Shamrocks show just enough

LOOKS like it was a cracker, doesn’t it, 36 scores in a 60-minute game between two of the premier clubs in the game over the past several years?

Looks deceive, however, on this occasion as the All-Ireland Club senior hurling semi-final between the winners of 2007 (Ballyhale) and the winners of 2004 (Newtown), was a free-ridden error-fest, a game that was just bursting to break out but never quite made it.

Ten points from placed balls for Ballyhale’s Henry Shefflin and nine for Newtown’s Ben O’Connor, yet this wasn’t a dirty game by any means, despite the late, injury-time red card issued to Newtownshandrum substitute Maurice Farrell. It was just that both sides were stale, rusty and showed the effects of a long competitive layoff.