Oulart eye unfinished business

GAELIC GAMES:THE DOMINANCE of Kilkenny at intercounty level has to an extent dulled the hurling rivalry in recent years between the county and Wexford. But on Sunday the counties will contest an interesting Leinster club final with Oulart-the-Ballagh and O'Loughlin Gaels as proxies.

Oulart’s single-mindedness under the baton of former player, All Star and All-Ireland medallist Liam Dunne and the experience of last year when they came within seconds of aborting what turned out to be Ballyhale’s All-Ireland-winning season have created an air of expectancy around the county.

Wexford clubs have struggled in the club championship throughout its 40 years and of the counties that have won Liam MacCarthy Cups in that period only Limerick have a less productive record on the national club stage.

It can be argued that the club All-Ireland is roughly reflective of intercounty fortunes (apart from Galway’s disproportionate success) but although Wexford’s one success, with Buffer’s Alley in 1989, is on a par with the county’s single MacCarthy Cup win seven years later, the county also has the hardest-luck story in club hurling.

Rathnure, home to the Rackard brothers, has contested and lost five All-Ireland finals over the first three decades of the championship.

Their defeat by St Joseph’s Doora-Barefield in 1999 was the last appearance by a Wexford club in Croke Park on St Patrick’s Day.

Buffer’s Alley’s victory was doubly celebrated in Wexford, as it completed the great Tony Doran’s medal collection.

The 42-year-old veteran played on the team that beat O’Donovan Rossa of Antrim in the final and added the club All-Ireland to those already won in the previous 26 years at minor, under-21 and senior county level.

Also playing on that team was the young Tom Dempsey, who would bring back another All-Ireland medal with the county in 1996.

Rathnure and Buffer’s Alley are the leading clubs on Wexford’s roll of honour with 20 and 12 titles respectively.

But Oulart have enjoyed a remarkable run since their first championship in 1994 and they currently stand on eight titles, averaging one every two years since that breakthrough. Prior to that golden era the club had actually lost its first 10 county finals.

But despite its high-profile and much-decorated players, Dunne and All-Ireland-winning Wexford captain Martin Storey, Oulart have yet to win a provincial title.

And that omission is down for resolution this weekend.

Pobalscoil Chorca Dhuibhne and St Flannan’s College, Ennis, were involved in an epic Munster Colleges Moran Cup (under-15 football) final played on a heavy Glin pitch yesterday afternoon.

It was the strong finish by the Kerry side, that saw them earn the spoils of victory – 3-6 to 2-4 – in their first year competing in the A grade.