Wexford SHC Final/Oulart-the-Ballagh 1-15 St Martin's 1-9: Stephen Doyle took on the responsibility when Oulart-the-Ballagh were reduced to 14 men after just 10 minutes of play and inspired his team-mates to a second successive county hurling title at Wexford Park yesterday.

The reigning champions had opened well and led by 1-3 to 0-1 after just six minutes, with Dessie Mythen scoring the goal.

When they looked to be coasting a flare-up resulted in corner back Paul Roche receiving a straight red card, while two of his colleagues, John Roche and Darren Stamp, were yellow-carded.

The melee, which lasted for several minutes, involved at least 10 players from both sides, but St Martin's pair Eoin Quigley and Mark Murphy, who joined the brawl after racing from the opposite end of the pitch, were lucky to have got away without punishment.

Oulart-the-Ballagh looked in serious trouble when their rearranged side were brought back level, 1-3 each, at the end of the opening quarter, with the St Martin's goal coming from Ruairí Quigley.

Despite their numerical advantage, St Martin's could manage just one point in the second quarter, through Eoin Quigley, while their opposition got points through Stamp, Michael Jacob and Mythen to lead by 1-7 to 1-4 at the interval.

Two Barry Lambert points reduced the deficit to the minimum early in the second half but Oulart-the-Ballagh's response came through points from Stephen Doyle and Rory Jacob.

It was after this that St Martin's enjoyed their best spell with Barry Lambert scoring two more points, while full forward Ruairí Quigley also managed a point, leaving the sides deadlocked 1-9 each with 15 minutes remaining.

It was then that Doyle took a hold of the game. He struck over four points, while Laurence Prendergast also chipped in with a point. With St Martin's failing to score in the closing 18 minutes, it was Oulart-the-Ballagh's day.

OULART-THE-BALLAGH: P Dempsey; J Roche, K Rossiter, P Roche; A Kavanagh, L Dunne, L Prendergast (0-1); A O'Leary, D Stamp (0-1), S Doyle (0-7, five frees), M Storey, D Mythen (1-1), R Jacob (0-3), M Jacob (0-2 frees), P Finn. Subs: W Whelan for Finn, P Redmond for O'Leary.

ST MARTIN'S: M Butler; D Hayes, M Murphy, C Power; K Furlong, R McCarthy, T Waters; T Codd, D Lyng; J McDonald, E Quigley (0-1), P Murphy; R Lambert, R Quigley (1-2), B Lambert (0-6, three frees). Subs: J Bergin for Power, P Crotty for McDonald, T Radford for R Lambert.

Referee: N McDonald (Crossabeg-Ballymurn).