Wexford SHC: Champions Shelmaliers beaten, Oulart-the-Ballagh relegated
Anne's, Liam For Wexford's Who Og St Shelmaliers Defending Mcgovern Starred Beat Champions
St Anne's of Rathangan turned in an astonishing display of hurling to end Shelmaliers reign as county senior champions with six points to spare, coming out on top 2-19 to 1-16 in an enthrilling semi-final at Chadwicks Wexford Park.
Both sides finished with 14 men, but St. Anne's were the more seriously impacted, having lost Mossy Cullen to a red car after just nine minutes, while the Shels had Eoin Doyle red carded in injury time.
St Anne's full-forward Jonathan Fogarty set the scene with a marvellous goal midway through the opening half, and while Conor Hearne responded for the reigning champions, it was still 14-man Anne's who continued to dominate leading 1-9 to 1-6 at the interval.
Even on the resumption the winners showed scant disregard for their numerical disadvantage as they sent over some splendid point through Dee O'Keeffe, Liam Og McGovern, Mark Furlong and Fogarty, while it was Ross Banville pointed frees that was keeping Shels in contention.
As the game moved towards additional time it was sub Paraic O'Keeffe who secured his sides final passage with a splendid goal.
Elsewhere, Enniscorthy Rapparees moved into the final with a shock defeat of pre-match favourites, Glynn-Barntown, on a 2-15 to 1-14 final scoreline.
An early Malachy Joyce goal put Gluynn-Barntown into a promising early position and while Lennie Connolly goaled for the opposition close to the interval, it was Glynn-Banrtown who led 1-10 to 1-6 at the change of ends.
But it was the Rapps who took the initiative on the resumption outscoring their opponents, 1-9 to 0-4, with Kevin Foley's late goal from a penalty securing a dramatic victory.
Oulart-the-Ballagh lost their senior status after 36 years when losing the relegation final 1-26 to 0-16 to once kingpins, St Martin's.
In the second relegation final, Crossabeg-Ballymurn in their first year back senior, were inspired by Paudi Foley, to a 1-16 to 1-15, victory over Fethard, who also lost their senior status.