Butler leads the charge as terrific Thurles march on

Thurles CBS 4-21 Charleville CBS 1-3

With full-forward David Butler leading the charge, Thurles were always in control and although Charleville battled gamely for a time they were eventually swamped by a deluge of late scores from their Tipperary opponents.

Butler, a big rangy player, scored eight points, five from frees, as Thurles, with a goal from corner forward Kieran Morris in the 24th minute, built up an interval lead of 1-10 to 0-2 — Charleville’s two points coming from a free accurately converted by wing back Mattie Ryan and a sweet strike from wing forward Mark Kavanagh.

Half backs Ryan and Derry Murphy did their best to stem the flow but lacking real penetrative powers up front and struggling at midfield Charleville were doomed.

A second goal from Morris, eight minutes after the resumption, extended the winners’ lead to 16 points and Charleville had an Everest to climb, one they never looked likely to scale.

Thurles, with central defenders David O’Gorman and James Barry emerging as commanding figures, put an authoritative stamp on proceedings and with

Morris and John O’Neill sparkling in their respective corner forward positions Charleville found life at the top a trifle too hot to handle.

O’Neill pounced to score his side’s third goal at the end of the third quarter but now trailing by 21 points, Charleville hit back in the 48th minute when corner forward Seamus McElligott delightfully flicked home a high lob from Mattie Ryan for a peach of a goal.

But with no semblance of a Charleville comeback materialising, Thurles finished with a flourish and a fourth goal from wing forward Colm Ryan, two minutes from the end of normal time, copper-fastened their entry into the quarter final stage of the competition.

Scorers — Thurles CBS: K Morris (2-2), J. O’Neill (1-4), C. Ryan (1-1), D. Butler (0-8, 0-5 frees), J. Barry (0-2 frees), P. O’Brien, M. Bracken, K. Shelley, A. McCormack (0-1 each).

Charleville CBS: S. McElligott (1-0), D. McCarthy, M. Kavanagh, M. Ryan (free) (0-1 each).

THURLES CBS: B. McCormack, S. Harty, K. O’Gorman, P. Ryan, M. Doyle, J. Barry, R. Ryan, P. O’Brien, M. Bracken, C. Ryan, M. Greene, K. Shelley, K. Morris, D. Butler, J. O’Neill. Subs: A. McCormack for Morris, P. Molloy for Greene, S. Maher for Harty, T. Comerford for Doyle, M. Russell for Bracken.

CHARLEVILLE CBS: A. Cagney, I. O’Connor, C. Kearney, S. Coleman, A. White, D. Murphy, M. Ryan, M. Reidy, J. Casey, D. Sheehy, S. Young, M. Kavanagh, S. McElligott, D. McCarthy, C. O’Flynn. Subs: D. McElligott for McCarthy.

Referee: R. O’Connor (Tipperary).