Starlights 0-17 St. Martin’s 1-8
Enniscorthy Starlights bridged a 13-year gap with a shock but fully deserved six point victory over St. Martin’s in their Wexford senior football championship final at Innovate Wexford Park.
St. Martin’s, having won the senior hurling title seven days earlier, never really got off the ground in their quest for the ‘double’ as Starlights inspired by Liam Ryan in midfield dominated the game for the most part. It was the inspirational fielding, driving runs that saw the Wexford senior hurling full-back provide the leadership as he totally outplayed inter-county midfielder Daithi Waters, which took so much of the threat out of the south county side.
St. Martin’s struggled to match the pace and skilful attacking football of their opponents, and while they managed to gain some momentum in the closing ten minutes they were unable to create the goal chance they so badly needed to haul themselves back into the game.
Starlights took full advantage of their opponents failure to turn some early chances into scores, as they themselves managed to build a 0-4 to 0-1 lead by the 12th minute, with two of their points from Darragh Pepper and one each from Richie Farrell and Liam Ryan, after Jack O’Connor had opened the scoring after just three minutes.
While a superb 21st minute Ciaran Lyng goal brought some life into the St. Martin’s play they still trailed 0-9 to 1-2 at the interval, as Alan Tobin, Pepper and Eamon Furlong were all on target for the eventual winners.
The expected St. Martin’s second half recovery failed to materialise and Starlights had the perfect start to the second half with two Dylan Redmond pointed frees. While St. Martin’s pushed forward they spurned many chances of scores with wayward finishing, and it was Starlights who controlled the closing quarter showing their defensive qualities and quick counter attacks they led to the crucial scores with some excellent point taking.
Starlights: P Doyle; R O'Connor (0-2), T Wall, M Doyle; J Kelly, R Fox, K Foley (0-1); L Ryan (0-1), R Farrell (0-1); A Tobin (0-4), N Doyle, D Redmond (0-3); D Pepper (0-4), E Furlong (0-1), R Mahon.
Subs: A Dobbs for Farrell (32), B Edwards for Fox (57), T Mahon for Redmond (60), J Russell for Furlong (60).
St. Martin's: T Hayes; M Coleman, W Devereux, H O'Connor; C Firman, A Maddock, Joe O'Connor; D Waters, Jack O'Connor (0-2); P Kelly, J Carthy, R O'Connor (0-1); B O'Connor, C Lyng (1-3), J Firman (0-2).
Subs: J Coleman for B O’Connor (28); R Murphy for Kelly (42), P Barry for R O’Connor (50), E O’Byrne for M Coleman (51), D Codd for Carthy (58).
Referee: B Redmond (Clonard).
