Ballyhale
VC......................1-7
Wexford
CBS.....................0-7
Wasteful Wexford CBS paid a heavy price in O’Kennedy Park, New Ross
last Wednesday as Ballyhale VC took the South Leinster Juvenile Hurling C
title. The Wexford students had enough goal chances to win three matches but
failed to take any of them and returned empty handed.
From the throw-in Ben McMahon passed to Philip Rawson and his
stinging shot was somehow saved by Dean Mason in the Ballyhale goal. Three
quick wides followed up as CBS failed to convert their dominance into scores.
To rub salt into it, Ballyhale opened the scoring with a converted
free. CBS continue to struggle upfront and it wasn’t until the 15th
minute that Jack O’Leary passed to Chris Cowman and the later split the posts.
The Kilkenny teenagers tagged on another three points in the first
half but were also guilty of some poor wides.
In the 25th minute CBS full-forward Cian Rossiter was
pushed over in the square and a penalty was awarded. Jordan Hayes’s effort was
pushed around the post for a ’65 which came to nothing.
Moments later Jordan Hayes burst through the Ballyhale defence but
his rasper bounced off the crossbar. Centre-back Cathal Kirwan surged up field to
point and that left the half-time score at 0-4 to 0-2 in favour of the Kilkenny
boys.
Ballyhale had two points within sixty seconds of the restart and
they added a goal to their six points in the 33rd minute which left
CBS with a mountain to climb. However, they dominated the remainder of the game
but just couldn’t find the net or enough points to get themselves into a
position to win the game.
The points eventually arrived when substitute Gary Carroll was
fouled and Jordan Hayes pointed and Chris Cowman’s clever sideline found Cathal
Kirwan for his second point. Aaron Clancy placed Jordan Hayes for a point
before Hayes was fouled and popped over the free himself.
With ten minutes to go, it was 1-6 to 0-6 and the momentum was with
the Wexford lads but the goal didn’t arrive as Dean Mason made some good saves.
Try as they might, CBS couldn’t get the scores they needed and Ballyhale ran
out winners.
Wexford CBS: Adam Howlin (Shelmaliers); Ben Hayes (St. Mary’s Rosslare), Adam
Dempsey (Faythe Harriers), Ryan McLoughlin (St. Mary’s Rosslare); Aaron Clancy
(St. Martin’s), Cathal Kirwan (Faythe Harriers 0-2), Conor Graydon
(Glynn-Barntown); Jack O’Leary (Volunteers Capt.), Ben McMahon (Volunteers);
Philip Rawson (St. Anne’s), Chris Cowman (Shelmaliers 0-1), Luke Dowdall
(Volunteers); Jordan Hayes (St. Martin’s 0-4, 2 frees), Cian Rossiter
(Volunteers), Cian O’Connor (Clonard).
Subs: Gary Carroll (Faythe Harriers)
for O’Connor, Stephen Doyle (Faythe Harriers) for Rossiter.
Ballyhale VC: Dean Mason; Billy Moran, Luke Ward, Jamie Barron;
Jamie McLoughlin, Matthew Fitzpatrick, Paraic Delahunty; Jack Walsh, Patrick
Heane; Adam Masood, Michael Murphy, Paul Hennessy; Mark McNamara, Ronan Hayes,
Sean Fitzpatrick.
