Oulart-The Ballagh (Wexford) 0-17 O'Loughlin Gaels (Kilkenny) 3-17
O'Loughlin Gaels will meet Dublin's Cuala in the Leinster SHC final after a comprehensive 3-17 to 0-17 win over Oulart-The Ballagh at Wexford Park.
Gaels showed patience to haul an earlier rampant Oulart-the-Ballagh in with some wonderful scores to eventually see off the reigning provincial champions with nine points to spare.
While Oulart-the-Ballagh may have been left frustrated, credit must go to O’Loughlin Gaels who overcame a dreadful start to earn victory.
They were five points adrift after just ten minutes then 0-09 to 1-01 down after 18 minutes.
O’Loughlin Gaels kept their composure though, and having laboured through that opening spell they went on to take control of the game.
The final scoreline had them nine points clear at the final whistle, but much of this can be attributed to Mark Bergin, who finished the game with a personal tally of 1-08, 0-04 from frees.
Bergin teased and tormented the home defence, and coupled with the excellent point taking of veteran Martin Comerford, they had the losers' defence labouring through the second 30 minutes.
Oulart-the-Ballagh, with some well taken points from corner-forward Nicky Kirwan along with the accuracy of Garrett Sinnott and David Redmond, led 0-05 to 0-00 after ten minutes.
O’Loughlin Gaels had to wait until two minutes later for their opening score - a splendid Mark Kelly goal, shooting high to the net.
The Wexford champions still led 0-09 to 1-01 after 18 minutes, but then disaster struck the home side when keeper Conor O’Leary allowed a speculative lob from Bergin slip from his grasp to the net.
The score lit up the Kilkenny champions, who finished the half with excellent points from Comerford and Bergin to lead 2-06 to 0-10 against the run of play at the interval.
After Peter Murphy and Bergin had exchanged early second half points, it was a fine David Redmond effort that had the sides level, 2-07 to 0-13, after 35 minutes.
A fine Danny Loughnane point restored his side’s lead, but they got the crucial breakthrough after 38 minutes.
As Oulart-the-Ballagh tried to play the ball short out of defence, corner-forward Sammy Johnston intercepted and raced through the defence to place a low shot beyond keeper Conor O’Leary, giving his side a 3-08 to 0-13 lead.
While Oulart-the-Ballagh strove valiantly to get back into the game through Garrett Sinnott and David Redmond points, the visitors continued to control matters and with the experienced Comerford and Bergin and Mark Kelly continuing to pick off excellent scores, they gradually pulled away to engineer what was a highly-impressive victory.
Oulart-the-Ballagh: C O’Leary; A Roche, K Rossiter, B Kehoe; D Morton, S Murphy, K Sheridan; D Redmond (0-02), E Moore; D Mythen (0-02), T Storey, P Murphy (0-01); R Jacob (0-01), G Sinnott (0-05), N Kirwan (0-04, 0-03 frees).
Subs: M. Jacob for Morton (26); M Og Storey (0-01) for Sheridan (43); M Doyle for Mythen (44); B Dunne (0-1) for T Storey (46); N Redmond for P Murphy (51).
O’Loughlin Gaels: S Murphy; A Forristal, A Kearns, E Kearns; A O’Brien, B Hogan, H Lawlor (0-01); P Butler, P Deegan (0-02); A Geoghegan, M Kelly (1-01), D Loughnane (0-01); S Johnston (1-00), M Bergin (1-08, 0-4 frees), M Comerford (0-04).
Subs: S Bolger for Johnston; S Mahony for Hogan (58); E Grant for Geoghegan (58); D Burke for Butler (60).
Referee: A Devine (Westmeath).
