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ASKAMORE 1-18 CRAANFORD 0-13

THIS LOCAL derby turned out to be a one-sided affair as Askamore cruised to a comfortable eight-point win in The Courtyard Ferns Intermediate hurling championship Group B in Farmleigh on Saturday.

Askamore were the better side throughout and a strong opening half laid the foundation for their victory.

James Byrne got the eventual winners off the mark with a couple of frees early in play. Conor Levingstone extended their lead with a nice point, and a Byrne point from play followed by a fine P.J. Nolan score meant it was 0-5 to 0-1 inside ten minutes.

Craanford’s Jim Kenny did his best to steady the ship with a long distance strike. Askamore continued to press forward and P.J Nolan was causing real prob- lems for the Craanford defence. He hit three points in five minutes to extend their lead further, and with 25 minutes gone Askamore led by 0-11 to 0-4 despite the best efforts of Jim Kenny who kept the scoreboard ticking over.

A quick brace in injury time from Askamore’s Podge Byrne meant they were ahead by 0-14 0-6 at the break.

Craanford knew they needed a good start to the second-half, and wing-forward Oliver Doran did his best to give them just that with a fine score inside a minute.

Jim Kenny fired over a free to reduce the deficit to six, but some poor shooting halted their momentum. James Byrne struck his sixth point to calm Askamore nerves, and another P.J. Nolan point stretched the eventual winners’ lead to 0-16 0-8.

The result was put beyond all doubt midway through the second period when a Shane Tomkins shot was brilliantly saved by Craanford ‘keeper Andrew Tighe, only for the rebound to be slotted in by Seán Kirwan.

The final quarter of the game fizzled out, although there was still time for P.J. Nolan to get his sixth point from play, meaning Askamore ran out easy winners on a scoreline of 1-18 to 0-13.

Craanford: Andrew Tighe; Joseph Berney, Pat Kenny, Michael Sinnott; William Conroy, Michael Lyons, Niall Berney; Jim Kenny (0-6, 4 frees), Eoin Doyle; John Fleming, Patrick Murray (0-1), Oliver Doran (0-4, 3 frees); James Smyth, Matthew Nolan (capt., 0-1), Ger Lyons. Subs. - Tony Kavanagh for Sinnott (30), Michael O’Loughlin for Fleming (HT), Martin Doyle (0-1) for G. Lyons (50), John Lancaster for E. Doyle (50).

Askamore: Darragh Kinsella; Tom Byrne, Frank Lancaster, Martin Hayden; James Lancaster, Tommy Devereux, Colm Buttle; Conor Levingstone (0-2), P.J. Nolan (0-6); James Byrne (0-6, 5 frees), Shane Tomkins (0-1), Podge Byrne (0-2); Ted Kinsella (0-1 free), Garry Doran, Seán Kirwan (1-0). Subs. - Gavin Sunderland for Doran (43), Paul Browne for T. Kinsella (50).

Referee: James Flood (St. Mary’s, Maudlintown).