Wexford’s hosting of national Féile na nGael in hurling and camogie a resounding success
Oylegate-Glenbrien were the best-performing Wexford hurling team in the top division. Photo: John Walsh Photography
Blackwater were Wexford’s Division 1 camogie representatives. Photo: John Walsh Photography
Wexford was the hurling and camogie mecca for the Under-15s of the island last weekend, with the best of the best descending on the south-east for a true festival of small-ball activity.
As hosts, the county was well represented across all divisions, with the cream of the crop for both girls and boys heading to Halo Tiles Centre of Excellence in Ferns, where the Division 1 competition was played in its entirety.
After the disappointment of losing the Slaney festival final to St. Anne’s, Oylegate-Glenbrien shone brightest of all Wexford representatives on the national stage.
They were the only club to emerge from the group into the Division 1 Cup, drawing 0-7 to 1-4 with Cashel King Cormacs of Tipperary before defeating Michael Cusacks of Galway (2-3 to 0-7) and Offaly’s Shamrocks (2-6 to 0-4). They fell to eventual runners-up Ballinora of Cork in the last eight (2-5 to 1-7).
Wexford had five other representatives in the top division. After a sticky round-robin stage, in which they lost to Ballyhogue, Limerick’s Na Piarsaigh and Ballinora, St. Anne’s recovered to defeat Shamrocks and Naomh Éanna to take the Division 1 Plate.
Gorey had battled hard to reach that point, losing three tough group games to Sixmilebridge (Clare), St. Lachtain’s (Kilkenny) and Kilmacud Crokes (Dublin) before beating Rapparees in the Plate semi. The Bellefield boys had lost to Monageer-Boolavogue, Dunloy from Antrim and Waterford’s Ballygunner – the eventual overall champions – in their round-robin.
Monageer-Boolavogue had qualified for the Shield competition after their win against the Rapps and losses against the other two in the group, before they fell narrowly to Sixmilebridge in the semi.
Finally, Ballyhogue were also in that competition after losing to Ballinora and Na Piarsaigh in the round-robin, and they fell to Cashel King Cormacs by 1-6 to 0-5 in their last-four clash.
Wexford had one representative in Division 1 camogie, Slaney festival champions Blackwater. The St. Brigid’s girls lost their opener to Cork’s Blarney (3-5 to 0-4) but bounced back with a 0-6 to 0-3 win against Naomh Jude from Dublin.
It was all to play for against defending champions Boherlahan-Dualla, but the Tipperary girls edged it by 2-2 to 1-3 to leave Blackwater in the shield.
There the Wexford club beat Mungret of Limerick by 2-8 to 0-7 before losing the final to Young Irelands (Kilkenny) by 0-6 to 0-4 for a creditable sixth-place finish.
Wexford had four clubs in Division 2 of the hurling tournament, with two coming away with minor honours.
Oulart-The Ballagh lost to Naas (Kildare) but beat Naomh Bríd of Carlow to reach the Shield competition, where they beat Blackwater and Clann Gaels (Westmeath) to take the silverware.
Blackwater had advanced to that point with a loss to Camross of Laois and a draw with Liatroim Fontenoys of Down before succumbing to Oulart-The Ballagh.
Ferns St. Aidan’s also made the shield semis after a loss to Abbeydorney from Kerry before defeating Kilmessan of Meath. They lost their last-four match to Clann Gaels from Westmeath.
The Gaels beat Faythe Harriers in the group stages, with the 2016 Division 1 champions also defeated by Slaughneil (Derry). It left the Páirc Charman club in the plate semi-final where they beat Kilmessan and then defeated Liatroim Fontenoys to take the silverware.
Tara Rocks were Wexford’s representatives in Division 2 of the camogie, but it was a tough ask against the best teams from Kildare, Laois and Derry.
They lost those group games to Celbridge, Naomh Éamann and Ballinderry before bowing out in the shield semi-final to St. Brigid’s from Offaly.
FIve Wexford clubs filled spots in Division 3 of the hurling competition, with Horeswood and Ballynastragh Gaels emerging with silverware.
The Woodies narrowly lost to eventual champions Céide Lámh Dhearg from Armagh before drawing with Burt of Donegal.
Horeswood beat Glynn-Barntown by 0-10 to 0-9 in the shield semi-final before getting the better of Omagh (Tyrone) by 1-3 to 0-4 in the decider. The Killurin side had made the last four by losing to HWH-Bunclody and drawing with Westport (Mayo).
The Connacht side would face Wexford opposition for a third time in the plate final, where they lost to Ballynastragh Gaels.
The Gorey District club lost to Athleague/Tremane (Roscommon) and Omagh in the group stages but bounced back to take the plate with knockout wins against Tourlestrane (Sligo) and Westport.
HWH-Bunclody were the only Wexford representative to make the cup semi-finals, after defeating Glynn-Barntown and Westport in the group, but they fell to champions Céide Lamh Dhearg in the last four.
Rathnure were Wexford’s final representative in Division 3. They lost to Omagh in the shield semi-final, after beating Tourlestrane and losing to Michael Dwyers (Wicklow) in the round-robin games.
St. Patrick’s were Wexford’s representatives in Division 3 of the camogie. Narrow losses to Waterford’s Abbeyside and Na Fianna of Meath were followed by a good win against Down’s Bredagh. However, they were edged out by 1-3 to 0-5 in the shield by Kerry’s best team, Tralee Parnells.
Wexford had two contenders for the Division 4 hurling crown, with Craanford (see final report) and Our Lady’s Island/St. Fintan’s excelling.
The Wexford District club beat St. Fechin’s of Louth before losing to Leitrim’s Cluainín Iomáint and New York. It left them in the shield where they defeated Naomh Aodhán and Inniskeen to take the silverware.
In the regional tournaments, Buffers Alley lost their Region 6 shield final to Carrig-Riverstown/Coolderry of Offaly by 1-7 to 2-3, while Geraldine O’Hanrahans lost in the Region 4 shield semi-final to Broadford.
In Division 5 of the camogie, Castletown-Liam Mellows put in a fantastic effort to go unbeaten in the group stages with wins against Éire Óg Greystones (Wicklow) and Britain, while drawing with Ratoath (Meath). They fell by 2-2 to 1-2 to Inniskeen (Monaghan) in the cup semi-final
While HWH-Bunclody were the star performer in Division 6 of the camogie, Kilmore also made the cup semi-final with group game victories over St. Patrick’s Palmerstown (Dublin) and Portarlington (Laois) before losing to eventual champions St. Patrick’s of Derry in the final four.
Na Fianna Clonard made the shield semi-finals after losing to HWH-Bunclody, St. Patrick’s and Clane (Kildare) in the round-robin. They put in a gritty performance against Palmerstown in the last four but came up short.
Finally, Wexford had three representatives in Division 7 camogie, with Faythe Harriers securing the only win. They defeated Fethard in the shield semi-final before losing the decider against Annacarty from Tipperary.
Fethard ended their campaign with losses against Ballyhogue, Ballyea (Clare) and the Harriers. The Bree girls picked up that win against their Wexford rivals but narrowly lost to eventual winners Annacarty in the shield semi-final.
