Ballyhale made to dig deep for win
All-Ireland Club hurling champions Ballyhale Shamrocks had to dig deep before registering a five points win over Carlow side Mount Leinster Rangers in their Leinster Championship opener at Dr Cullen Park, Carlow this afternoon.
Although the Kilkenny outfit held a 1-5 to 0-6 interval lead thanks to a goal from Patrick Reid, the sides were level within five minutes of the restart after 17 year old Denis Murphy scored his four point of the game for the Carlow outfit.
The first half was dominated by missed chances with Rangers having registered eight wides by the interval while Shamrocks were almost as guilty with seven missed chances.
Shamrocks who lined out minus the injured Henry Shefflin and James ‘Cha’ Fitzpatrick were really made work hard throughout the game by a Mount Leinster Rangers side who gave a tremendous defensive performance.
Not more than six points separated the sides in the second half but only in the latter stages of the contest as Ballyhale captured their 21st win in succession thanks to a hard earned five points victory.
They now face Offaly champions Birr in the next round.
In Munster, Tipperary champions Loughmore-Castleiney overcame a good start by Cork outfit Erin’s Own to register a 2-11 to 0-14 win at Semple Stadium.
Early points from Michael Murphy and Mark O’Connor saw Erin’s Own take the initiative in the opening minutes but once the Tipperary side equalised with points from Evan Sweeney and Michael Connolly, they settled down and once Connolly found the back of the Erin’s Own net in the ninth minute after great work by Michael Webster there was no looking back.
That goal was the difference at half-time as Loughmore-Castleiney held a 1-5 to 0-5 advantage and in a high scoring second-half, the contest continued to be a tight one before the Tipperary champions eventually emerged with three points to spare with David McGrath’s 50th minute goal the decisive score.
Meanwhile Tulla of Clare also advance to the semi-finals of the Munster championship after a 4-16 to 2-6 win over Kerry side Lixnaw.
The homeside always found it tough in this game as thanks to a first half hat-trick the Clare champions led by 3-9 to 1-4 at the interval.
Yesterday in the Connacht championship James Stephens of Mayo and Athleague of Roscommon ensured that they must meet again to see who will face reigining champions Portumna in the final, after a 0-13 to 2-7 draw in Ballina.
In County final action Ballygunner staged a tremendous comeback to claim their tenth Waterford Senior Hurling title after a four points victory over reigning champions Ballyduff Upper in today’s final.
Trailing by 1-11 to 0-8 at the interval following a goal from Patrick Kearney, the Ballygunner side turned the game around in the second half with a Stephen Power goal setting his side up for a first success since 1997 and also ensuring a reversal of last year’s final result.
