County Senior Hurling Championship Blown wide open

Games in round three of the County Senior Hurling Championship were played over the past weekend, and the outcome of some games have blown the championship wide open with two games to play in the league section.

Fourmilewater became the first team to reach the knockout stages of this years championship after they overcame the challenge of Mount Sion at Fraher Field. Shane Walsh once again proved to have an outstanding game for his side hitting 2-5 of his sides tally. Liam Lawlor and Jamie Barron also played key roles for Fourmilewater. For Mount Sion, Martin O’Neill proved to be their scorer in chief, hitting 1-6. Veterans Tony Browne and Ken McGrath also got their names on the score sheet for Mount Sion playing in the half back line.

Ballyduff Upper recorded their first win of this years championship on Friday evening proving too strong for an understrength Ballygunner at Fraher Field. Leading at the break 0-9 to 0-8, Ballyduff came out for the second half hitting three early points which proved to be the difference between the sides at the end. Both goalkeepers showed why they are the best in the county making some brilliant saves in this game. Stephen O’Keeffe was first to be called into action making a good save from Shane Kearney and Adrian Power showed what he can do when he saved well from first off Wayne Hutchinson and then Barry Coughlin.

At Walsh Park the Intermediate Champions from the last two years clashed on Saturday evening. Goals from Thomas Casey and Eamon Murphy helped Dunhill to a 2-6 to 0-6 lead at the break. In the second thirty minutes however, Dunhill hit just four further scores, while Roanmore with Gavin O’Brien once more to the fore and Daniel Murphy hitting a crucial goal ran out winners with two points to spare.

Abbeyside and Dungarvan clashed in the championship for the first time since the late 1970’s and drew the biggest attendance for a league game in the championship for some time. A Patrick Hurney goal on 17 minutes looked to have Abbeyside in a good position at the break, leading 1-9 to 0-8, but Dungarvan put in a very solid second half and with the hour almost up lead by two points. However, late points from Mark Ferncombe and Michael O’Halloran meant that neither side won the local bragging rights.

The Lismore and Passage game at Fraher Field reigned goals. Eoin Kelly hit 2-6 for his side, the first of his goals coming inside the first minute of the game when he reacted quickest after Thomas Connors show hit the woodwork. Lismore lead by nine points with twelve minutes to play after Paudie Prendergast hit a brace of goal. However goals from Eoin Kelly from a penalty, Liam Flynn and John Whitty as well as a brace of points from Eoin Kelly had Passage a point up with two minutes to go. A pointed free from inside his own ’65 metre line off the hurley of Maurice Shanahan in added time however meant that both sides had to settle for a share of the spoils.

The last game of the weekend was all over with a quarter of an hour played. Two early goals from Dean Twomey for De La Salle against Tallow was added to by Jake Dillon who hammered home a twenty metre free to give his side a 3-5 to 0-2 lead.

On 46 minutes, Jack Kennedy hit De La Salle’s fourth goal of the game when he reacted quickest when the Tallow defence failed to clear a cross field pass into their goal area. Shane McNulty was De La Salle’s top player in this game hitting seven points all from play.

Meanwhile, the latest round of games will have Waterford manager biting his nails in the build up to the Munster semi final meeting with Clare on June 17. Stephen Molumphy was reported on Sunday afternoon to have picked up a shoulder injury while playing with Ballyduff against Ballygunner, and on Sunday Noel Connors made his first competitive appearance of the year lining out at full back for Passage but his return lasted just 19 minutes before he had to be replaced after picking up an injury after he was challenged for procession of the ball in his own goal area.

Weekend Scores

Fourmilewater             2-15     Mount Sion      1-12

Ballyduff Upper           0-16     Ballygunner     0-13

Abbeyside                   1-15     Dungarvan      0-18

Lismore                       2-18     Passage          4-12

De La Salle                 4-20     Tallow              0-9

Roanmore                   1-15     Dunhill             2-10.

League Tables

Group One

Lismore           3          2          1          0          +9        5

Dungarvan      3          1          1          1          +4        3

Abbeyside       3          1          1          1          -1         3

Passage          3          1          1          1          -3         3

Ballyduff          3          1          1          1          -4         2

Ballygunner     3          1          0          2          -5         2

Group Two

Fourmilewater             3          3          0          0          +25      6

De La Salle                 3          2          1          0          +27      4

Roanmore                   3          1          1          1          -13       3

Tallow                          3          1          1          1          -17       3

Dunhill                         3          1          0          2          -5         2

Mount Sion                  3          0          0          3          -17       0