Harriers Just Pip Ferns in Thriller

Lead is Swapped in Tense Finish

Faythe Harriers.................... 2-8

Ferns..................................  2-7

The boys of Wexford town and Ferns produced a treat of open, entertaining, first class hurling in a game that will live in the memory of those privileged to have seen it, when they met in the under-12 "A" final.

Championship fare of the highest order, it was a game fit to grace any occasion, and the pity really was that there should be a loser, for neither side deserved to be such. I have never witnessed anything like it at such an early age and the scenes that followed the final whistle were more akin to All-Ireland day.

The sides were level no less than five times during the course of a game in which the lead changed hands just as frequently. They were level at half-time and then Ferns pulled back an early second half deficit of six points to level again five minutes from the end. The lead changed hands twice in that short space of time in a most enthralling finish.

Ferns achieved more in defeat than many a team does in victory. They were a superbly coached side and their free flowing hurling fore the Harriers apart at times.

They had outstanding individuals in John Murray, Vincent Murphy, Paul Breen, James Kelly and David Moynihan, and more especially goalie Eamon Moulds.

Harriers victory took a tremendous team performance with each man giving his all-especially when their big lead was pulled back with so little time left. Then they showed their worth.

They fought and tackled tigerishly for every ball and they had their stars too, particularly Justin Browne, Johnny Martin, Kenneth "Stock" Walsh and Kevin Bradley.

Faythe Harriers - John Furlong; Dave McGuire; Joe Hore; Larry O'Gorman; Justin Browne; Brian Tennant (0-1); Thomas Roche; Kevin "Kurdoc" Murphy and John Byrne; John Martin (0-2); Kenneth "Stock" Walsh (1-0); Pat Walsh (0-1); Declan Cunningham (0-1); P.J Kelly (0-2); Kieran Bradley (1-1);  Sub: P.J Carney (0-1)

Ferns - Eamon Moulds; Pat Murphy; Sean Murphy; Ger Collier; Paul Breen; J.J Jordan; Tim Byrne (0-1); John Murray (0-2) and Vincent Murphy; Chris Parker (0-1); James Kelly (0-1); David Moynihan (1-1); Donal Breslin; Tom Kinsella (1-1) James O'Connor.