Gusserane 2-12, Glynn-Barntown 1-12
0-4 in the 25th-minute.
Another Glynn-Barntown defender, David Clarke, lent his influence to the attacking end of things when soloing forward to feed sub James Stafford, who weaved through before locating Shane Wilde, who crashed to the town-end net as he turned the tables by 1-4 to 1-3 in the 27th-minute.
Adrian Flynn tied matters from a free, and while Rioghan Crosbie edged Glynn-Barntown back in front, the sides broke inseparable on 1-5 apiece at half-time after a neat score from Kenneth Cahill.
Shane White nudged Glynn-Barntown back in front by 1-6 to 1-5 with a 33rd-minute point, but Gusserane then set about taking the game by the scruff of the neck to assert control by 2-11 to 1-8 after 48 minutes.
Seán Ryan went close to netting but blazed over the crossbar, and Mark O’Neill followed-up to tie matters on 1-7 apiece. Seconds later the subsequent kick-out was turned-over as Adrian Flynn set up ‘Mini’ Ryan to explode Gusserane into a 2-7 to 1-7 lead.
Their position was strengthened by 2-11 to 1-8 as Sam Wall, Mark Rossiter (2) and Adrian Flynn added to the push for a first final appearance since they actually denied Glynn-Barntown in the 2016 final.
The Wexford district side then began to fight-back with force, and they got back to within 2-12 to 1-12 as Rob Tierney, Michael O’Regan (2) and sub Robert Dempsey fuelled hopes of a successful recovery. But they were unfortunate with a number of chances as Gusserane held out to set up a county final showdown against Castletown.
Gusserane – Michael Ryan; Gavin Sheehan (0-1), Jack O’Connor, Jack Burford; Adrian Redmond, Mark O’Neill (0-1), Graeme Cullen (capt.); Cillian Kehoe, John Roche; Kenneth Cahill (0-1), Sam Wall (0-3), Mark Rossiter (0-2); Seán Ryan (1-1), Adrian Flynn (0-3, 2 frees), Páraic Conway (1-0).
Subs: Tom Foran for Kenneth Cahill (39); Shane Cullen for Mark Rossiter (49); Mark Rossiter for John Roche (59); Jamie Cooney for Sam Wall (60+4).
Glynn-Barntown – Matt Doyle; Rowan White, Robert Tierney (0-2), David Clarke; Matt Banville, John Leacy (capt.), Kevin Mahoney; Aaron Breen (0-1), Cormac Rowe; Fionn Cooney (0-2), Barry Doyle, Rioghan Crosbie (0-2); Aaron Kehoe (0-1), Michael O’Regan (0-2, 1 free), Shane Wilde (1-1).
Subs: James Stafford for Barry Doyle (22); Alan Cowman for Aaron Kehoe (44); Robert Dempsey (0-1) for Rioghan Crosbie (51); Conor Mahoney for Kevin Mahoney (58); Michael Doyle for Shane Wilde (60).
Referee – Justin Heffernan (Blackwater
[nggallery id=559].
