NAOMH EANNA 2-18

OYLEGATE-GLENBRIEN 2-12

Ronan Fagan reports from Chadwicks Wexford Park

NAOMH EANNA bolted back to the top of the Wexford SHC pile with a stunning second-half display to deny a dream ending to Oylegate-Glenbrien’s season at Chadwicks Wexford Park on Sunday.

Oylegate-Glenbrien were contesting their first decider since having captured the title in 1963, and a quick-fire second-half goal from Podge Doran powered Dessie Mythen’s charges back into a 2-8 to 1-8 lead.

But Naomh Eanna put a patchy campaign behind them when outstripping their rivals by 1-6 to 0-1 to finally hit the front by 2-14 to 2-9 after 49 minutes on the way to capturing their second Dr RJ Bowe Cup since 2018 and atoning for their 2020 final defeat to Shelmaliers.

Oylegate-Glenbrien certainly mixed it up for much of the way, and they shot into a 1-0 to no-score lead inside two minutes when joint-captain Seamus Casey latched onto an Aaron Duggan puck-out to rattle the net.

And they really had the alarm bells whirring in the Gorey camp moments later when Podge Doran intercepted a Naomh Eanna puck-out to force a ’65, which Casey put over before Doran added a line-ball score as the Blues opened with 1-2 without reply.

Naomh Eanna shot back with an eighth-minute Pádraig Doyle goal from a Jack Cullen assist, and Charlie McGuckin had it down to 1-2 to 1-1.

But wind-assisted Oylegate-Glenbrien again thrilled their followers amongst the 6,800 attendance as they surged ahead by 1-5 to 1-1 when Doran cut another line ball and Casey tagged on two placed balls.

Oylegate-Glenbrien had another goal chance when a Conor Heffernan delivery was spilt by the Gorey ‘keeper and Peter Rowley’s attempt to maximise the breaking ball was foiled by Brendan Travers.

That came during a spell when Naomh Eanna had recovered to trail by just 1-6 to 1-5, before eventually breaking on level terms (1-8 apiece) after Jack Cullen sent over a long range on the stroke of half-time.

Doran then electrified the Oylegate-Glenbrien support when pinching a goal 20 seconds after the resumption when another Conor Heffernan delivery sparked a spate of juggling inside (2-8 to 1-8).

The latest Gorey response was most telling though. They got their first taste of the lead on 1-13 to 2-9 after 44 minutes with a surge of scores from McGuckin (three), McDonald and Jack Cullen (free).

And the tour de force continued as McDonald plucked a Jack Doran delivery from the skies to outwit a couple of defenders and crash home a 46th-minute goal, before Cullen tagged on a free (2-14 to 2-9).

Naomh Eanna simply had too much momentum now, although they had to stifle a number of determined Oylegate-Glenbrien bids before McDonald collected the trophy after his best display of the campaign.

Scorers for Naomh Eanna: Conor McDonald 1-4, Pádraig Doyle 1-2 (0-1 free), Jack Cullen 0-5 (4 frees), Charlie McGuckin 0-4, Cathal Dunbar 0-2, Cian Browne 0-1.

Scorers for Oylegate-Glenbrien: Seamus Casey 1-7 (0-5 frees, 0-2 ‘65s), Podge Doran 1-2, Jack Reck 0-2, Conor Heffernan 0-1.

Naomh Eanna

1 Jack Cushe

21 Brendan Travers
3 Eoin Molloy
2 Tom Stafford

7 Charlie McGuckin
6 Cian Molloy
4 Cian Ó Tuama

8 Seán Doyle
13 Jack Doran

10 Cian Browne
11 Cathal Dunbar
12 Jack Cullen

9 Aodhán Doyle
14 Conor McDonald (capt.)
15 Pádraig Doyle

Subs:

18 Eoin Conroy for S. Doyle, temp. (26-27)
19 Seán Óg Whelan for Doran (56)
18 Conroy for Travers (58)

Oylegate-Glenbrien

1 Aaron Duggan

2 Tomás Cosgrave
3 Ciarán Hourihane
7 Shane Reck

5 Mike Kelly (joint-capt.)
6 Damien Reck
4 Paudie Casey

8 Pa Culle
9 Jack Reck

10 Joe Dunne
11 Seamus Casey (joint-capt.)
12 Fiachra Hourihane

13 Conor Heffernan
14 Podge Doran
15 Peter Rowley

Subs:

17 Jamie Reck for F. Hourihane (43)
18 Evan Kelly for Heffernan (53)
20 Fergal Doran for Rowley (55)

Referee: Dan Crosby (Kilmore).