Paul Codd almost single-handedly dismissed the Ballygalget challenge at Parnell Park yesterday to give Rathnure an easy path into the All-Ireland final.
In collecting 14 points, eight of which came from play, Codd marked his recent appointment as Wexford captain with a blazing display of scoring that never gave the Down champions a hope of reaching Croke Park on St Patrick's Day.
More significantly, it created a deserved confidence in the Wexford side that they an claim their first All-Ireland title at the sixth attempt when they come up against St Joseph's Doora-Barefield.
Victory at this level is, of course, as much based on team performance as individual brilliance, and there's equal reason to believe that the strength and fitness of this side will prove hard to handle in the final stage. Brendan O'Leary and Austin Codd were also adept at getting scores while captain Joe Mooney, along with the Guiney brothers, Dave and Rod, was the foundation of an impressive defence which stood up to the best Ballygalget could offer.
A game that started in sunshine very quickly turned dim from an Ulster point of view. An explosive opening saw Codd fire over his first free after just 30 seconds although Johnny McGrattan and Martin Coulter Jnr matched the left half forward point for point. Indeed, Ballygalget momentarily pulled 0-3 to 0-2 in front before Codd added his fourth score on ten minutes and from that point on there was no looking back.
Ballygalget's eagerness and hunger simply wasn't rivalled by their skill level and they could find no response as Codd became increasingly inventive around the middle of the field. It didn't seem to matter where he was or where he came from as even the scorekeeper struggled to keep up with the pace of his points. Towards the end of the half he became even more ambitious, aiming low with his ninth effort and forcing Graham Clarke in goal to push it over the bar.
By the end of the half Rathnure were up 0-13 to 0-5 and even with the wind advantage in the second period, the Down men were all but finished. There were some committed attempts at a response soon after the restart which even brought some danger into the Rathnure goal-mouth but McGrattan and Martin Coulter Snr were both guilty of wides with chances they couldn't afford to miss.
Substitute Patrick Savage ended their best period of pressure with a single point ten minutes into the half.
That was as far as Rathnure were prepared to let them back in and moments later O'Leary found plenty of space on the right side where the defence hadn't closed him down and had little problem shooting into the right corner of the net. Soon after Austin Codd took a chance from 30 metres out and although Clarke got a stick to it, the momentum carried the sliotar over the line.
A consolation goal, if there ever was one, came to Martin Coulter Jnr a minute from the end but there was still time for Codd to remind everyone that this was his game with a magical free and point that left Rathnure 14 points clear.
RATHNURE: J Morrissey; S Somers, J Connan, D Guiney; L Somers, J Mooney (capt), R Guiney; M Redmond, N Higgins; A Codd (1-1), M Byrne, P Codd (0-14, 6 frees), M Morrissey, C Byrne (0-1), B O'Leary (1-3). Subs: J Holohan for M Byrne (53 mins), J Codd for C Byrne (58 mins).
BALLYGALGET: G Clarke; L Clarke, K Coulter, P Braniff; M Coulter Snr (0-1, 1 free), M Pucci, L Coulter; P Coulter (capt), P Monan (0-1); B Smyth, B Coulter, B Gallagher; M Coulter Jr (1-2, 1 free), J McGrattan (0-3, 2 frees), P Savage. Subs: Patrick Savage (0-1) for Gallagher (21 mins), B Savage for Philbin Savage (53 mins).
Referee: J McDonnell (Tipperary).
