Ballyhale Shamrocks 5-25 Castletwon Geoghan 0-15
Even without All-Star and regular top gun, TJ Reid, Kilkenny champions Ballyhale Shamrocks blitzed the opposition and cruised into the Leinster Club Senior Hurling Championship semi-finals.
Reid warmed up with the squad before the game, but he was rested because he is nursing a slight muscle strain.
It didn't make any real difference as the game and lively Castletown Geoghegan (Westmeath) were put to the sword at UPMC Nowlan Park today as the defending Leinster champions booked a semi-final place against Naas (Kildare) in Croke Park on 27 November.
The losers had played well enough during the opening half, with the impressive Niall O’Brien and Jack Gallagher sharing six points equally. Still, they found themselves 2-13 to 0-09 behind at the break.
Goals from Colin Fennelly Niall Shortall did the real damage and took the shine off the losers' good efforts.
Early in the new half, the Westmeath men let rip, but they shot two wides and the lively Peter Clarke sent a decent effort for a goal wide as they tried to get back into the game.
For nearly 10 minutes, Shamrocks failed to add to their total, and then bang, bang, bang… they reeled off 3-12 during the next 20 minutes as they over-ran the opposition.
Full-forward Colin Fennelly and Eoin Cody were unstoppable. The former finished with 2-3 to his credit from play, while Cody, who took over the free-taking duties from the absent Reid, walked off the field with 2-09 to his credit.
Castletown opened with a point after only 40 seconds from Niall O’Brien (free). That was the only time they led. Within two minutes Shamrocks had the ball in the net at the other end.
Eoin Cody drilled an accurate hurley driven pass from 40 metres on the right into full-forward, Colin Fennelly, who powered his way through for a goal. A little over two minutes were showing on the clock.
The Fennell goal was the big divider during the opening quarter, but when Shamrocks snatched points through Adrian Mullen, Eoin Cody and Colin Fennelly within 70 seconds they suddenly jumped 1-09 to 0-05 clear in the 18th minute.
Castletown, who were not afraid to throw the ball around, hit back from minors from Niall Bergin and Jack Gallagher, and they were still moving well.
However, in the 24th minute Shamrocks scored a second goal. This time Eoin Cody drilled a bullet like shot at keeper, Kieran Glennon, who saved well. The ball ran free and Shamrocks sub, Niall Shortall nipped in to scoop the ball into the net.
The gap opened up to 2-10 to 0-07. At the break it was slightly wider when Shamrocks led by 2-13 to 0-09.
Castletown started the second half full of fire, but they missed at least three decent chances. Their spirits were dampened when Colin Fennelly took a pass from Eoin Kenneally in the 39th minute before driving through for a goal. Within a minute Eoin Cody nabbed another big score.
The gap between the teams was now 4-13 to 0-11. It was a score-keeping exercise from there to the finish as Shamrocks simply cut loose.
Ballyhale Shamrocks: Dean Mason; D Mullen, J Holden, B Butler; E Shefflin (0-01), R Reid, D Corcoran; R Corcoran (0-02), K Corcoran (0-03); A Mullen (0-02), N Shortall (1-02), E Cody (2-09, 0-07f); E Kenneally (0-01), C Fennelly (2-03), J Cuddihy (0-02).
Subs: K Mullen for D Mullen 46th min; E Reid for N Shortall 46th min; S Barron for D Corcoran 49th min; L Barron for J Cuddihy 52nd min; Dara Mason for B Butler 52nd min.
Castletown Geoghegan: K Glennon; N McKenna, B Carey, A Glennon; C Kane, L Varley, D Lynch; P Maxwell, J Clarke; P Clarke (0-02), A Clarke, S Clavin; N O’Brien (0-08, 5f), D O’Reilly, J Gallagher (0-05).
Subs: C Murphy for D. O’Reilly 40th min; M Heeney for J Clarke 41st min; E Quinn for B Carey 41st min; M Gavigan for S Clavin 50th min; C Lynch for A Clarke 52nd min.
Referee: P Murphy (Carlow).
