Strongly fancied Horeswood endured a real examination in round-two of business in the Amber Springs & Ashdown Park county intermediate football championship.

GROUP A

But Horeswood maintained their strong push for an immediate return to senior ranks when coming through a stiff challenge from Crossabeg-Ballymurn at Tagoat on Saturday.

There was only a point between them in the end (2-11 to 0-16) after reigning intermediate ‘A’ champions Ballymurn produced a stirring recovering to go agonisingly close to extending their unbeaten start to the campaign.

Goals from Seán Nolan and David Larkin saw Aidan O’Brien’s Horeswood forge ahead by 2-7 to 0-5 after a wind-assisted first-half.

Ballymurn responded in determined fashion to close to within 2-10 to 0-14 after 52 minutes and they narrowed the gap further only for time to run out on their valiant efforts as Horeswood built upon their opening win over Maudlintown.

St. Mary’s-Rosslare, meanwhile, were in formidable goal-scoring form when overcoming St. Joseph’s by 5-10 to 1-6 on Saturday at Killurin.

Paul Kinsella (2), Andrew Murphy, Cian Boggan and recent Wexford star David Murphy all netted for Jack Murphy’s side as they followed-up their opening weekend draw against Bannow-Ballymitty.

St. Joseph’s are still seeking their first points of the campaign.

At Clongeen on Saturday, goals from Todd Hynes, Graham Carty and Jason Swords headlined St. Mary’s-Maudlintown bouncing back from defeat to Horeswood to record a noteworthy 3-12 to 0-5 win over Bannow having led by 2-4 to 0-1 at half-time.

GROUP B

After drawing with Duffry Rovers first day out, the 2017 runners-up HWH-Bunclody were powered by goals from Eoin Kelly, Edward Dunbar and Peter Atkinson as they accounted for Adamstown by 3-7 to 0-13 in Saturday’s Group B game at St. Patrick’s Park.

Eoin Kelly’s goal shaded matters by 1-4 to 0-6 at half-time in favour of the eventual winners, before the remaining goals were deposited within four minutes of the resumption to leave the Kevin Kehoe-managed Adamstown with a mountain to climb.

The second game at St. Patrick’s Park resulted in a draw when Ballyhogue tied matters on 2-11 to 1-14 against Ferns St. Aidan’s after Ryan Nolan seemed to have pointed Ferns to back-to-back wins.

Ballyhogue led by 0-7 to 0-4 before the sides tied on 0-7 apiece at half-time.

Ryan Nolan netted a 1-9 to 0-8 lead for Ferns.

But Ballyhogue snapped back with goals from Noel Roche (penalty) and James Parle to turn the tables by 2-8 to 1-9 midway through the second-half.

Ivan Meegan, Ryan Nolan and Paul Morris were key to Ferns edging ahead by 1-14 to 2-10 before Ballyhogue denied them as they ensured a justified outcome.