Another 3 Leinster Titles For Wexford in record 60×30 season

Written by Antoin Ó Braoin, Rúnaí Contae
In what is fast becoming one of the most successful Leinster 60×30 campaigns for the county in recent years, another three titles have been won by Wexford players in the past twenty four hours. The tally of Leinster titles now stands at 13.

Following on the success last evening at Talbots Inch where Gavin Buggy and Barry McWilliams defeated Carlow to win the Over 35 A Doubles championship and Miles Connors and Michael Goggins captured the Junior B Doubles titles by beating Laois, another came the way of Wexford at Garryhill this evening when a very impressive John Roche and Damien Kelly defeated Kilkenny to win the Silver Masters B Doubles championship.
Buggy and McWilliams made a slow start against John Ryan and Ollie Ryan in the Over 35 A final and found themselves behind after the opening game which went the way of Carlow by the minimum margin of 21-20. Thereafter though it was all Wexford as they took complete control of the match early in the second and wasted no time in closing it out by a rather facile margin of 21-5. They maintained their dominance in the third to build up a huge 17-3 lead before the Barrowsiders enjoyed a brief resurgence to reduce the deficit to 17-10. For a while it looked like they were struggling to keep the momentum going but they recovered their composure in time to wrap up the match on a scoreline of 21-13.
 

Throughout the  Junior B Doubles campaign it was always felt that Miley Connors and Michael Goggins had the measure of the opposition and they confirmed that belief when they duly took the provincial title at Talbots Inch on Wednesday evening by beating Thomas Lennon and Ray Fogarty, Laois 11-21, 21-10, 21-2.
The Laois players who had also been runners up in the 2013 campaign were always going to put it up to Wexford in this match and after taking the first quite comfortably the alarm bells were going off on Slaneyside. The second saw a quick change however as Connors and Goggins upped their game and pulled away early on before levelling the tie with a 21-10 win to leave things all square.
The third turned out to be a stroll for the Wexford lads as their greater strength continued to take its toll on a tiring opposition and it was never a contest as Connors and Goggins came home the easiest of winners by 21-2.
Now that they have achieved junior status it is hoped they go on to claim the national title.
 
An inspiring second game display from Damien Kelly and John Roche secured the Leinster Silver Masters B Double title for Wexford at Garryhill this evening as they defeated Billy O’Keeffe and Ray Ryan, Kilkenny 21-15, 21-1.

It was a most unlikely scoreline given what had transpired in the opening game when the Wexfordmen put in a patchy performance at best to limp home a little unconvincingly. At times they had threatened to run away with that game too but Kilkenny rallied on several occasion before Kelly and Roche pulled out the big serves needed for a rather nervy win.
The second saw Kilkenny get the opening score but then Kelly in particular took this game by the scruff of the neck and everything changed in a flash. The Coolgreany player prowled the shortline with serious intent and attacking everything that came his way he prevented the rallies from developing and with it the chance for the ever dangerous O’Keeffe to go for his trademark killshot. Ball after ball was tucked away in the corners and with Roche getting in on the act as well Kilkenny had no answer. The scoreboard was kept ticking over at a rapid rate as point after point was added while no further scores were conceded.
That scoreline was a trifle harsh on O’Keeffe and Ryan as they tried hard throughout but when the Wexford lads got into their stride they were simply too strong a pairing.