Gusserane through to Wexford Senior Football final after dramatic one point win in semi-final

On Saturday afternoon, we saw the first of the Wexford Senior Football Championship semi-finals between Crossabeg Ballymurn and Gusserane O Rahilly’s…

Short preview:

This game promises to be a tight affair. Two teams come into this semi-final clash in similar form. Both teams finished second in their groups. Gusserane come into this one as slight favourites, having only one defeat and one draw so far in the championship comparing to Crossabeg’s 2 defeats in this year’s Championship.

Gusserane will be hoping to reach thir first final in over 3 years when they lost out to the Shelmarliers back in 2021. For Gusserane, they haven’t won the county championship since 2016. On the other hand, Crossabeg have never made it to the county final. They will be hoping to end that wait today.

Match report:

It was a cold and crisp, but sunny afternoon at Wexford Park and Gusserane started the brightest.

Gusserane were well on top in the first half. They dominated the whole first half in Wexford Park as they led 0-10 to 0-03 at half time. There was no doubt that sharpshooter Mark Rossiter was the key man for Gusserane in this half, scoring 3 points from play and one well taken free.

However, Crossabeg came back racing back into the game five minutes into the 2^nd half thanks to an superb goal Oran Maddock. There was a bit of ping ball in the build up to Crossabeg’s first goal in the game. They had two shots blocked on the line from the resilient Gusserane defence until Maddock rattled the ball into the back of the net which made it a narrow lead for Gusserane. Now, only 3 points seperated the sides.Crossabeg were well back into this game now.

Crossabeg managed to get the next point if the game to make a slender 2 point advantage for Gusserane. Gusserane did respond with a point of their own from their key man Mark Rossiter once again.

However, Crossabeg scored five points in a row to go 1-09 to 0-11 ahead 17 minutes into the 2^nd half.

Gusserane didn’t score for 10 minutes until they levelled the game again thanks to a Kenneth Cahill point. It was a tense second half and Crossabeg got into a 1-12 to 0-13 lead in injury time. It looked it was going to be Crossabeg’s day.

But it wasn’t to be no this occasion. Two late points from Kenneth Cahill and Padraic Conway who hit the crucial scores saved Gusserane’s skin in a dramatic finish at Chadwicks Wexford Park. The full time score in normal time was Gusserane 0-15 Crossabeg 1-12, a drawn game which forced extra-time in the Wexford SFC semi-final.

Extra time got under way and the ball was thrown in again. Guserane got into a early lead inside the first five minutes. Crossabeg did respond with 2 points off their own. One came from Jack Fortune and another from Mark Byrne, both points coming from play.

Crossabeg led by 1 point at half time in extra-tima. It was all to play for in the second half of extra-time. But again, similar to normal time, it was second half heartbreak for Crossabeg as Gusserane got two more points in the second half of extra time to go one point clear of Crossabeg/Ballymurn.

The winning point that booked @GORahillys place in the Dominic Smith Senior Football Final pic.twitter.com/WaXlHmG2nV
— Wexford GAA (@OfficialWexGAA) October 13, 2024

Crossabeg were unable to get the equalising point to bring the game to a penalty shootout. The two previous points from Evan Kiely and Mark Rossiter won the game for Gusserane.

Referee Eamonn Furlong blew the full-time whistle; it was pure joy for Guserane – but absolute heartbreak for Crossabeg. The Crossabeg players fell to their knees in devastation they gave it everything out on the pitch.

As for Gusserane, they will await the winners of the other Semi final between Castletown and Glynn-Barntown which takes place on Sunday, October 13th .