Leinster Schools Senior Hurling ‘B’ championship

Wexford C.B.S.....................3-9

FCJ Bunclody......................2-9

Wexford C.B.S. held out for a deserved three points win over a determined FCJ Bunclody in the fourth round of the Leinster Schools Senior Hurling ‘B’ championship in perfect conditions in Piercestown last Monday.
The Wexford town school built up a seven point lead midway through the opening half but it was whittled down to just one (2-3 to 1-5) at half-time. The C.B.S. lads stretched ahead again in the second half when Stephen Kearney lashed in his side’s third goal but the Bunclody students refused to give in and fought all the way to the final whistle.

Some outstanding saves from C.B.S. net minder Shane McGrath frustrated FCJ Bunclody on at least four occasions and these saves together with a stellar performance from McGrath’s Faythe Harriers club mate Stephen Kearney resulted in a victory for Wexford C.B.S.

Conor Coleman’s converted free opened the scoring for the winners and the next two scores were goals at the same end as Kearney bundled the ball over the line following a scramble after a Liam Rockett shot from out the field fell short.

Minutes later C.B.S. midfielder Jack Murphy played a clever pass into the loose Conor Coleman who sent a searing shot to the net.

FCJ Bunclody responded with two pointed frees from Eoin Roberts and they began to dominate the second quarter with points from Liam Pender, Chris Turner and Peter O’Toole.

However C.B.S. pushed further ahead when Coleman converted his second free and Liam Rockett split the posts from a narrow angle but just as in their previous game versus Gorey C.S. the Wexford town school conceded a goal just before the half-time whistle when Chris Turner finished off a bout of ping-pong around the C.B.S. goalmouth.

Mikey Coleman – now in attack – got C.B.S. on the front foot early in the second half but points from Eoin Roberts and a sharp Chris Turner kept FCJ Bunclody hot on their heels.

Entering the final quarter Stephen Kearney began to exert his control on the game. Operating at centre-forward Kearney availed of a great catch by Conor Coleman to point and did the donkey work himself to get another point minutes later.

In the 47^th minute Kearney snatched a centre from Dylan Hynes and sent the ball to the net which put his side 3-6 to 1-7 ahead but back came the Bunclody students and they peppered Shane McGrath’s goal but couldn’t find a way past him until eventually a mazy run by Eoin Kelly set up Chris Turner and his shot found the net.

Darragh Rossiter and Nicky Lawlor – both now at midfield for C.B.S. – began to get a grip on that area and their side edged the remaining ten minutes by 0-3 to 0-2. FCJ’s scores both came from the stick of Chris Turner whereas Kearney’s converted free along with crucial points from Mikey Coleman and Nicky Lawlor were enough to seal a narrow and hard-fought victory for Wexford C.B.S.
Both sides failed to qualify from this group as Gorey C.S. (8pts) and Enniscorthy C.B.S. (6pts) advanced to the knock-out stages. Wexford C.B.S. (4pts) finished in third position with F.C.J. Bunclody (2pts) in fourth and Wicklow Schools (0pts) at the bottom of the group.

Wexford C.B.S.: Shane McGrath (Faythe Harriers); Padraig Rossiter (St. Martin’s) Nicky Lawlor (Faythe Harriers 0-1), Joe Redmond (Shelmaliers Capt.); Cormac Byrne (Faythe Harriers), Daniel Lynch (Faythe Harriers), Mikey Coleman (St. Martin’s 0-2); Jack Murphy (Faythe Harriers), Conor Fenlon (Glynn-Barntown); John Hamilton (St. Martin’s), Ciaran Kirwan (Faythe Harriers), Darragh Rossiter (St. Martin’s); Conor Coleman (St. Martin’s 1-2, 0-2 frees), Stephen Kearney (Faythe Harriers 2-3, 0-1 free), Liam Rockett (Shelmaliers 0-1).

Subs: Dylan Hynes (Faythe Harriers) for P. Rossiter (St. Martin’s), Dylan Dixon (Blackwater) for Lynch inj., Stephen Rossiter (Shelmaliers) for Fenlon inj.

FCJ Bunclody: Conor Coleman (Duffry Rovers); Diarmaid Crean (HWH-Bunclody), Paddy Hobbs (St. Patrick’s), Michael Farrell (Rapparees); David Foley (Ballinkillen, Carlow), Ciaran Pender (Duffry Rovers), Michael O’Leary (Duffry Rovers); Eoin Roberts (Ballinkillen, Carlow 0-3 frees), Eoin Kelly (HWH Bunclody); Peter O’Toole (Ferns 0-1), Andrew Kelly (HWH Bunclody), Andy Doyle (St. Patrick’s); Liam Pender (Duffry Rovers 0-1), Chris Turner (Ferns 2-4), John Dunne (HWH Bunclody).

Subs: Colm Redmond (Duffry Rovers) for Crean, Josh Meaney (Burrin Rangers, Carlow) for O’Leary, Gavin Watchorn (Duffry Rovers) for Doyle, Cian Fitzhenry (Duffry Rovers) for Dunne.

Ref: John Bennett (Tullogher-Rosbercon).