Castletown 0-13 Shelmaliers 0-09
Castletown defied the underdogs' tag to shoot to the summit of the Wexford SFC roll of honour on 12 titles when shocking holders Shelmaliers in Sunday’s final at Chadwicks Wexford Park.
The challengers executed an outstanding second-half when confining Shelmaliers to two scores to atone for a qualifying loss to the same opposition and recapture the trophy for the first time since 2019.
In the process multiple All-Ireland champion Eoghan O’Gara was denied pocketing a first county senior football championship medal in his debut season with Shelmaliers after being well contained by Danny Gardiner.
The winners were chasing a third Wexford football crown within the space of five years against a Castletown unit minus score-merchant Ben Brosnan, who was unsuccessful in three attempts to over-turn a red-card from the semi-final.
Wind-assisted Shelmaliers forged a 0-02 to 0-01 lead after a tense opening quarter, as Glen Malone (free) and Tony Smith responded to a fifth minute Castletown ice-breaker from captain Conor Carty.
The Donohoe brothers, Simon and Jody, together with Smith extended the holders four points clear, before Conor Carty pegged back a free for Castletown (0-05 to 0-02).
And Castletown were defying the odds as they competed purposefully to close within 0-7 to 0-5 at half-time courtesy of a Donnacha Holmes’ double and midfielder Rory Heffernan.
The challengers posed real danger on the restart as Robbie Brooks flicked over a goaling chance, before Liam Coleman, Holmes and Rory Heffernan transformed matters by 0-10 to 0-7 within twelve minutes.
While Shelmaliers dominated for a spell, their drought continued as they encountered a well organised Castletown rearguard.
The title-holders eventually ended their 20-minute minute impasse with a free from Glen Malone on 50 minutes (0-10 to 0-8).
But Castletown remained defiant with Robbie Brooks (free) and Jack Higgins generating a 0-12 to 0-08 gap after 52 minutes, and with Shelmaliers finishing with nine wides – six more than their rivals – and losing substitute Dan Campbell to an injury-time red-card, it was the maroon and white left embracing the spoils and a home Leinster club encounter against Portarlington of Laois next Sunday.
Castletown: Darragh Brooks (0-1 free); Ross Cody, Danny Gardiner, Joe Ahern; Joe Gardiner, Colin Kennedy, Frank Roche (0-1); Rory Heffernan (0-2), Liam Coleman (0-1); Conor Carty (0-2, 1 free), Robbie Brooks (0-2, 1 free), Jack Higgins (0-1); Brendan Halpin, Jody O’Shaughnessy, Donnacha Holmes (0-3).
Subs: James Holmes for D. Holmes, temp. (28-29), Killian Pierce for Halpin (56), James Holmes for D. Holmes (60+2).
Shelmaliers: Craig McCabe; Andre O’Brien, James Cash (0-1), Ross Banville; Glen Malone (0-2 free), Graham Staples, Simon Donohoe (0-1); Eoghan Nolan (0-1), Sean Keane-Carroll; Jody Donohoe (0-1), Tony Smith (0-2), Aaron Murphy; Conor Hearne, Eoghan O’Gara, Brian Malone (0-1).
Subs: Eoin Doyle for Smith (39), Dan Campbell for O’Brien (44), Aidan Cash for J. Donohoe (47), Paul Hearne for O’Gara (56).
