Junior Hurling Final: Wexford v Fr. Tom Burke's

Wexford 3-12 Fr. Tom Burke’s 2-8

Wexford captured the Eddie Treacy Cup in a tremendously exciting junior A hurling final.  Wexford deserved the win in the end, who got a brilliant performance from Dominic Magill at center back.  Magill had just played 60 minutes of a junior B football final and rolled back the years.  Fellow veteran Peter Ryan had a fine game at center forward, though Tom’s could have stolen the game as with 4 minutes to go it was all square.  Wexford, however, netted a goal and two points in those final minutes and will be the Boston Northeast representatives at next weekend’s NACB finals in Chicago.

Wexford junior hurlers  celebrate three in a row.

It was Wexford doing all the scoring in the opening quarter of the game.  With 15 minutes gone it was a 1-3 to no score Wexford lead.  Peter Ryan at center forward was central to much of the positive things happening for Wexford.  Ryan pointed the first score, and for the goal did well to find Colm Kerins and take the return pass to kick the ball into the net.  His fellow club veteran, Dominic Magill also did well at center back, and accounted for a point from a 65.  Michael Collins in the middle of the field accounted for the third point.

Fr. Tom's Junior Hurlers almost staged a comeback in the final.

James Dooley was in great form at corner back for Tom’s and on several occasions sent incoming fire back in the opposite direction.  Tom’s had a handful of wides early on, and eventually, in the 17^th minute were rewarded with a goal after Ciaran Moore got a second bite at the cherry from inside the box and made no mistake.  Chris O’Donoghue sent two fine efforts over the bar and Tom’s were well off the mark.  With Collins playing well in midfield Wexford kept in the ascendancy and again racked up three unanswered points from Magill, Jason Foley and Collins himself.  At the break it was a 1-7 to 1-3 Wexford lead, with Tom’s hanging in.

The second half had the crowd on their feet for the final 10 minutes.  Tom’s had kept it close and with the clock ticking there was just a goal between the teams.  Tom’s picked up their performance for the second period and after 5 minutes had the gap down to a point after scores from Higgins, Alan Camon, and a Moore free.  Wexford were under pressure as Tom’s were on the verge of turning the game on its head.

Wexford found their feet again, and in large part thanks to the performance of Magill.  The Lavey man was not only in the right place at the right time, but his delivery into the forward line was quality.  Kevin Joyce and Kerins brought Wexford three points to the good again, and after Kerins was pulled down in the box a chance to really deliver a blow was there for the Slaneysiders.  Denis Brennan’s powerful shot was a foot too high though and the lead was four. 

Coming into the stretch Wexford held on to the one goal lead. Tom’s had scored the odd one of three, and crowd were on their feet in anticipation of a grandstand finish as Tom’s kept up the pressure on the Wexford defence.  Eventually the breakthrough was made after a long free was dropped into the box a Tom’s stick got a touch and it was all square with 4 minutes to go.  Declan Bindon had an immediate answer for Wexford however.  From the puckout Peter Ryan won possession and delivered the pass for Bindon to finish and wind that had filled Tom’s sails proved to be a only a gust.  Two more Wexford points ensured that the Brighton based club would celebrate its third junior championship victory in a row.

Wexford:  G. McGovern, P. Breen, J. Taggart, D. Magill, G. Lundy, J. Foley, M. Collins, C. Kerins, P. Ryan, D. Bindon, B. Dalton, K. Joyce.  Tom’s:  K. Flynn, J. Dooley, T. Doran, S. O’Brien, S. Higgins, D. Burke, P. O’Sullivan, J. Costello, C. O’Donoghue, J. Dowling, G. Kelly, C. Moore, A. Camon.

By Rory O'Donnell