Askamore in total control
Attackers show lively form
ASKAMORE 0-18 SHAMROCKS 0-11
ASKAMORE’S MOVEMENT up front overwhelmed Shamrocks as they secured a vital 0-18 to 0-11 second round win in Group B of The Courtyard Ferns Intermediate hurling championship in Páirc Uí Shíocháin, Gorey, on Easter Sunday.
With both sides desperate for the two points on offer having suffered defeat in round one, Askamore were worthy winners, and actually led by a triple-scores gap at one stage in the second-half as the Enniscorthy men join Adamstown on zero points at the wrong end of the table ahead of the mid-season break.
Ostensibly set up in a narrow formation up front, James and Pádraig Byrne particularly enjoyed the freedom they were afforded to run into, with the former opening their account on four minutes, and the latter hitting a brace as they led by 0-5 to 0-3 by the 16th minute.
That heralded a run of five points without reply, as captain Shane Tomkins registered two frees, including one close to the right sideline, Gavin Sunderland pointed after some good work from the returning Garry Doran, Pádraig Byrne knocked over from the break off Seán Kirwan, while Conor Levingstone teed up James Byrne as the Ballyroebuck-based side raced 0-10 to 0-3 clear.
Anthony Murphy capitalised on a hook on Darragh Kinsella to peg a score back for Shamrocks, but a pair from Tomkins (one free) saw Askamore hold a 0-12 to 0-4 advantage at half-time, with 0-9 of that total accrued by their half-forward line alone.
Substitute Harry Goff pointed for Shamrocks immediately after the re-start but that proved an exception to the rule as Askamore continued to manage the game on their own terms.
Levingstone’s point on 31 minutes meant that all of the victors’ starting attacking sextet had scored, while a Tomkins ‘65 and the confident James Byrne helped increase the difference to 0-15 to 0-5.
The usually reliable Bob Jacob had an off-day from placed balls for Shamrocks, and he had his fifth wide by the 39th minute before successfully registering a ‘65 two minutes later.
John and Anthony Murphy also combined for three points between them in a profitable minute to cut the gap to 0-16 to 0-9 at the end of the third quarter, before the game largely petered out without much fanfare.
Tomkins scored twice more before the end (one free), while Bob Jacob and Maurice Casey responded with consolation scores for the losers on a day when both teams reached double-figures in the wides column.
Askamore: Darragh Kinsella; Martin Hayden, Frank Lancaster, Garrett O’Connor; Garry Doran, Tommy Devereux, James Lancaster; P.J. Nolan, Tom Byrne; Pádraig Byrne (0-3), Shane Tomkins (capt., 0-7, 4 frees, 1 ‘65), Gavin Sunderland (0-2); James Byrne (0-4), Conor Levingstone (01), Seán Kirwan (0-1). Subs. - Fionn Fortune for Nolan (40), Billy Nolan for P. Byrne (45), Frank Boggan for Sunderland (55), Colm Buttle for J. Lancaster (55), Tom Kavanagh for T. Byrne (57).
Shamrocks: Emmet Quirke; George Jacob, Anthony Wallace, Mick Weafer; Lar McDonald, Brandon O’Connor (0-1), Ronan Gahan; Bob Jacob (0-3, 1 free, 1 ‘65), Podge Doyle; John Murphy (0-2), Seán Wildes, Jack Moorehouse (capt.); John O’Connor, Maurice Casey (0-1), Anthony Murphy (0-3). Subs. - Harry Goff (0-1) for Wildes (HT), Karl Cullen for McDonald (HT), Jim Jacob for Murphy (51), Patrick Weafer for Moorehouse (51).
Referee: John O’Loughlin (Monageer Boolavogue).