Wexford SHC: Rathnure break Naomh Eanna heart, reigning champions St Martin's ease past Ferns St Aidan's

WEXFORD WRAP: Jack Redmond helped his side Rathnure to secure a place in the SHC final. Picture: Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile

RATHNURE made a happy return to the senior decider as they broke favourites Naomh Eanna hearts with a thoroughly deserved three point, 0-21 to 1-15 victory in their county semi-final clash at Chadwicks Wexford Park.

It has been an amazing rise for this proud club, qualifying for their first senior final since 2011, and now seeking their first major title since 2006, Rathnure's achievement is most remarkable in that they were relegated from senior ranks in 2023, recovered to win county and provincial intermediate last year, leaving them just 60 minutes away from lifting the coveted R. J. Bowe Cup.

It was an excellent semi-final with little separating the sides for most of the game. Naomh Eanna enjoyed an excellent start shooting into a 0-4 to 0-0 lead inside the opening six minutes through points from Padraig Doyle, Aodhan Doyle, Gary Molloy and Conor McDonald.

And with 13 minutes gone, Rathnure had turned the game around with five unanswered points through Michael Redmond (2), Jack Redmond (2) and Rory Higgins to lead 0-5 to 0-4. The sides continued to trade points for the remainder of a tense and hard fought opening 30 minutes but it was Rathnure who led 09 to 0-8 at the interval.

Much like the opening to the game, Naomh Eanna stormed out of the traps through points from Cathal Dunbar and Aodhan Doyle. The sides were still deadlocked at 0-11 each after forty-two minutes, with an Aodhan Doyle point then edging the Gorey town side back in front.

Rathnure went on to hit a real purple patch with sub Shane Lawlor sending over two points, while A. J. Redmond sent over two huge 80 metre frees. As Jack Redmond and Luke Codd added further points, Rathnure stormed into a 0-21 to 0-15 lead, but a Cathal Dunbar goal in additional time reduced the deficit to three points.

Rathnure keeper Kyle Martin denied the opposition an equalising goal with a superb save from Dunbar at the expense of a fruitless 65 as the Blackstairs men held out for a dramatic and deserved victory.

Reigning champions St. Martin's kept on course towards retaining their title with a comprehensive 1-22 to 3-9 semi-final victory over Ferns St. Aidan's.

Inspired by an inform Rory O'Connor who finished the game with a personal tally of 0-10, 0-8 frees, they controlled this game all through, and with cousin Barry O'Connor, back from Australia, lending a real attacking hand, they proved too much for the losers defence.

St. Martin's cruised through the opening quarter as the O'Connor threat sent over a string of points, leading 0-7 to 0-3, when a fortuitous Niall Murphy long range effort slipped the grasp of keeper Calum Quirke to reduce the deficit to 0-7 to 1-3.

But the titleholders continued to pick off excellent score before they got the decisive breakthrough four minutes before the break, when Mikey Coleman gathered a delightful crossfield ball from Rory O'Connor to beat keeper James Lawlor with a great shot to the corner of the net, which helped them to as 1-11 to 1-6 interval lead.

Ferns looked a pretty frustrated outfit as St.Martin's controlled the second 30 minutes strolling into a 1-15 to 1-8 lead, but a Corey Byrne-Dunbar goal from a 42st minute penalty, reducing the deficit to 1-15 to 2-8, gave Ferns a brief respite, but it was shortlived as O'Connor, Darren Codd and Jake Firman responded with points, leaving them comfortably in front, as an Ian Byrne goal in additional time for Ferns, gave the final scoreline a rather false look in a game controlled by the title holders.