Kirwan retorts to keep Oulart top

Oulart-the-Ballagh 1-15 Rathnure 1-9: HOLDERS Oulart-the-Ballagh stormed past Rathnure with six points to spare in this lacklustre tie at Wexford Park yesterday.

Rathnure took the lead through a second minute Robbie Codd point, but the champions led by 0-11 to 0-6 at the interval.

The third quarter was following much the same pattern when Rathnure struck for a goal after 45 minutes through Nigel Higgins.

Oulart returned to the attack, where Nicky Kirwan scored a goal to kill off the Rathnure challenge.

OULART-THE-BALLAGH: P Dempsey; J Roche, P Roche, B Kehoe; D Morton, D Stamp, M Jacob (0-1); L Dunne, D Redmond (0-3); S Doyle, K Rossiter (0-1), D Mythen (0-2); N Kirwan (1-5, three frees, one 65), A O'Leary (0-1), R Jacob (0-2). Subs: D Nolan for Mythen, F Cullen for Dunne, E Moore for Rossiter.

RATHNURE: D Flynn; S Somers, B O'Leary, A O'Connell; J O'Connor, S O'Neill, M O'Leary; P Codd (0-5, four frees, one 65), P Whitely; A Codd, M Byrne, N Higgins (1-2), R Flynn, R Codd (0-1), T Hogan (0-1). Subs: C Byrne for R Flynn; R Guiney for A Codd; M J Murphy for Hogan.

Referee: J Owens (Askamore).

Lambert gives  St Martin's edge

THE SCORING exploits of Barry Lambert were enough to see St Martin's edge to a single point victory at Wexford Park.

Lambert shot five of his side's first-half points, but a Liam Óg McGovern goal saw St Anne's lead by 1-5 to 0-6 at the interval.

Lambert shot two points to bring the sides level and Eoin Quigley's ninth-minute point had St Martin's in front.

Redmond Barry's accuracy kept St Anne's in touch, but St Martin clung on to a single-point lead.

ST MARTIN'S: P O'Connor; D Sane, K Furlong, D Hayes; W Devereux, R McCarthy, J Coleman; E Quigley (0-1), D Lyng; P Kelly (0-2), T Waters, K Price; J Boggan, P Murphy, B Lambert (0-7, two frees). Subs: R Quigley for Murphy, R Wilson (0-1) for Price, D Scallan for Sane, D Waters for Boggan.

ST ANNE'S: J Codd; T Byrne, D Fogarty, R O'Connor; K Clooney, D O'Connor, J O'Connor; C McGovern, M Fogarty; D Berry, R Stafford (0-1), R Barry (0-6, five frees, one 65); P O'Keeffe, J Fogarty, L Óg McGovern (1-0). Subs: M Furlong for O'Keeffe, F Simpson for M Fogarty, J Codd for Simpson.

Referee: D Murphy (Rapparees).