Shels pile on the scores

THIS WAS as easy as the final scoreline suggests as Shelmaliers emerged with a comfortable 14-point victory over Fethard in this Greenstar Under-21 hurling Premier ‘B’ championship quarter-final in Hollymount on Tuesday.

And while Shelmaliers were piling on the scores, Fethard looked a disjointed outfit. The losers were short a number of regulars and, despite their best efforts, were unable to cope with a slick moving home attack.

Fethard struggled for scores, striking some poor wides in the process, while there was also a noticeable lack of penetration in front of goal.

With the game just seven minutes old Shelmaliers led by 0-3 to nil, their points coming through Liam Rockett and two Ross Banville frees.

Fethard had to wait until the tenth minute for their opening score, a long-range Daire Barden pointed free, but one minute later the home side struck for their opening goal when Rockett cut through the defence to place a shot across ’keeper Ricky Rowe into the opposite corner of the net, giving his side a 1-3 to 0-1 lead.

After Banville had extended his side’s lead with a pointed free, it was then the turn of Conor Hearne who found the net from 21 metres to move his side into a 2-4 to 0-1 lead by the end of the opening quarter.

Fethard then went on to enjoy their best passage, with Mikie Dwyer pointing two frees while also adding one from play, while Daire Barden sent over a long-range point to reduce the deficit to 2-4 to 0-5 after 20 minutes.

However, the home side went on to finish the half strongest, leaving them leading by nine points (2-9 to 0-6) at the interval.

There was to be no lifeline for Fethard as the Shels opened the second-half with three quick-fire points through Banville, Aaron Murphy and Conor Hearne to extend their side’s lead.

While Fethard responded with points from Dwyer and Barden frees, the Shels continued to exert control as Craig Parker lofted over a 70-metre free.

And when further points followed through Aaron Murphy and Aodhán Foley, they had moved into a 2-15 to 0-8 lead with eight minutes remaining.

While Mikie Dwyer pulled a point back for the visitors, the Shels finished with two long-range Craig Parker pointed frees to move into the semi-final where they will face neighbours Crossabeg-Ballymurn.

Shelmaliers: Adam Howlin; Adam Hearne, Aaron O’Neill, Cian Manley; Jody Donohoe, Glen Malone, Craig Parker (0-3 frees); Seán Keane-Carroll (0-1), Aaron Murphy (0-3); Aodhán Foley (0-2), Conor Hearne (1-2), Liam Rockett (1-1); Kyle Roche, Niall Hearne, Ross Banville (0-5, 4 frees). Sub. - Mark Power for Banville.

Fethard: Ricky Rowe; Brian Dillon, Richie Waters, Seán Sutton; Aaron Murphy, Daire Barden (0-3 frees), James Dillon; Chris Molloy, Seán Donohoe; Adam Swan (0-1), Danny Johnson, Adam Waters; Joe Sutton, Mikie Dwyer (0-5, 3 frees), Peter Waters. Subs. - Evan Power for P. Waters, Mikey Barden for S. Sutton, inj.

Referee: Justin Heffernan (Blackwater).