A PHYSICALLY-STRONGER Shelmaliers team came out on top over a determined Starlights side to achieve a six-in-a-row of Jim Byrne Cup Minor football league titles in perfect weather conditions at St. Patrick's Park, Enniscorthy, on Sunday last.

Although deserving winners in the end, they didn't get it easy against hard-trying opponents losing their third final in a row.

There was an amazing start to the game as Starlights came out of the traps on fire and they had 1-2 on the scoreboard without reply before three minutes had elapsed.

But by the fifth minute they trailed by a point after the Shelmaliers full-forward, Tony Smith, had put the ball in the net twice in the space of a minute.

By the tenth minute the Enniscorthy town side were back in front again when Darragh Pepper goaled from a penalty following a pick-up under pressure by a Shelmaliers defender inside the small square.

Pepper had also accounted the first point from a close-in free, and this was quickly followed by a well-taken goal when the ball was kicked just inside the left-hand post by Timmy Dwyer.

A point from midfielder Liam Ryan made it 1-2 to nil in Starlights' favour, but the tide suddenly turned Shels' way as Smith stuck the ball in the left corner of the net. And the same player followed up soon afterwards with a real opportunist goal after an attempt by Stephen Mcguire had rebounded off the upright and the ball fell kindly for him.

Shels suffered a blow then when they lost their centre half-back, Eoghan Nolan, who had been feeling ill all week. He was unable to continue after just twelve minutes and had to be replaced by Kevin Byrne who acquitted himself well.

Team captain Neal Rossiter accounted for three points from acute angles (two from frees) and Simon Donohoe (who later was chosen as a well-deserved man of the match recipient) also raced out of defence to score an inspirational point for Shelmaliers. So did Stephen Mcguire in an exchange from play with Darragh Pepper which left the Over the Water side 2-5 to 2-3 in front at the break, having played with first-half wind advantage.

A brilliantly-taken goal by skilful corner-forward Neal Mccrea inside the first minute of the second-half put Starlights back in front again and should have given them the confidence to drive on for victory, but instead it was the Shels that upped their game as Kevin O'connor levelled the scores. Stephen Mcguire added two magnificent points before O'connor was on the ball again as he raced in from the right wing to send a rasping shot to the net, just as he did in the semi-final against Crossabeg-ballymurn.

A Neal Rossiter point from near the right corner flag put the holders 3-9 to 3-3 ahead midway through the second-half, but Starlights didn't give in and they dominated the final quarter. However, they found it very difficult to score against a strengthened Shelmaliers defence that just held out in the end as a point from Darragh Pepper and two from Timmy Dwyer closed the margin to a goal.

The last nine minutes were scoreless as Starlights tried hard to get through, but the Shels defenders including goalie Seán Byrne dealt capably with anything that came their way with many timely clearances.

The Chairman of the Jim Byrne Cup committee, Shay Keevans, presented the cup to the captain of the winning team, Neal Rossiter, and the man of the match trophy to Simon Donohoe.