in simply fisting over that closing string of points to ensure back-to-back wins for Paddy Whitty's charges heading into Saturday's high-stakes duel with Horeswood in New Ross, before facing Ballyhogue in round five.
Ferns St. Aidans will be looking for some vital points in their primary objective to avoid relegation when they face promoted Cloughbawn on Saturday back at Pat's Park, with St. Fintan's also down the line.
Ferns featured Corey Byrne-Dunbar and, as second-half substitutes, Paul Morris and Eoin Murphy for the first time in football action this year.
And Byrne-Dunbar's class shone through in a topsy-turvy first-half during which the lead changed hands on three occasions before the sides were deadlocked on 2-4 apiece at half-time.
While Byrne-Dunbar pointed the red and whites in front from a sixth-minute free, Adamstown broke through for a goal two minutes later, with Tadhg McDonald finishing an assist from Ross English.
And Adamstown swelled their position to 2-1 to 0-3 after 14 minutes, as captain Donnacha Tobin turned over a kick-out resulting from a pointed free by Colum Feeney to set in motion a chain of passes which culminated in James Furlong goaling.
Ferns captain Patrick Breen had earlier sent over a two-pointer free, and they were lifted further when, after a clash of bodies, the ball spilled into space for Corey Byrne-Dunbar to be left one-on-one with the 'keeper and pick his spot in the town-end net after 15 minutes (2-1 to 1-3).
Breen and Byrne-Dunbar were prominent again five minutes later, as the latter took a tap-and-go free to burst into space before his delivery met with a deft flick from Byrne-Dunbar for Charlie Roark to find the net.
But Adamstown went close with an injury-time goaling chance - 'keeper Conor Swaine expertly denying James Furlong - before Ruairí O'Brien profited with a point off the rebound to tie matters at the break.
Roark was denied a second goal after 36 minutes at the expense of a fruitless '45, before Adamstown began to create some daylight with a couple of two-pointer frees from James Furlong on 38 and 42 minutes - the second after a breach of the three-up rule.
Regardless, Ferns remained game, and Roark's second major - thumping to the top far corner of the net from the left-hand post after a set up by Jack Young - retained hope until that closing run of fisted Adamstown points told.
FERNS ST. AIDANS: Conor Swaine; Jack Brennan, Conor Scallan, Jerry Sheridan; Conor O'Toole, Patrick Breen (capt., 0-2, 1 2p free), Jack Young; Brian Stafford, Charlie Roark (2-0); Byron Jordan, Niall Murphy, Corey Byrne-Dunbar (1-5, 0-4 frees); Seán Gahan, Rory Scallan, Kenny Murphy. Subs. - Paul Morris for Gahan (HT), Chris Turner for Stafford (54), Eoin Murphy for Jordan (54).
ADAMSTOWN: Alan Bradley; Páraic Wickham, Lorcan French, Kieran Finn; Seán Barden, Michael Furlong, Ross English; Donnacha Tobin (capt.), Colum Feeney (0-2, 1 free); Seánie O'Neill (0-1), James Furlong (1-6, 2 2p frees, 0-1 free), Harry Cosgrave; Ruairí O'Brien (0-2), Tadhg McDonald (1-0), Dean Kehoe. Subs. - Ben Sinnott for Finn, inj. (17), Conor Hickey (1-0) for McDonald (44), Tony French for Kehoe (44), Peter Finn (0-1) for Cosgrave (58), Mervyn Moloney for M. Furlong (60).
REFEREE: Fintan O'Reilly (Kilmore).
August 15: Ferns St. Aidans 1-15, Cloughbawn 0-15
FERNS ST. Aidans finally got the victory their sterling efforts in the Amber Springs and Ashdown Park Hotels Intermediate football championship merited - but not without some help from previously unbeaten Cloughbawn.
With the exception of a shellacking by Horeswood, Ferns had been extremely competitive against Ballyhogue and Adamstown.
And they eventually broke their duck in Group B at Samaritans St. Patrick's Park on Saturday when a brace of early second-half two-pointer frees from Kenny Murphy combined with a goal moments later courtesy of Corey Byrne-Dunbar crafted a 1-10 to 0-6 gap which fuelled their breakthrough victory.
Ferns are now in with a shout of making successive quarter-finals, but they must overcome St. Fintan's to have any chance, while Cloughbawn need to avoid defeat to Horeswood to absolutely ensure a first-ever last-eight spot at this level of the competition.
Cloughbawn could have brushed away any doubts had they capitalised upon three gilt-edged goaling chances here while also showing better discipline, as delaying infractions handed Ferns three crucial gift-wrapped two-pointers.
Eoin Doyle's men excelled in the opening stages, but while Shayne McDonald posted a couple of points, he dragged a goal chance wide at the far post after a cross from Zak Hernan, before Connal Flood rolled a 12th-minute goaling effort wide.
Shane Kehoe and Flood (two) stretched the gap to 0-5 to 0-1 after 21 minutes, before Ferns piled on the pressure.
Kenny Murphy (free), Charlie Roark and Rory Scallan closed the gap to 0-5 to 0-4 before Cloughbawn's failure to clear the way for Ferns to take a free from midfield saw the ball moved in for Murphy to score from a 28th-minute two-pointer free.
Shane Kehoe ultimately tied matters at the break (0-6 each), and while Cloughbawn went close with another goaling chance just after the restart - James Dempsey screwing wide - the losers coughed up another couple of two-pointers.
The first arose from fouling with Ferns attacking on an advantage call. The second was down to again failure to allow a quick free be taken.
Kenny Murphy punished both with orange flags, and then Corey Byrne-Dunbar goaled in successive games, with captain Patrick Breen seeing his initial delivery blocked before having the presence of mind to tip the loose ball to the scorer in the 36th minute (1-10 to 0-6).
Zak Hernan pegged back a pointed free before the bright corner-forward collected from Shane Kehoe on the left endline and dodged past one defender before forcing a fruitless '45.
Paul Morris, introduced at half-time, pointed Ferns to a double-scores lead after 42 minutes (1-11 to 0-7), and Cloughbawn 'keeper David Doyle-Murphy was alert to prevent a Morris cross from finding Rory Scallan for a near-certain goal.
Cloughbawn made inroads with scores from full-back Gavin Murphy, Connal Flood, McDonald and Hernan (free), while after a Byrne-Dunbar response, a further brace from Hernan raised the intrigue after 55 minutes (1-12 to 0-13).
That's when Ferns re-asserted control with an uninterrupted three-point burst - a rapid Niall Murphy double added to by Paul Morris - and while a Colm Kehoe shot hopped in the square and over for a two-pointer, Cloughbawn saw Connal Flood denied a last-gasp goal as they were left to reflect upon some poor execution and indiscipline.
FERNS ST. AIDANS: Conor Swaine; Jack Brennan, Conor Scallan, Jerry Sheridan; Conor O'Toole, Gavin Bailey, Jack Young; Brian Stafford, Charlie Roark (0-1); Kenny Murphy (0-7, 3 2p frees, 1 free), Rory Scallan (0-1), Niall Murphy (0-2); Patrick Breen (capt.), Corey Byrne-Dunbar (1-2, 0-1 free), Byron Jordan. Subs. - Paul Morris (0-2) for Brennan (HT), Diarmuid Doyle for Bailey, inj. (50), Eoin Murphy for Roark (57).
CLOUGHBAWN: David Doyle-Murphy; Nathan McDonald, Gavin Murphy (0-1), Gary Kennedy; Liam Flood, James Dempsey, Shane Kehoe (0-2, 1 free); Cathal Kehoe, Colm Kehoe (0-2, 1 2p); Kyle Murphy, Páidí Cullen, Paddy Whitty; Shayne McDonald (0-3), Connal Flood (capt., 0-3), Zak Hernan (0-4, 3 frees).
REFEREE: Barry Redmond (Na Fianna Clonard).
September 5: Ferns St. Aidans 2-16, St. Fintan’s 2-10
COREY Byrne-Dunbar reeled off a stunning 1-7 across the closing quarter to complete Ferns St. Aidans late dash to the quarter-finals of the Amber Springs and Ashdown Park Hotels Intermediate football championship in McCauley Park, Bellefield on Saturday.
They had to wait until the previous round for their first points of Group B, with victory over Cloughbawn, before displaying real nerve to outlast St. Fintan's with the lead changing hands on no fewer than eight occasions in this high-stakes duel.
Jack O'Leary levelled for the sixth and, as it proved, final time after 50 minutes (2-9 to 1-12) before Byrne-Dunbar quickly responded with a two-pointer.
And after substitute Diarmuid Doyle forced an exceptional save by the St. Fintan's 'keeper, Byrne-Dunbar blasted an injury-time goal before crowning victory with a two-pointer free.
But the fate of the 2020 runners-up also lay in results elsewhere, and Ballyhogue's failure to avoid defeat combined to ensure Ferns' passage to both the Intermediate football and Senior hurling quarter-finals.
It came at something of a cost here, with the enormously influential Gavin Bailey being forced off early on with a dislocated finger, although the three-week gap to the hurling last-eight offers him plenty of time to remedy that situation.
Ferns had also faced the issue of being a man down during those opening stages after Niall Murphy's eighth-minute sin-binning for a foul on Shane Pettit.
But the winners coped more than satisfactorily as they saw a 1-1 to 0-2 advantage beforehand transformed into a mere 0-5 to 1-1 deficit before Murphy returned to the action.
New Wexford Senior hurling selector Paul Morris had deposited the Ferns goal on six minutes when Byrne-Dunbar turned over a poor opposition kick-out after Morris had levelled on a point apiece.
Bailey then suffered his setback, and, in a tribute to the general underlying togetherness of the GAA, Ferns reached out to a St. Fintan's substitute, Dr. Donal Shanley, to try to sort the matter, before Bailey was whisked away to hospital.
Meanwhile, a Jack O'Leary two-pointer combined with a Shane Pettit free turned the tide by 0-5 to 1-1 before Ferns embraced Niall Murphy's return as they moved ahead by 1-4 to 0-5 courtesy of points from Byrne-Dunbar (two) and Morris.
Then came the first of two sizable impacts from an unlikely source - as the Fintan's centre-back Jim Rossiter burst through unmarked to latch on to a Jack O'Leary delivery from the left corner and fire to the town-end net in the 23rd minute, before placed balls from the Pettit brothers, goalie Jason and Shane, boosted the south county side's latest surge at half-time (1-7 to 1-4).
The momentum shifts continued on the resumption as scores from a mark and a two-pointer from Morris helped Ferns edge back in front (1-8 to 1-7), before they had a close escape when Kyle Rankin threatened to smash their net.
But Jim Rossiter did just that with his second on 41 minutes - Jack O'Leary yet again with the telling assist - to grab back the lead (2-7 to 1-8), only for Corey Byrne-Dunbar to pepper the closing stages with his outstanding finishing - creating a telling four-point gap 69 seconds into added-time when goaling from a Diarmuid Doyle pass.
Ferns now face St. Anne's in the quarter-finals, while the football season is over for St. Fintan's.
FERNS ST. AIDANS: Conor Swaine; Jack Brennan, Conor Scallan, Byron Jordan; Conor O'Toole, Gavin Bailey, Jack Young; Jerry Sheridan, Charlie Roark; Niall Murphy, Rory Scallan, Kenny Murphy; Corey Byrne-Dunbar (1-9, 1 2p, 1 2p free, 0-1 free), Patrick Breen (capt.), Paul Morris (1-5, 1 2p, 0-1 mark). Subs. - Diarmuid Doyle (0-2) for Bailey, inj. (14), Eoin Murphy for Sheridan (48), Chris Turner for K. Murphy (56). Sin-bin: Niall Murphy (8).
ST. FINTAN'S: Jason Pettit (0-1 '45); Paul Cummins, Eoin Cummins, Peter Goldsmith; Andy Lynam, Jim Rossiter (2-1), Wally Kelly (0-1); Eoin O'Callaghan, Shane Pettit (0-2 frees); Jamie Sinnott, Johnny Kelly, Evan Cullen; Lee Kelly (capt.), Kyle Rankin, Jack O'Leary (0-5, 1 2p). Subs. - Donal Shanley for Sinnott (HT), Quinlan Kelly for Lynam (56), Darragh Wafer for O'Callaghan (56).
REFEREE: James Owens (Kilrush).
September 18, quarter-final: St. Anne’s Rathangan 2-12, Ferns St. Aidans 0-11
THE ROCHFORD brothers, Liam and Aidan, were the sparks who fired St. Anne's to a repeat quarter-final dismissal of Ferns St. Aidans in the Amber Springs and Ashdown Park Hotels Intermediate football championship in McCauley Park, Bellefield on Friday.
The Sky Blues had prevailed by 3-15 to 0-14 against Ferns at the same stage last October, and once again they had a bit too much finesse for the red and whites, who sorely missed the influence of both Gavin Bailey and Paul Morris through injury.
On top of that, Ferns also lost Diarmuid Doyle to an apparent groin strain 13 minutes into this meeting, adding to personnel concerns ahead of their Senior hurling quarter-final against defending champions St. Martin's on Sunday.
Ferns were absolutely earnest in their efforts, but they lacked a certain quality up front, with Corey Byrne-Dunbar being well contained principally by Kevin Byrne as St. Anne's move back into the last-four - where they exited last year to St. Martin's - in their efforts to bounce back from demotion in 2024.
But their focus now switches to next weekend's Senior hurling quarter-final against Rathnure St. Anne's in the duel of the last two beaten finalists.
While it has been a rather mixed campaign on the hurling front for the Rathangan men, this was their sixth straight football victory, and the Rochfords were a delight in their execution.
Indeed, Liam helped himself to 1-3 from the half-forward line as Aidan notched 0-3 while both were stimulants for various raids on a beleaguered Ferns back division where the likes of Bailey and the roving Morris could have brought greater composure.
Dylan O'Brien, with 1-3 to his credit, wasn't far behind on the list of Anne's hard-hitters, and his 41st-minute goal effectively ended the ambitions of a tenacious Ferns as the gap soared to 2-8 to 0-6.
In fact, Ferns were fortunate to be adrift by just 1-6 to 0-6 at half-time after St. Anne's went dangerously close to adding a few more first-half majors, with Aidan Rochford flashing over a gilt-edged 16th-minute chance, while O'Brien somehow finished wide at the right-hand post when it seemed easier to net.
In addition, Ferns 'keeper Conor Swaine made a smart save from St. Anne's wing-back Bobby Reville in the 23rd minute.
While St. Anne's stretched 0-4 to 0-1 clear when Aidan Rochford squandered that 16th-minute goaling chance, Ferns responded to the loss of Diarmuid Doyle when closing to within 4-3 after 23 minutes through Niall Murphy and captain Patrick Breen (free).
But, amid a brief rain shower, Liam Rochford added a second point before he palmed to the scoreboard-end net on 27 minutes from a Dylan O'Brien assist (1-5 to 0-3).
Ferns' immediate response was encouraging as Breen two-pointed from a Niall Murphy set-up, before the latter's brother, substitute Eoin, narrowed the gap to 1-5 to 0-6, only for Dylan O'Brien (free) to make it 1-6 to 0-6 at the break after a breach of the three-up rule.
Eoin Ryan and O'Brien pointed amid a wasteful start to the second-half by the winners, before they made amends with the clinching 41st-minute goal - joint-captain Kevin Breen finding Aidan Rochford who put it on a plate for O'Brien to secure a 2-8 to 0-6 lead, which never dropped below six points thereafter.
FERNS ST. AIDANS: Conor Swaine; Jack Brennan, Conor Scallan, Byron Jordan (0-1); Conor O'Toole, Rory Scallan, Jack Young; Jerry Sheridan, Charlie Roark; Kenny Murphy (0-3, 2 frees), Brian Stafford, Patrick Breen (capt., 0-3, 1 2p, 1 free); Niall Murphy (0-1), Corey Byrne-Dunbar (0-1), Diarmuid Doyle (0-1). Subs. - Eoin Murphy (0-1) for Doyle, inj. (13), Jonny Dwyer for Brennan (43).
ST. ANNE'S: Shane Carroll (0-2, 1 2p free); Corey Ryan, Kevin Byrne, Finn Ryan (joint-capt.); Ciarán Doyle, Tomás Cullen, Bobby Reville; Andrew Moran, Shane Ryan; Liam Rochford (1-2), Eoin Ryan (0-2), Kevin Breen (joint-capt.); Aidan Rochford (0-3), Cillian Byrne, Dylan O'Brien (1-3, 0-1 free). Subs. - Brian Kavanagh for K. Byrne, inj. (41), Justin Moran for A. Moran (45), Liam Schokman for S. Ryan (45), Cathal Murphy for Reville (51), Tadhg Doyle for Cullen (60).
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).
August 8: St. Abban's Adamstown 3-12, Ferns St. Aidans 3-7
ADAMSTOWN PUT their best scoring fists forward to ultimately shake off Ferns St. Aidans with a string of closing points from James Furlong, substitute Peter Finn and Ruairí O'Brien in Saturday's third round Amber Springs and Ashdown Park Hotels Intermediate football championship Group B clash in Samaritans St. Patrick's Park.
While Adamstown substitute Conor Hickey netted to secure a 53rd-minute 3-9 to 2-6 lead for the winners, Ferns maintained a live interest, and a second goal from the emerging Charlie Roark had them trailing by 3-9 to 3-7 after 59 minutes.
That's when a few of the Adamstown crew showed their wisdom in simply fisting over that closing string of points to ensure back-to-back wins for Paddy Whitty's charges heading into Saturday's high-stakes duel with Horeswood in New Ross, before facing Ballyhogue in round five.
Ferns St. Aidans will be looking for some vital points in their primary objective to avoid relegation when they face promoted Cloughbawn on Saturday back at Pat's Park, with St. Fintan's also down the line.
Ferns featured Corey Byrne-Dunbar and, as second-half substitutes, Paul Morris and Eoin Murphy for the first time in football action this year.
And Byrne-Dunbar's class shone through in a topsy-turvy first-half during which the lead changed hands on three occasions before the sides were deadlocked on 2-4 apiece at half-time.
While Byrne-Dunbar pointed the red and whites in front from a sixth-minute free, Adamstown broke through for a goal two minutes later, with Tadhg McDonald finishing an assist from Ross English.
And Adamstown swelled their position to 2-1 to 0-3 after 14 minutes, as captain Donnacha Tobin turned over a kick-out resulting from a pointed free by Colum Feeney to set in motion a chain of passes which culminated in James Furlong goaling.
Ferns captain Patrick Breen had earlier sent over a two-pointer free, and they were lifted further when, after a clash of bodies, the ball spilled into space for Corey Byrne-Dunbar to be left one-on-one with the 'keeper and pick his spot in the town-end net after 15 minutes (2-1 to 1-3).
Breen and Byrne-Dunbar were prominent again five minutes later, as the latter took a tap-and-go free to burst into space before his delivery met with a deft flick from Byrne-Dunbar for Charlie Roark to find the net.
But Adamstown went close with an injury-time goaling chance - 'keeper Conor Swaine expertly denying James Furlong - before Ruairí O'Brien profited with a point off the rebound to tie matters at the break.
Roark was denied a second goal after 36 minutes at the expense of a fruitless '45, before Adamstown began to create some daylight with a couple of two-pointer frees from James Furlong on 38 and 42 minutes - the second after a breach of the three-up rule.
Regardless, Ferns remained game, and Roark's second major - thumping to the top far corner of the net from the left-hand post after a set up by Jack Young - retained hope until that closing run of fisted Adamstown points told.
FERNS ST. AIDANS: Conor Swaine; Jack Brennan, Conor Scallan, Jerry Sheridan; Conor O'Toole, Patrick Breen (capt., 0-2, 1 2p free), Jack Young; Brian Stafford, Charlie Roark (2-0); Byron Jordan, Niall Murphy, Corey Byrne-Dunbar (1-5, 0-4 frees); Seán Gahan, Rory Scallan, Kenny Murphy. Subs. - Paul Morris for Gahan (HT), Chris Turner for Stafford (54), Eoin Murphy for Jordan (54).
ADAMSTOWN: Alan Bradley; Páraic Wickham, Lorcan French, Kieran Finn; Seán Barden, Michael Furlong, Ross English; Donnacha Tobin (capt.), Colum Feeney (0-2, 1 free); Seánie O'Neill (0-1), James Furlong (1-6, 2 2p frees, 0-1 free), Harry Cosgrave; Ruairí O'Brien (0-2), Tadhg McDonald (1-0), Dean Kehoe. Subs. - Ben Sinnott for Finn, inj. (17), Conor Hickey (1-0) for McDonald (44), Tony French for Kehoe (44), Peter Finn (0-1) for Cosgrave (58), Mervyn Moloney for M. Furlong (60).
REFEREE: Fintan O'Reilly (Kilmore).
August 15: Ferns St. Aidans 1-15, Cloughbawn 0-15
FERNS ST. Aidans finally got the victory their sterling efforts in the Amber Springs and Ashdown Park Hotels Intermediate football championship merited - but not without some help from previously unbeaten Cloughbawn.
With the exception of a shellacking by Horeswood, Ferns had been extremely competitive against Ballyhogue and Adamstown.
And they eventually broke their duck in Group B at Samaritans St. Patrick's Park on Saturday when a brace of early second-half two-pointer frees from Kenny Murphy combined with a goal moments later courtesy of Corey Byrne-Dunbar crafted a 1-10 to 0-6 gap which fuelled their breakthrough victory.
Ferns are now in with a shout of making successive quarter-finals, but they must overcome St. Fintan's to have any chance, while Cloughbawn need to avoid defeat to Horeswood to absolutely ensure a first-ever last-eight spot at this level of the competition.
Cloughbawn could have brushed away any doubts had they capitalised upon three gilt-edged goaling chances here while also showing better discipline, as delaying infractions handed Ferns three crucial gift-wrapped two-pointers.
Eoin Doyle's men excelled in the opening stages, but while Shayne McDonald posted a couple of points, he dragged a goal chance wide at the far post after a cross from Zak Hernan, before Connal Flood rolled a 12th-minute goaling effort wide.
Shane Kehoe and Flood (two) stretched the gap to 0-5 to 0-1 after 21 minutes, before Ferns piled on the pressure.
Kenny Murphy (free), Charlie Roark and Rory Scallan closed the gap to 0-5 to 0-4 before Cloughbawn's failure to clear the way for Ferns to take a free from midfield saw the ball moved in for Murphy to score from a 28th-minute two-pointer free.
Shane Kehoe ultimately tied matters at the break (0-6 each), and while Cloughbawn went close with another goaling chance just after the restart - James Dempsey screwing wide - the losers coughed up another couple of two-pointers.
The first arose from fouling with Ferns attacking on an advantage call. The second was down to again failure to allow a quick free be taken.
Kenny Murphy punished both with orange flags, and then Corey Byrne-Dunbar goaled in successive games, with captain Patrick Breen seeing his initial delivery blocked before having the presence of mind to tip the loose ball to the scorer in the 36th minute (1-10 to 0-6).
Zak Hernan pegged back a pointed free before the bright corner-forward collected from Shane Kehoe on the left endline and dodged past one defender before forcing a fruitless '45.
Paul Morris, introduced at half-time, pointed Ferns to a double-scores lead after 42 minutes (1-11 to 0-7), and Cloughbawn 'keeper David Doyle-Murphy was alert to prevent a Morris cross from finding Rory Scallan for a near-certain goal.
Cloughbawn made inroads with scores from full-back Gavin Murphy, Connal Flood, McDonald and Hernan (free), while after a Byrne-Dunbar response, a further brace from Hernan raised the intrigue after 55 minutes (1-12 to 0-13).
That's when Ferns re-asserted control with an uninterrupted three-point burst - a rapid Niall Murphy double added to by Paul Morris - and while a Colm Kehoe shot hopped in the square and over for a two-pointer, Cloughbawn saw Connal Flood denied a last-gasp goal as they were left to reflect upon some poor execution and indiscipline.
FERNS ST. AIDANS: Conor Swaine; Jack Brennan, Conor Scallan, Jerry Sheridan; Conor O'Toole, Gavin Bailey, Jack Young; Brian Stafford, Charlie Roark (0-1); Kenny Murphy (0-7, 3 2p frees, 1 free), Rory Scallan (0-1), Niall Murphy (0-2); Patrick Breen (capt.), Corey Byrne-Dunbar (1-2, 0-1 free), Byron Jordan. Subs. - Paul Morris (0-2) for Brennan (HT), Diarmuid Doyle for Bailey, inj. (50), Eoin Murphy for Roark (57).
CLOUGHBAWN: David Doyle-Murphy; Nathan McDonald, Gavin Murphy (0-1), Gary Kennedy; Liam Flood, James Dempsey, Shane Kehoe (0-2, 1 free); Cathal Kehoe, Colm Kehoe (0-2, 1 2p); Kyle Murphy, Páidí Cullen, Paddy Whitty; Shayne McDonald (0-3), Connal Flood (capt., 0-3), Zak Hernan (0-4, 3 frees).
REFEREE: Barry Redmond (Na Fianna Clonard).
September 5: Ferns St. Aidans 2-16, St. Fintan’s 2-10
COREY Byrne-Dunbar reeled off a stunning 1-7 across the closing quarter to complete Ferns St. Aidans late dash to the quarter-finals of the Amber Springs and Ashdown Park Hotels Intermediate football championship in McCauley Park, Bellefield on Saturday.
They had to wait until the previous round for their first points of Group B, with victory over Cloughbawn, before displaying real nerve to outlast St. Fintan's with the lead changing hands on no fewer than eight occasions in this high-stakes duel.
Jack O'Leary levelled for the sixth and, as it proved, final time after 50 minutes (2-9 to 1-12) before Byrne-Dunbar quickly responded with a two-pointer.
And after substitute Diarmuid Doyle forced an exceptional save by the St. Fintan's 'keeper, Byrne-Dunbar blasted an injury-time goal before crowning victory with a two-pointer free.
But the fate of the 2020 runners-up also lay in results elsewhere, and Ballyhogue's failure to avoid defeat combined to ensure Ferns' passage to both the Intermediate football and Senior hurling quarter-finals.
It came at something of a cost here, with the enormously influential Gavin Bailey being forced off early on with a dislocated finger, although the three-week gap to the hurling last-eight offers him plenty of time to remedy that situation.
Ferns had also faced the issue of being a man down during those opening stages after Niall Murphy's eighth-minute sin-binning for a foul on Shane Pettit.
But the winners coped more than satisfactorily as they saw a 1-1 to 0-2 advantage beforehand transformed into a mere 0-5 to 1-1 deficit before Murphy returned to the action.
New Wexford Senior hurling selector Paul Morris had deposited the Ferns goal on six minutes when Byrne-Dunbar turned over a poor opposition kick-out after Morris had levelled on a point apiece.
Bailey then suffered his setback, and, in a tribute to the general underlying togetherness of the GAA, Ferns reached out to a St. Fintan's substitute, Dr. Donal Shanley, to try to sort the matter, before Bailey was whisked away to hospital.
Meanwhile, a Jack O'Leary two-pointer combined with a Shane Pettit free turned the tide by 0-5 to 1-1 before Ferns embraced Niall Murphy's return as they moved ahead by 1-4 to 0-5 courtesy of points from Byrne-Dunbar (two) and Morris.
Then came the first of two sizable impacts from an unlikely source - as the Fintan's centre-back Jim Rossiter burst through unmarked to latch on to a Jack O'Leary delivery from the left corner and fire to the town-end net in the 23rd minute, before placed balls from the Pettit brothers, goalie Jason and Shane, boosted the south county side's latest surge at half-time (1-7 to 1-4).
The momentum shifts continued on the resumption as scores from a mark and a two-pointer from Morris helped Ferns edge back in front (1-8 to 1-7), before they had a close escape when Kyle Rankin threatened to smash their net.
But Jim Rossiter did just that with his second on 41 minutes - Jack O'Leary yet again with the telling assist - to grab back the lead (2-7 to 1-8), only for Corey Byrne-Dunbar to pepper the closing stages with his outstanding finishing - creating a telling four-point gap 69 seconds into added-time when goaling from a Diarmuid Doyle pass.
Ferns now face St. Anne's in the quarter-finals, while the football season is over for St. Fintan's.
FERNS ST. AIDANS: Conor Swaine; Jack Brennan, Conor Scallan, Byron Jordan; Conor O'Toole, Gavin Bailey, Jack Young; Jerry Sheridan, Charlie Roark; Niall Murphy, Rory Scallan, Kenny Murphy; Corey Byrne-Dunbar (1-9, 1 2p, 1 2p free, 0-1 free), Patrick Breen (capt.), Paul Morris (1-5, 1 2p, 0-1 mark). Subs. - Diarmuid Doyle (0-2) for Bailey, inj. (14), Eoin Murphy for Sheridan (48), Chris Turner for K. Murphy (56). Sin-bin: Niall Murphy (8).
ST. FINTAN'S: Jason Pettit (0-1 '45); Paul Cummins, Eoin Cummins, Peter Goldsmith; Andy Lynam, Jim Rossiter (2-1), Wally Kelly (0-1); Eoin O'Callaghan, Shane Pettit (0-2 frees); Jamie Sinnott, Johnny Kelly, Evan Cullen; Lee Kelly (capt.), Kyle Rankin, Jack O'Leary (0-5, 1 2p). Subs. - Donal Shanley for Sinnott (HT), Quinlan Kelly for Lynam (56), Darragh Wafer for O'Callaghan (56).
REFEREE: James Owens (Kilrush).
September 18, quarter-final: St. Anne’s Rathangan 2-12, Ferns St. Aidans 0-11
THE ROCHFORD brothers, Liam and Aidan, were the sparks who fired St. Anne's to a repeat quarter-final dismissal of Ferns St. Aidans in the Amber Springs and Ashdown Park Hotels Intermediate football championship in McCauley Park, Bellefield on Friday.
The Sky Blues had prevailed by 3-15 to 0-14 against Ferns at the same stage last October, and once again they had a bit too much finesse for the red and whites, who sorely missed the influence of both Gavin Bailey and Paul Morris through injury.
On top of that, Ferns also lost Diarmuid Doyle to an apparent groin strain 13 minutes into this meeting, adding to personnel concerns ahead of their Senior hurling quarter-final against defending champions St. Martin's on Sunday.
Ferns were absolutely earnest in their efforts, but they lacked a certain quality up front, with Corey Byrne-Dunbar being well contained principally by Kevin Byrne as St. Anne's move back into the last-four - where they exited last year to St. Martin's - in their efforts to bounce back from demotion in 2024.
But their focus now switches to next weekend's Senior hurling quarter-final against Rathnure St. Anne's in the duel of the last two beaten finalists.
While it has been a rather mixed campaign on the hurling front for the Rathangan men, this was their sixth straight football victory, and the Rochfords were a delight in their execution.
Indeed, Liam helped himself to 1-3 from the half-forward line as Aidan notched 0-3 while both were stimulants for various raids on a beleaguered Ferns back division where the likes of Bailey and the roving Morris could have brought greater composure.
Dylan O'Brien, with 1-3 to his credit, wasn't far behind on the list of Anne's hard-hitters, and his 41st-minute goal effectively ended the ambitions of a tenacious Ferns as the gap soared to 2-8 to 0-6.
In fact, Ferns were fortunate to be adrift by just 1-6 to 0-6 at half-time after St. Anne's went dangerously close to adding a few more first-half majors, with Aidan Rochford flashing over a gilt-edged 16th-minute chance, while O'Brien somehow finished wide at the right-hand post when it seemed easier to net.
In addition, Ferns 'keeper Conor Swaine made a smart save from St. Anne's wing-back Bobby Reville in the 23rd minute.
While St. Anne's stretched 0-4 to 0-1 clear when Aidan Rochford squandered that 16th-minute goaling chance, Ferns responded to the loss of Diarmuid Doyle when closing to within 4-3 after 23 minutes through Niall Murphy and captain Patrick Breen (free).
But, amid a brief rain shower, Liam Rochford added a second point before he palmed to the scoreboard-end net on 27 minutes from a Dylan O'Brien assist (1-5 to 0-3).
Ferns' immediate response was encouraging as Breen two-pointed from a Niall Murphy set-up, before the latter's brother, substitute Eoin, narrowed the gap to 1-5 to 0-6, only for Dylan O'Brien (free) to make it 1-6 to 0-6 at the break after a breach of the three-up rule.
Eoin Ryan and O'Brien pointed amid a wasteful start to the second-half by the winners, before they made amends with the clinching 41st-minute goal - joint-captain Kevin Breen finding Aidan Rochford who put it on a plate for O'Brien to secure a 2-8 to 0-6 lead, which never dropped below six points thereafter.
FERNS ST. AIDANS: Conor Swaine; Jack Brennan, Conor Scallan, Byron Jordan (0-1); Conor O'Toole, Rory Scallan, Jack Young; Jerry Sheridan, Charlie Roark; Kenny Murphy (0-3, 2 frees), Brian Stafford, Patrick Breen (capt., 0-3, 1 2p, 1 free); Niall Murphy (0-1), Corey Byrne-Dunbar (0-1), Diarmuid Doyle (0-1). Subs. - Eoin Murphy (0-1) for Doyle, inj. (13), Jonny Dwyer for Brennan (43).
ST. ANNE'S: Shane Carroll (0-2, 1 2p free); Corey Ryan, Kevin Byrne, Finn Ryan (joint-capt.); Ciarán Doyle, Tomás Cullen, Bobby Reville; Andrew Moran, Shane Ryan; Liam Rochford (1-2), Eoin Ryan (0-2), Kevin Breen (joint-capt.); Aidan Rochford (0-3), Cillian Byrne, Dylan O'Brien (1-3, 0-1 free). Subs. - Brian Kavanagh for K. Byrne, inj. (41), Justin Moran for A. Moran (45), Liam Schokman for S. Ryan (45), Cathal Murphy for Reville (51), Tadhg Doyle for Cullen (60).
REFEREE: Adrian Harris (Oylegate-Glenbrien).
