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Fourmilewater 0-12 Abbeyside0-8

In a game which failed miserably to live up to pre-match expectations, defences were dominant throughout and goal chances were at a minimum.

The sides were level at the break (six points apiece) with Jamie Barron keeping Fourmilewater in touch before his converted ‘65’ in the 37th minute edged his side ahead for the first time.

With Liam Lawlor and Rory Rice dominant against an Abbeyside attack in which only Gary and Patrick Hurney threatened, the winners comfortably eased to victory and into the last four.

Four unanswered points by Maurice O’Gorman, Barron, a strangely subdued Shane Walsh, and effective substitute Richard Fenton eased the winners to safer pastures.

Abbeyside’s paltry response in the final twenty minutes was points from Gary Hurney and a Mark Ferncome free, not nearly sufficient however to save their championship bacon, and in the end they exited disappointingly from the title race. If Liam Lawlor was Fourmilewater’s most influential player, an overall resolute defence behind which goalkeeper Conor Ryan oozed confidence throughout, stood them in very good stead. Possession aplenty too thanks to the endeavours of midfielders Seamas Lawlor and Brian Wall, but it was in attack that their failure was most striking of all. The Hurneys, Gary and Patrick, Gavin Breen, Shane Briggs, Richie Foley, Mark Ferncombe, and most of all goalkeeper Stephen Enright, starred in a game in which far too many others failed to make any impact.

Scorers for Fourmilewater: J. Barron (0-6, 0-4 frees, 0-1 ‘65’); L. Lawlor, B. Wall. C. Guiry, Maurice O’Gorman, S. Walsh, R. Fenton (0-1)each.

Scorers for Abbeyside: M. Gorman (0-3, frees); G. Hurney (0-2); M. Fives. M. Ferncombe (f), P. Hurney (0-1) each.

FOURMILEWATER: C. Ryan; J. Walsh, R. Rice, Maurice O’Gorman; S. Lawlor, L. Lawlor, T. O’Gorman; S. Lawlor, B. Wall; Ml. O’Gorman, D. Wall, C. Guiry; S. Ryan, S. Walsh,. J. Barron.

Subs: R. Fenton for Guiry (40); A. Lawlor for D. Wall(59); J. P. Fitzgerald for Ryan(59).

ABBEYSIDE: S. Enright; M. Power, S. Briggs, G. Breen; E. Collins, J. Hurney, P, Lynch; R. Foley, M. Gorman; J. O’Mahoney, G. Hurney, M. Fives; M. Ferncombe, P. Hurney, S. O’Donovan.

Subs: S. Crotty for O’Mahoney (40); J. Phelan for J. Hurney (50); J. Power for Fives (53).

Referee: Maurice Condon, Clashmore.