Oulart-The Ballagh 1-18 Glynn-Barntown 1-18

Two late Rory Jacob points spared Oulart-The Ballagh against fired-up Glynn-Barntown in Friday evening’s keenly contested Pettitt’s county senior hurling championship Group B opener at Bellefield.

It was the first meeting of the sides since a last-gasp Glynn-Barntown goal had derailed Oulart at the quarter-final stage in the 2014 competition, and the Killurin-men appeared set to steal the show again after Michael O’Regan goaled and Barry Doyle pointed to turn the tables by 1-18 to 1-16 on 56 minutes.

But Jacob intervened, and most crucially from an injury-time free, to spare new Oulart boss Andy Maloney in the Tipperary man’s bow in the Wexford championship.

Oulart certainly missed the presence of Keith Rossiter in defence, as he was forced to sit out through injury, and Glynn-Barntown’s deployment of Michael O’Regan to full-forward caused Oulart quite an amount of discomfort.

Regardless, all Glynn’s tremendous huff and puff seemed to matter for little as Oulart forged clear by 0-4 to 0-1 after eight minutes with two Des Mythen strikes sandwiching similar contributions from Rory Jacob and Garrett Sinnott.

But Glynn-Barntown clearly sensed opportunity as they struck back to transform things by 0-5 to 0-4 after 13 minutes through the forceful Craig Doyle together with captain Gary Moore (2) and Rowan White.

Oulart got back level on three occasions before making a real breakthrough on 22 minutes when a long delivery from midfielder Billy Dunne broke towards the front of the square, where Nicky Kirwan popped up to rifle to the town-end net for a 1-7 to 0-7 advantage

And Oulart maintained their lead at the break following a double exchange of scores in the closing stages (1-9 to 0-9).

Glynn-Barntown appeared to be getting their claws stuck in as they dominated the third-quarter to turn the tables by 0-16 to 1-12 after striking five points without reply between the 37th and 45th minutes through Craig Doyle (2), goalie Mark Fanning (2 frees) and captain Gary Moore.

Nicky Kirwan brought Oulart level, and after an exchange of scores, Oulart opened-up a 1-16 to 0-17 lead on 54 minutes as Garrett Sinnott and Murtha Doyle both struck.

But the game then took an intriguing twist as Glynn-Barntown suddenly hit the front by 1-18 to 1-16 on 56 minutes when Michael O’Regan grabbed a long delivery from Pádraig Donnelly to finish to an empty net, before Barry Doyle completed a four-point swing.

Rory Jacob shaved the margin to the minimum on 56 minutes (1-18 to 1-17), but Oulart were caused concern as they fluffed two scoring opportunities before Jacob came to their rescue from a free a minute into added-time.

Oulart-The Ballagh – Conor O’Leary; Kevin Nimmo, Barry Kehoe, Anthony Roche; Paul Roche, Kevin Sheridan, Shaun Murphy (capt.); Billy Dunne (0-2), David Redmond; Rory Jacob (0-5, 2 frees), Des Mythen (0-4), Peter Murphy; Murtha Doyle (0-4), Garrett Sinnott (0-2), Nicky Kirwan (1-1).

Subs: (temporary, Conor Goff for Dunne, 19); Conor Goff for Redmond (45); Peter Sutton for Dunne (49); Martin Óg Storey for Kirwan (60).

Glynn-Barntown – Mark Fanning (0-4 frees); Barry Doyle, Jack Fenlon, Pádraig Donnelly; Cian Neville, David Clarke, Kevin Crean; Craig Doyle (0-5), Gary Moore (capt., 0-6, 3 frees); Shane Wilde, Rowan White (0-1), Alan Cowman; Brendan Doyle (0-1), Michael O’Regan (1-0), Daire Barron (0-1).

Subs: (temporary, Ger Dempsey for Clarke, 19); Fionn Cooney for Wilde (40).

Referee – Dan Crosbie (Kilmore).