Mark Bergin’s lucky strike sends O’Loughlin Gaels into overdrive
But for a fortunate 20th minute second goal they may have found themselves with too much to do to beat the reigning Leinster champions but that Mark Bergin score propelled them to bigger and better things and they were deserving semi-final victors.
Bergin’s switch from full-forward to the middle of the field was instrumental in the Kilkenny city club claiming their first provincial final appearance in six years. The county panellist was excellent in a playmaking role as his team eventually out-thought an Oulart-the-Ballagh outfit that had them on the rack in the opening quarter.
Allowing Bergin’s long delivery to slip through his hand and over the goal-line, Conor O’Leary’s rare error was the catalyst for O’Loughlin Gaels to introduce themselves to the game. Mark Kelly had earlier goaled in the 13th minute but the score that turned things in their favour was a freak. They added the next three points and went in at half-time 2-6 to 0-10 up and counting their blessings.
But there was little lucky about their second-half show where they again overcame some early Oulart-the-Ballagh promise, albeit a briefer spell. Sammy Johnston’s goal in the 38th minute moved Gaels into a four-point lead and their opponents visibly wilted. O’Loughlins sent over the next five scores, one from Martin Comerford whose four were all low percentage over-the-shoulder efforts that had fans on their feet.
O’Loughlin Gaels’ manager Aidan Fogarty agreed moving Bergin further out the field had worked well. “Yeah, the ball wasn’t going in and any ball going in was coming out again quickly, so we said we’d bring Mark out because he’s good to work around the lines, read the play and link up the play as well. He made a huge difference when he came out and we got a few long-range scores as well to close it out.”
Oulart-the-Ballagh joint-manager Frank Flannery knew his team didn’t make enough of their period of domination in the first 10 minutes. “If we had taken a goal in that period it would have cemented what we were doing well. But they got two goals, I won’t say against the run of play but a bit fortunate and I don’t think we really recovered. We chased the game and they went very unorthodox in their shape and we played on their terms. Something we don’t like doing is pushing up the field too far but we ended up doing that.”
Oulart had been clever with their use of the ball early on and succeeded in pushing Brian Hogan away from his central position.
They were finding pockets of space in front of their full-forward line and Nicky Kirwan was in his element. Gareth Sinnott’s conversion rate was impressive but there was next to nothing of a sniff of goal whereas at the other end it came easier for Kelly, after his run had put Oulart’s backs on their heels, and Bergin.
For that latter concession, Flannery wasn’t going to blame his goalkeeper O’Leary for contributing to the defeat. The Carrigtwohill native was keener to place emphasis on the importance of O’Loughlin Gaels’ third.
“He’s been a revelation the last two years so I wouldn’t criticise him. We got in at half-time, regrouped and played good hurling in the first five minutes of the second half. If it had gone nip and tuck who knows what would have happened but the third goal really hurt us and the game was over then.”
Winning two scored frees and sending over four points, the class of 38-year-old Comerford was visible in Innovate Wexford Park. “For a fella now that hasn’t really trained since the county final...” smiled Fogarty, who revealed “Gorta” had struggled with a groin problem.
“He had a great game, he had quite a few physio sessions over the last few weeks and for Martin to play; most fellas probably wouldn’t go out and hurl but he just goes out and hurls his normal game and forgets about the injury and got a few great scores. A Martin Comerford score is a big score from our point of view and it just gets the crowd going as well.”
Flannery will take time out before considering his future but is adamant Oulart will remain competitive in Wexford and beyond.
G. Sinnott (0-5); N. Kirwan (0-4, 3 frees); D. Mythen, D. Redmond (0-2 each); R. Jacob, P. Murphy, B. Dunne, M. Doyle (0-1 each).
M. Bergin (1-8, 0-4 frees); M. Kelly (1-1); M. Comerford (0-4); S. Johnston (1-0); P Deegan (0-2); H. Lawlor, D. Loughnane (0-1 each).
C. O’Leary; K. Rossiter, D. Morton, B. Kehoe; A. Roche, S. Murphy, E. Moore; D. Redmond, T. Storey; K. Sheridan, D. Mythen, P. Murphy; R. Jacob, G. Sinnott (c), N. Kirwan.
M. Jacob for D. Morton (28); E. Murphy for K. Rossiter (blood, 30-h-t); M. Storey for K. Sheridan (44); M. Doyle for D. Mythen (45); B. Dunne for T. Storey (47); N. Redmond for P. Murphy (52).
S. Murphy; A. Forristal, A. Kearns, E. Kearns; A. O’Brien, B. Hogan (c), H. Lawlor; P. Butler, P. Deegan; A. Geoghegan, M. Kelly, D. Loughnane; S. Johnston, M. Bergin, M. Comerford.
D. Burke for D. Loughnane (blood, 30-ht); S. Bolger for S. Johnston (56); E. Grant for B. Hogan, S. Mahony for B. Hogan (both 59).D. Burke for P. Butler (60+1).
A. Devine (Westmeath).
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