Hogues have lots to spare

BALLYHOGUE FIRED their way to the last four of the Permanent TSB Junior ‘A’ hurling championship with a 4-17 to 1-10 dismantling of Rathnure in Friday’s quarter-final in St. Patrick’s Park, Enniscorthy.

It’s no surprise that the Hogues advanced to the penultimate round given it was essentially a first team playing ‘thirds’, but they nonetheless performed with a swagger in the second-half, limiting their opponents to just one point from play, and scoring 2-8 through that particular avenue themselves.

The standard of the first-half largely befitted the lower grade, although the victors did produce a few pockets of quality on occasion. Denis Leacy and James Parle arrowed over neat points before the latter bundled home their first goal on 20 minutes after Ronan Minogue had struck the post (1-4 to 0-2).

However, Rathnure produced a moment of class themselves two minutes later when Dermot Reddy’s run set up Trevor Hogan for a fine goal on the swivel as the gap was cut to 1-4 to 1-2.

But the moment of the half belonged to Hughie O’Neill, who gathered after some good work in the corner by Parle, and used his searing pace before goaling to the top corner to help Ballyhogue into a 2-7 to 1-3 half-time lead.

And it was one-way traffic thereafter, with Rathnure not scoring from play again until Donal McGahan pointed from the last puck. Before that, Parle pounced for his second goal after O’Neill was initially denied, while Leacy batted home their fourth goal four minutes from time to round off a comfortable night’s work for Ballyhogue.

Ballyhogue: Paddy Carr; Fionn Rochford, Eddie Galavan, Ger Cullen; Shane Doyle, Seán Rochford (capt.), Nick Doyle; Conor Byrne, Shane Byrne (0-2); Enda Minogue (0-2), Hughie O’Neill (1-0), Graham Parker (0-2); Ronan Minogue (0-7, 3 frees, 1 ‘65), Denis Leacy (1-2), James Parle (2-1). Subs. - Mick Condon for Parle, Shane Roche (0-1) for Parker, Seán Ring for E. Minogue, Mick Parker for S. Byrne, Shane Fenlon for Cullen.

Rathnure: Liam Barron; Richie Murphy, Mick O’Leary (capt.), Aodhán Foley; Jamie Miller, Shane Barron (0-7 frees), Adam Quigley; Dermot Reddy (0-1 free), Paddy Flynn; Paul Murphy (0-1), Colm Byrne, Donal McGahan (0-1); Jason Murphy, Neil Morrissey, Trevor Hogan (1-0). Subs. - John Haughney for Hogan, inj., Niall Dillon for Flynn, Stephen Quigley for J. Murphy, Kevin O’Leary for A. Quigley, Paddy O’Connor for Foley.

Referee: Dickie Murphy (Rapparees).