Reid on a roll as Shamrocks march on

ON THE basis of what was the more impressive of the two semi-final victories, Ballyhale Shamrocks will be fancied to follow the lead of the Kilkenny hurlers and make it four-in-a-row in Sunday week’s domestic championship decider.

At their very best in Nowlan Park yesterday, when splendid combination play in attack produced three goals in the first quarter, they looked a class apart from O’Loughlin Gaels. And, while they may have lacked consistency, there was never really any doubt about them qualifying for a third meeting with James Stephens in five years.

The strength of the Shamrocks attack was the difference between the sides. Personified by the excellence of TJ Reid in particular, it was even more praiseworthy in the context of Henry Shefflin having a comparatively quiet game by his standards after playing a leading role in helping to establish an early nine-point lead.