Jodie Donohoe's impact seals Shelmaliers' Wexford title against Gusserane O'Rahillys
Sam Park Wexford Photo By Barnes/sportsfile
Sub Jodie Donohoe was the toast of Shelmaliers as his 1-2 in the second half inspired his side to an eventual four-point victory over Gusserane O'Rahillys in this closely fought Wexford SFC final at Chadwicks Wexford Park.
The game was finely balanced with Shelmaliers holding a single-point lead at the interval, but with the minimum still separating the sides on 50 minutes, it was Donohoe who got on the end of a sweeping move to fire high into the roof of the net.
The sides were deadlocked 0-3 each when an Arnie Murphy point gave the Shels the lead at the first water break, but four minutes before half-time it was Murphy who struck for the game's opening goal finishing from close range to give his side a 1-5 to 0-4 lead. Gusserane finished the half strongly with points from Mark Rossiter, Adrian Redmond, and Adrian Flynn to leave the minimum separating the sides at the interval, 1-5 to 0-7.
Little was to separate the sides on the resumption and just as it looked as if Shels were about to assume control moving into a three-point lead, a delightful 41st-minute Rossiter goal brought the sides back level, 1-8 apiece.
Eoghan Nolan and Rossiter (free) exchanged points, while Donohoe lofted over a great point, and it was the same player who had tormented the defence following his half-time introduction that popped up for the goal that was to eventually decide the destination of the title.
J Donohoe 1-2; A Murphy 1-1; G Malone 0-5 (4fs); E Nolan, P O'Leary, C Hearne, 0-1 each.
M Rossiter 1-5 (3fs); A Flynn 0-2; A Redmond, P Conway, T Foran 0-1 each.
C McCabe; A O'Brien, J Cash, G Staples; R Banville, S Donohoe, A Cash; G Malone, E Nolan; S Keane-Carroll, A Murphy, P O'Leary; K Roche, B Malone, C Hearne.
J Donohoe for Roche (h-t), M Power for O'Leary (43), E Doyle for Murphy (53), D Campbell for Keane-Carroll (58).
M Ryan; J O'Connor, K Cahill, A Redmond; G Sheehan, M O'Neill, E Ryan; J Roche, C Kehoe; A Flynn, G Cullen, P Conway; S Ryan, T Foran, M Rossiter.
J Burford for Cahill (43), J Sheehan for Flynn (52), S Wall for Foran (69).
K Carty (Sarsfields).