Martin’s boast the right blend to forge easy win

ST. MARTIN’S eased into the Junior ‘A’ hurling championship semi-final with a routine victory over Ballyhogue in Killurin on Sunday last.

The Piercestown-based club, who boast a fine mix of youth and experience at this grade, were too good for their opponents who managed to stick with them for 20 minutes but collapsed once Micheál Lyng grabbed his side’s first goal.

In horrible conditions the clubs evenly split eight points in the first 18 minutes. Ryan Murphy, the impressive Ed O’Byrne (two) and Lyng scored for the victors in that spell while Shane Byrne (two), Shane Roche and John Kehoe replied at the other end.

The crosswind and slick ground made good hurling almost impossible but Lyng, who had been denied by a stunning double save by Denis Kennedy earlier, finally got the breakthrough in the 28th minute with a rasping drive to the left corner of the ’Hogues net (1-7 to 0-4).

Things got worse still in the final minute of the half when Ryan Murphy’s long ball was fed to Philly Waters by Lyng and the powerful forward didn’t miss with a thumping halfvolley pulled effort to give St. Martin‘s a nine-point lead (2-8 to 0-5) at the interval.

Ballyhogue needed the quick start to the second period that their opponents got. Within two minutes of the throw-in Waters notched his second major from Eoin Cardiff’s pass.

Young attacker Cardiff claimed the final touch to the last goal too, after Pádraig Morrissey’s shot had been saved by Kennedy, as St. Martin’s eased into the last four where they will face local rivals Glynn-Barntown.

St. Martin’s: Dylan Byrne; Pat Barrett, Gavin Rackard, Jack Whelan; Tony Kelly, Ken Furlong, Johnny Hamilton; David Higgins, Ryan Murphy (0-1); Eoin Cardiff (1-2), Philly Waters (2-1), Ed O’Byrne (0-5, 1 ‘65); Ciarán Redmond (0-1), Pádraig Morrissey, Micheál Lyng (1-3, 0-3 frees). Subs. - Paddy Curran for Byrne (40), Dylan Fawsett for Murphy (44), Michael Hayes for Kelly (47), Mark Hayes for Hamilton (50), Eoin Rackard for Morrissey (56).

Ballyhogue: Denis Kennedy; Seán Nolan, Seán Rochford, David Byrne; Fionn Rochford, Ed Galavan, Peter Hughes; Shane Byrne (0-3, 2 frees), Norman Carr; Shane Roche (0-1), Ger Cullen (02, 1 free), Graham Parker; Gavin Doyle, Conor Byrne, John Kehoe (0-1). Subs. - Philip Walsh for C. Byrne (31), Myles Roche for Kehoe (45), Shane Doyle for Nolan (46), Declan Power for G. Doyle (48).

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