Ballymurn hit form near end
Strong last quarter crucial
C’BEG-B’MURN ASKAMORE
IF EVER the final scoreline belied the actual story of the game, then it’s this The Courtyard Ferns Intermediate hurling championship quarter-final at a blustery St. Patrick’s Park on Saturday, as a strong final chapter from Crossabeg-Ballymurn saw them advance at the expense of a rather pedestrian Askamore.
As both sides struggled to gain any real foothold on proceedings throughout the first-half, and in the early throes of the second period, no-one would have predicted the victors’ eventual 2-16 to 0-10 success.
But then again the stats show that they outscored the losers by 1-8 to 0-2 from the 43rd minute onwards, while Askamore continually shot themselves in the foot with some rash shooting on the way to compiling twelve wides.
The tricky conditions affected the accuracy of both sides early on, as there were more wides (eight) than scores in the first quarter as Crossabeg-Ballymurn held a narrow 0-3 to 0-2 lead.
But when county hurler Shane Tomkins worked some space to fire over on the run, it ignited a mini-scoring spree, as Sam Kelly and Pádraig Foley from his own half immediately hit back for Crossabeg-Ballymurn, while Ted Kinsella also pointed from play as things remained tight.
The game-altering score that arrived five minutes before the break was the dictionary definition of scrappy as Seamus Carroll nudged to the net after some harrying from Shane O’Rourke, leaving the Over the Water men with a 1-7 to 0-6 half-time lead.
Despite Kinsella landing a free 44 seconds after the re-start, they hit six wides on the bounce before Billy Nolan got their next score on 40 minutes.
Crossabeg-Ballymurn weren’t exactly motoring themselves but suddenly burst into life as Paddy Devereux (two), Kelly and Foley (free) found the range before the hard-running Devereux supplied the pass for Niall Murphy’s deft flick to the net as the gap suddenly grew to 2-12 to 0-8 with ten minutes left.
The goal-getter also audaciously pointed from close to the sideline with the penultimate score as his side reached the semi-finals for a third successive year, where they will face Monageer-Boolavogue.
Crossabeg-Ballymurn: Mark Dempsey; Paul Roche, Alan Byrne, Bill Eviston; Conor Devereux, Pádraig Foley (0-2, 1 free), Conor Shovlin; Paddy Devereux (0-2), Seamus Carroll (1-0); Ronan Devereux, Sam Kelly (0-6, 2 ‘65s, 1 free), Shane O’Rourke (0-3); Niall Murphy (1-2), Tony Murphy, Oisín Foley (0-1). Subs. - Eoin McDonald for Roche (53), David Kehoe for Shovlin (55), Billy Roche for T. Murphy (57), Luke Redmond for O. Foley (62).
Askamore: Brian Hayden; Tom Byrne, Patrick Nolan, Tomás Hayden; Tom Kavanagh, Tommy Devereux, James Lancaster; P.J. Nolan, Conor Levingstone; Shane Tomkins (0-1), Garry Doran, Pádraig Byrne; Gavin Sunderland, Edmond Kenny, Ted Kinsella (0-7, 6 frees). Subs. - Billy Nolan (0-2) for P. Byrne (HT), Conor Travers for Levingstone (48), Frank Boggan for Doran (48), Frank Lancaster for Kavanagh (54), Martin Hayden for J. Lancaster (56).
Referee: Anthony Tobin (Geraldine O’Hanrahans). WEXFORD STAR Diarmuid O’Keeffe was the key difference in helping St. Anne’s to emerge with a seven-point victory over a battling Shamrocks outfit in this exciting The Courtyard Ferns Intermediate hurling championship quarter-final in Hollymount on Saturday.
It was a polished display, particularly from O’Keeffe, that saw St. Anne’s qualify for the semi-final against HWH-Bunclody, in the process continuing their bid to return to Senior ranks at the first time of asking.
Inspired by O’Keeffe through a wind-assisted first-half, they turned over with a 16-point interval lead, with the Wexford star picking off some fine points, while also assisting in numerous other scores.
And he really shone through the second 30 minutes, when dropping back to assist his overworked defence. He patrolled the half-back line superbly to curtail the Shamrocks attack, helping to secure an impressive victory.
Mark Furlong opened the scoring with a third-minute pointed free, and by the tenth minute St. Anne’s had shot into a 0-5 to nil lead with further points from O’Keeffe (two), Francis Simpson and Liam Rochford.
Unfortunately for Shamrocks they were unable to get into the game as Mark Furlong and Seamus Mythen dominated midfield, going on to add further points through Finn O’Driscoll and a Furlong free, before Shamrocks opened their account through a Maurice Casey 21st-minute pointed free.
While it was a good start for St. Anne’s, they finished the half even more impressively, adding a further seven points through Liam Rochford and Furlong frees (two apiece), O’Keeffe and Jonathan Fogarty to lead by 1-14 to 0-1 at the interval.
The goal arrived three minutes before the break and was a clinical finish from close in from Liam Rochford.
Shamrocks showed real spirit on the resumption, scoring four points inside the opening five minutes through Brandon O’Connor, Casey, Harry Goff and John O’Connor.
While they followed with further points from Jack Moorehouse and a George Jacob long-range effort, they still trailed by 1-14 to 0-7 at the end of the third quarter.
St. Anne’s had their first second-half score, a 48th-minute pointed free from Furlong, but they still managed to control the game, holding their composure into the gale-force wind.
They still led by 1-16 to 0-10 when Brandon O’Connor fired home a superb 25-metre shot to the net to reduce the deficit to six points with three minutes remaining. St. Anne’s closed out the scoring through a Furlong pointed free to take a deserved victory in the end.
St. Anne’s: Redmond Barry; Kevin White, Tomás Cullen, Páraic O’Keeffe; Kenny Cloney, Aidan Rochford, Finn O’Driscoll (0-1); Mark Furlong (0-6 frees), Seamus Mythen; Jonathan Fogarty, Diarmuid O’Keeffe (0-4), Jess Codd (0-1); Mikey Fogarty, Francis Simpson (0-1), Liam Rochford (1-4). Sub. - Philip Rawson for J. Fogarty (60).
Shamrocks: Jamie Dagg; Barry Dobbs, Mick Weafer, George Jacob (0-2, 1 free); Podge Doyle, Brandon O’Connor (1-1), Bob Jacob; Jim Jacob, Anthony Wallace; Karl Cullen, Maurice Casey (0-3, 1 free), Harry Goff (0-2); John O’Connor (0-1), Seán Wildes, Jack Moorehouse. Subs. - Lar McDonald for J. Jacob (45), Cyril Thorpe (0-1) for Cullen (50).
Referee: David O’Leary (Rathnure).