Junior 'A' Football Championship 2026
- Group games not covered in local press
September 19, quarter-final: Ferns St. Aidans 3-9, Ballyhogue 2-10
SHARPSHOOTING full-forward Jason McGuire slotted a late two-pointer free as Ferns St. Aidans overcame surrendering a seven-point lead against Ballyhogue in Saturday's quarter-final re-match between the second-strings in the Enniscorthy Farm Systems Junior 'A' football championship at floodlit Samaritans St. Patrick's Park.
It was a repeat of the outcome of the sides' duel at the same stage last year, and Ferns will now seek to go one better than 2025 - when they exited in the last four to St. Joseph's - against the third-string of reigning Junior 'B' champions Castletown.
A bunch of this Ferns side, including shooter McGuire, were there in 2021 when the red and whites preceded Castletown as outright winners of the 'B' grade.
Ballyhogue were badly lacking for inventive ideas as Ferns dominated to have seven points between the sides on three occasions, including by 2-6 to 0-5 after 37 minutes.
Ferns sorely punished Ballyhogue in the seventh minute when a 'Hogues free in their own half was intercepted by Stephen O'Toole who burst in to open up a 1-1 to nil lead.
First-team manager Peter Nolan quickly tagged on a point before McGuire added a two-pointer free earned by Shane Breen.
Darragh Kirwan eventually ended Ballyhogue's impasse after 15 minutes (1-4 to 0-1), but the blue and whites continued to struggle to make a serious impact, and that increased the value of a couple of closing frees from Seán Ring.
That said, they were unlucky not to nab a late goal, with Kirwan forcing an excellent save from Ferns 'keeper William Kavanagh, as the winners held out for a 1-6 to 0-5 interval lead.
After Ballyhogue resumed with a couple of wides, Ferns inflicted further damage when Stephen O'Toole's sharp delivery from the left wing found Jason McGuire, who stepped inside his marker before launching to the country-end net (2-6 to 0-5).
From there Ballyhogue actually found some solid form, and after Ring (two frees) and Eddie Galavan pegged back points, Kirwan had them back within 2-7 to 1-8 after 43 minutes when goaling from an assist by the wily Galavan.
Ferns restored respectable distance though when Stephen O'Toole netted his second five minutes later after gathering from Conor Murphy (3-7 to 1-8).
But Ballyhogue threatened to force extra-time as Ring's seventh pointed free was added to by a 56th-minute equalising goal from midfielder Tiarnan Walsh.
Jason McGuire struck back with the crucial two-pointer free, but Walsh went close to netting again for Ballyhogue in the closing stages, during which Ferns saw Keith Breen dismissed on a second booking.
FERNS ST. AIDANS: William Kavanagh; Jack O'Hagan, Declan Byrne, James Wall; Ciarán Roberts, Barry Murphy, Keith Breen; Conor Murphy, Seán Gahan; Shane Stafford, Shane Breen, Stephen O'Toole (2-0); Peter Nolan (capt., 0-1), Jason McGuire (1-8, 2 2p frees, 0-2 frees), Danny Dreelan. Subs. - Liam Byrne for Stafford (HT), James Tonks for Wall (48), James Kinsella for Dreelan (52), Barry O'Toole for C. Murphy (56), Tommy Dwyer for Nolan (60+2).
BALLYHOGUE: Myles Roche; Conor Rodgers, Tomás Moriarty, Darragh Byrne; Peter Doyle, Kevin Ring, Daire Cloke-Rochford; Tobias Redmond (1-0), Tiarnan Walsh; John D. Kehoe, Fionn Rochford (0-1), Tadhg Malone; Darragh Kirwan (1-1), Seán Ring (capt., 0-7 frees), Eddie Galavan (0-1). Sub. - Seán Vaughan for F. Rochford (48).
REFEREE: Philip Murphy (Faythe Harriers).
September 19, quarter-final: Ferns St. Aidans 3-9, Ballyhogue 2-10
SHARPSHOOTING full-forward Jason McGuire slotted a late two-pointer free as Ferns St. Aidans overcame surrendering a seven-point lead against Ballyhogue in Saturday's quarter-final re-match between the second-strings in the Enniscorthy Farm Systems Junior 'A' football championship at floodlit Samaritans St. Patrick's Park.
It was a repeat of the outcome of the sides' duel at the same stage last year, and Ferns will now seek to go one better than 2025 - when they exited in the last four to St. Joseph's - against the third-string of reigning Junior 'B' champions Castletown.
A bunch of this Ferns side, including shooter McGuire, were there in 2021 when the red and whites preceded Castletown as outright winners of the 'B' grade.
Ballyhogue were badly lacking for inventive ideas as Ferns dominated to have seven points between the sides on three occasions, including by 2-6 to 0-5 after 37 minutes.
Ferns sorely punished Ballyhogue in the seventh minute when a 'Hogues free in their own half was intercepted by Stephen O'Toole who burst in to open up a 1-1 to nil lead.
First-team manager Peter Nolan quickly tagged on a point before McGuire added a two-pointer free earned by Shane Breen.
Darragh Kirwan eventually ended Ballyhogue's impasse after 15 minutes (1-4 to 0-1), but the blue and whites continued to struggle to make a serious impact, and that increased the value of a couple of closing frees from Seán Ring.
That said, they were unlucky not to nab a late goal, with Kirwan forcing an excellent save from Ferns 'keeper William Kavanagh, as the winners held out for a 1-6 to 0-5 interval lead.
After Ballyhogue resumed with a couple of wides, Ferns inflicted further damage when Stephen O'Toole's sharp delivery from the left wing found Jason McGuire, who stepped inside his marker before launching to the country-end net (2-6 to 0-5).
From there Ballyhogue actually found some solid form, and after Ring (two frees) and Eddie Galavan pegged back points, Kirwan had them back within 2-7 to 1-8 after 43 minutes when goaling from an assist by the wily Galavan.
Ferns restored respectable distance though when Stephen O'Toole netted his second five minutes later after gathering from Conor Murphy (3-7 to 1-8).
But Ballyhogue threatened to force extra-time as Ring's seventh pointed free was added to by a 56th-minute equalising goal from midfielder Tiarnan Walsh.
Jason McGuire struck back with the crucial two-pointer free, but Walsh went close to netting again for Ballyhogue in the closing stages, during which Ferns saw Keith Breen dismissed on a second booking.
FERNS ST. AIDANS: William Kavanagh; Jack O'Hagan, Declan Byrne, James Wall; Ciarán Roberts, Barry Murphy, Keith Breen; Conor Murphy, Seán Gahan; Shane Stafford, Shane Breen, Stephen O'Toole (2-0); Peter Nolan (capt., 0-1), Jason McGuire (1-8, 2 2p frees, 0-2 frees), Danny Dreelan. Subs. - Liam Byrne for Stafford (HT), James Tonks for Wall (48), James Kinsella for Dreelan (52), Barry O'Toole for C. Murphy (56), Tommy Dwyer for Nolan (60+2).
BALLYHOGUE: Myles Roche; Conor Rodgers, Tomás Moriarty, Darragh Byrne; Peter Doyle, Kevin Ring, Daire Cloke-Rochford; Tobias Redmond (1-0), Tiarnan Walsh; John D. Kehoe, Fionn Rochford (0-1), Tadhg Malone; Darragh Kirwan (1-1), Seán Ring (capt., 0-7 frees), Eddie Galavan (0-1). Sub. - Seán Vaughan for F. Rochford (48).
REFEREE: Philip Murphy (Faythe Harriers).
