Super Kehoe show
HARRY KEHOE was in sparkling form as Cloughbawn recorded a comfortable opening round win over a game Askamore side in this Group B tie in The Courtyard Ferns Intermediate hurling championship in a windswept St. Patrick’s Park on Saturday.
The inter-county man was simply on fire, striking 14 points in a consummate display, as last year’s county finalists reaffirmed suspicions that they will be well within the reckoning to challenge for honours again this year.
Through no fault of Askamore’s, they were simply out-matched by a superior side, and with Connal Flood back to full fitness and holding onto to some of their old reliables, they will be a tough task for any team in the competition.
The opening exchanges were tightly contested, with four points from Kehoe being the difference in a lively opening ten minutes as Cloughbawn went 0-6 to 0-2 ahead.
Askamore were battling hard to keep their wind-assisted opponents at bay and were doing quite well, with dividends paid through points from Shane Tomkins and Pádraig Byrne, drawing themselves within two points midway through the half.
But they could only keep Cloughbawn at bay for so long as the men in green outscored their opponents by 0-7 to 0-2 in the 15 minutes before the break, with M.J. Furlong, Joey Lawlor and Páidí Cullen adding to another four from Kehoe.
Although they were seven behind at the break, Askamore couldn’t have been written off just yet given their game attitude and the strength of the wind they were now playing with, meaning they were definitely in with a chance.
They attacked with vigour and an exchange of scores between Kehoe and Byrne and then Seán Kirwan and Bob Whitty showed signs of a possible comeback.
But Cloughbawn were not going to let that happen as they surged well clear.
The midfield pairing of Connal Flood and Páidí Cullen were getting through a mountain of work, and with a solid back line marshalled by Barry and Colm Kehoe, there was simply no way for Askamore to break through.
Their scores were intermittent as Cloughbawn dominated proceedings for the remainder of the game, winning their battles in almost every position on the field.
Kehoe continued to hit the mark with help from Páidí Cullen, Barry Carton and Bob Whitty, as they showed no mercy to their opponents in what finished as a double-scores bludgeoning.
Askamore now have a chance to make up for the loss as they face a struggling Shamrocks side in the second round, while Cloughbawn will be expected to make it two from two against Blackwater.
Cloughbawn: Seán Keating; David Doyle-Murphy, Barry Kehoe, James Dempsey; Conor Harrington, Colm Kehoe, Corey Bolger; Páidí Cullen (0-2), Connal Flood (0-1); Alan Carton, Harry Kehoe (0-14, 7 frees, 1 ’65), Barry Carton (0-1); Bob Whitty (0-3), M.J. Furlong (0-2), Joey Lawlor (0-1).
Askamore: Darragh Kinsella; Garrett O’Connor, Frank Lancaster, Martin Hayden; Tom Kavanagh, Tommy Devereux, Tom Byrne; Gavin Sunderland, Fionn Fortune; James Byrne, Shane Tomkins (0-5, 4 frees, 1 ’65), Pádraig Byrne (0-3); Conor Levingstone (0-1), P.J. Nolan (0-2), Seán Kirwan (0-1). Subs. - Billy Nolan for Fortune (38), Colm Buttle for Kavanagh (40), Frank Boggan for Kirwan (48), Peter O’Neill for T. Byrne (59).
Referee: Brendan Martin (Ballyhogue).