Leinster Club SHC quarter-final:
Oulart-the-Ballagh (Wexford) 2-13 St Rynagh's (Offaly) 0-9
REIGNING Leinster and Wexford champions Oulart-the-Ballagh turned in a tremendous performance over the 60 minutes to register a comfortable 10-point victory over St. Rynagh's in their AIB Leinster Club Senior Hurling Championship quarter-final at Innovate Wexford Park on Sunday.
The Wexford champions held their nerve despite the loss of key players as they totally dominated their opponents for the most part. With the experienced Keith Rossiter (back injury) and Nicky Kirwan (gilmour groin) ruled out before the game they lost defender Eoin Moore to concussion midway through the opening half. Just to add to their problems, they had experienced defender Paul Roche straight red carded two minutes into the second-half, but the manner in which they overcame the setback speaks volumes for the young talent coming through.
"It was a great win and a huge step up on our county final performance but, then again, Cloughbawn [in the county final] are a difficult side to play against," said Oulart-the-Ballagh manager Frank Flannery.
"We utilised our experience and this is now bonus territory we are in. We enjoyed our county final win, but we are now enjoying our hurling. The experience of last year along with previous years was evident against our opponents today. We are an experienced team and enjoying our hurling.
"Once the county final was over we had time to think about the club championship. We are in a difficult end of the draw but we have now coped with the Offaly champions and look forward to Kilkenny champions, O'Loughlin Gaels, I saw the Kilkenny final and they suffocated Ballyhale Shamrocks in the second half. They are a fine side but we are looking forward to meeting them in two weeks time in Wexford Park. We are in bonus territory now, but look forward to moving on."
Such was Oulart-the-Ballagh's dominance through the opening stages, they led 1-4 to 0-2 after 18 minutes, the goal coming through minor player Murtha Doyle who was on the receiving end of a movement initiated by Dessie Mythen and Garret Sinnot to find the net from close range. Earlier, they had points from Rory Jacob (0-2), Tommy Storey and Dessie Mythen, while the Rynagh's opening two points came through Aidan Treacy and Matthew Maloney frees.
With David Redmond dominant in midfield, and Shaun Murphy outstanding at centre-back, the St Rynagh's attack was starved of quality ball only managing a further points through the remainder of the opening period, a Joseph O'Connor effort from out of midfield, but with the Wexford champions tagging on five further points they looked comfortable at the break, leading 1-9 to 0-3.
Two minutes into the second-half, Oulart-the-Ballagh had Paul Roche dismissed on a straight red card following an off the ball offence, which left Michael Jacob who had been introduced to midfield dropping back into a wing-back role.
Rory Jacob and Matthew Maloney exchanged points inside the opening five minutes of the second-half, while midfielder David Redmond fired over an inspirational point out of midfield to extend his side into a 1-11 to 0-4 lead. However, St Rynagh's were finding it difficult to fashion out scores with their short passing game making little gain against a determined home defence who continually cut out any threat to goal with fine interceptions and quality clearance from deep inside their own half.
Although St Rynagh's did manage two successive points through Aidan Treacy and Matthew Maloney frees, to reduce the deficit, 1-11 to 0-6, after 40 minutes, it was the Wexford champions who took total control in the second-half playing into the breeze, responding with points from Dessie Mythen and Peter Murphy, while it was sub Martin Óg Storey who closed out the scoring in the final minute, finishing a Desie Mythen pass to the net as the Wexford champions tasted victory once again.
MATCH STATS
Oulart-the-Ballagh: C O'Leary; A Roche, D Morton, B Kehoe; P Roche (0-1), S Murphy, K Sheridan; D Redmond (0-1), E Moore; D Mythen (0-2), T Storey (0-1), P Murphy (0-1); R Jacob (0-6, 0-4 frees), G Sinnott (0-1), M Doyle (1-0); Subs: M Jacob for Moore (inj. 21); M Óg Storey (1-0) for Doyle (52); B Dunne for Redmond (55); N Redmond for Mythen (58).
St Rynagh's: C Clancy; D Maloney, D Shortt, B Conneely; C Hernon, A Treacy (0-3 frees), S Kenny; G Kelly; J O'Connor(0-2); P Quirke, S Dolan, R Hughes; N Wynne (0-1), G Rafferty, M Maloney (0-3, 0-1 free); Subs: N White for M Maloney (51); E Woods for Quirke (53).
Referee: J Keenan (Wicklow).
