Wexford SFC final: Castletown bridge nine-year gap
October 13, 2019
Castletown's James Holmes in action for Wexford. ©INPHO/Ryan Byrne.
Castletown 3-16
Gusserane O’Rahilly’s 2-10
James Holmes scored half a dozen points as Castletown saw off 2016 champions Gusserane in a free-flowing Wexford SFC final at Innovate Wexford Park.
Timmy Walsh's charges looked to be coasting to a record-equalling 11th title and their first since 2010 when they eased into a 2-7 to 0-3 lead, but Gusserane fought back to trail by 1-6 to 2-8 at the break before Castletown wrested back control in the second half.
Captain Brendan Halpin got the winners off to a dream start with a goal inside 30 seconds. A trio of points from Holmes helped them to a 1-7 to 0-2 lead before Jonathan Bealin, son of 1995 All-Ireland winning Dublin midfielder Paul, made it 2-7 to 0-3 after 25 minutes.
But Gusserane hit back with points from Sean Ryan and Paraic Conway before Adrian Flynn punished a goalkeeping error with a goal to leave them trailing by five points at the short whistle.
Castletown resumed with points from brothers James and Donnacha Holmes, as well as Bealin, to establish a 2-12 to 1-7 lead, but a never-say-die Gusserane had the margin down to four points, 2-8 to 2-12, when Gavin Sheehan palmed home their second goal at the end of the third quarter.
It remained in the balance until six minutes from the end when substitute Robbie Brooks scored a third Castletown goal as they ended their nine-year wait.
Castletown - A Masterson; J Ahern, D Gardiner, F Roche; C Carty (0-1), C Morris, J Gardiner; R Heffernan (0-1), L Coleman; J Shaughnessy, B Halpin (1-0), D Holmes (0-1); J Bealin (1-6, 0-2f), B Brosnan, J Holmes (0-6). Subs: S Moloney for J Shaughnessy, R Cody for J Ahern, R Brooks (1-1) for J Holmes, C Kennedy for D Holmes, K Pierce for J Gardiner, R Farrell for L Coleman.
Gusserane O’Rahilly’s - M Ryan; J Burford, K Cahill, J O'Connor; A Redmond, M O'Neill, G Sheehan (1-0); J Roche, C Kehoe; S Wall (0-2), G Cullen, P Conway (0-1); M Rossiter (0-2), A Flynn (1-3, 0-2f), S Ryan (0-2). Subs: T Foran for K Cahill, S Cullen for C Kehoe, F Ryan for J Roche.
Referee - K Carty.
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