Can The Rapparees Topple The Resurgent Oulart The Ballagh?

The Senior Hurling Championship quarter-finals got underway this weekend, and one fan has given their thoughts… 

When the Rapparees took on Rathnure this evening, their focus was admirable and they were reminiscent of a savvy Oulart The Ballagh team at work. They found each other intelligently and created space in abundance so they were sure to find the target regularly. Their young seasoned players Foley and Ryan got through a mountain of work while their full back line successfully snuffed out any threat Rathnure posed. The Rapps’ fast running corner forwards worked blissfully with the golden oldie Tomas Mahon who was like a wily old fox ready to pounce at a moment’s notice. Lately, I recommended that he be given the Freedom of Enniscorthy town and have a street named in his honour for his efforts in resurrecting the town’s fortunes on the hurling field. As I write, it is known that they will meet Oulart-The Ballagh in the semi-final, and that is a game I want to see…

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Picture Credit: Inpho.ie/ Billy Stickland.

Earlier in the afternoon, the aforementioned Oulart-The Ballagh accounted for a gutsy Shelmaliers side who went toe to toe with their opponents all the way to the last couple of minutes. With the Shelmaliers a point behind and the game well into the last 5 minutes, it looked like we could have a shock in store but then Oulart did what Oulart do best. Out of seemingly nowhere, they scored a goal and followed up with a point to put the game beyond the Shels’ just as they were beginning to believe. Oulart have punished many teams like that this year and for many years now. Just as fans of Wexford hurling were beginning to talk about cracks in their armoury, they went and pulled it out of the bag once again. This team has gold in abundance and some of it is currently representing Wexford with great distinction. There may be one or two nuggets on the way up too and it would definitely be worth stopping the wagon and doing a dig. Without doubt, with the two teams reaching the peak level of form, the semi-final between Oulart and The Raps will be a cracking game. 

In the other Wexford SHC semi-final, St Martins will play Naomh Eanna of Gorey which is also set to be an intriguing tie.

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Wexford Weekly 

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