Shamrocks stars on song in cruise past Village
Colin Fennelly of Shamrocks Ballyhale on his way to scoring his side's third goal. Pic: Tyler Miller/Sportsfile
Shamrocks Ballyhale emphatically kept hopes of winning a sixth Kilkenny senior hurling title on the trot alive when easing to a 20-point semi-final success over James Stephens at UPMC Nowlan Park.
After defeating league winners Dicksboro two weeks ago, the Shamrocks have certainly regained their form and the result was never in doubt as TJ Reid, Colin Fennelly, Adrian Mullen and Eoin Cody scored goals in a blistering display.
James Stephens will be very disappointed with their performance. Even Brian Cody on the sideline couldn't influence a Village success and it's the Shamrocks who now look forward to a county final meeting with O'Loughlin Gaels.
"The scoreline was good but I wouldn't say it was the perfect performance as there were parts of the first half where we left James Stephens back into it and I wouldn't be happy with that,"said Shamrocks boss Pat Hoban.
"We got a great start and at this level things can always turn in a game and to give credit to the Village they kept hurling where they owned the game for 10 minutes and came back into it.
"We went in five ahead at half-time and we got a goal early in the second half that gave us a cushion which allowed us to push on from there."
James Stephens were able to welcome Cian Kenny back from injury and playing in a roving role he got the opening score of the game.
Unfortunately for the Village though they wouldn't score again for another 16 minutes and in that time Shamrocks scored at will to go 0-7 to 0-1 ahead.
Adrian Mullen, Eoin Cody, Liam Barron, Eoin Kenneally and Niall Shortall all pointed and while James Stephens did respond with a series of frees from Eoin Guilfoyle and Niall Brassil and a score from play by Ross Whelan, the respite was only brief.
Further points from TJ Reid and Paddy Mullen arrived before the opening goal of the game came when TJ found Adrian Mullen with a pinpoint pass and he made no mistake in shooting past Gavin Costigan.
Andy Parsons narrowed the deficit in the opening minutes of the second half but in similar fashion to the first, the Shamrocks soon went through the gears. Once TJ Reid netted his side's second goal in the 38th minute it was essentially game over.
The defending All-Ireland champions didn't let up either and they found the net on three more occasions before the end with Colin Fennelly scoring twice despite carrying a knock and Eoin Cody also getting in on the act.
It was exhibition stuff at times for the winners and they will be red-hot favourites for the final in this type of form. That's despite being without players like Ronan Corcoran, Joey Holden and Joey Cuddihy.
"There are a lot of players unavailable to us this year so it is an unbelievable achievement to get to six county finals in a row as we are only a small country club and it just shows you the ambition and desire that exists among the players," Hoban finished.
TJ Reid (1-6, 2f), C Fennelly (2-0), A Mullen (1-3), E Cody (1-1), N Shortall, E Kenneally, L Barron and P Mullen (0-2 each), S Barron (0-1)
E Guilfoyle (0-4, 4f), N Brassil (0-2, 2f), C Kenny (0-2, 1f), A Parsons and L Scanlon (0-2 each), Stephen Manogue (0-1, 1f), R Whelan (0-1)
Dean Mason; Dara Mason, D Corcoran, K Corcoran; E Shefflin, R Reid, P Mullen; C Walsh, L Barron; A Mullen, TJ Reid, E Cody; E Kenneally, C Fennelly, N Shortall.
E Reid for Fennelly (52), B Butler for Walsh (53), M Aylward for L Barron (58), S Barron for Shortall (58).
G Costigan; S Donohoe, L Murphy, M Byrne; N Delaney, N Brassil, D Cody; L Scanlon, W Spencer; Sean Manogue, T O'Dwyer, A Parsons; R Whelan, C Kenny, E Guilfoyle.
Stephen Manogue for Whelan (41), E Butler for Guilfoyle (42), L Rafter for Sean Manogue (48).
Patrick O'Reilly (Barrow Rangers)
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