Title holders Passage are under severe pressure to reach the knockout stages of the Waterford SHC as Abbeyside blew Group 1 wide open at a gloomy Walsh Park on Saturday night.
The Villagers posted their first win of the campaign after an exciting encounter (1-21 to 2-15). Last year’s semi-finalists dictated the opening quarter and dashed into a worthy seven point lead (0-9 to 0-2). Passage produced an amazing turnaround to depart a single point ahead at halfway. Eoin Kelly touched in a Pa Walsh delivery on 28 minutes to level the match and Killian Fitzgerald nudged them in front (1-9 to 0-11).
Abbeyside regained control on the resumption and with seven minutes remaining John Hurney’s dropping ball travelled all the way to the net. That green flag sent them seven clear again (1-20 to 1-13). Gary and Patrick Hurney along with Mark Ferncombe inflicted the damage up front. As darkness rolled in, Conor Carey snatched an injury time goal but Abbeyside withstood the late pressure. With just two draws to show from three games, Passage face a crunch fourth round tie with Fourmilewater next Friday night to save their fading title hopes.
Table toppers De La Salle qualified for the quarter finals with a comprehensive eight point dismissal of Fourmilewater at a rain swept Bunmahon (1-16 to 0-11). David Greene’s ninth minute goal allowed Salle stroll ten points to the good by the break (1-11 to 0-4). Six different sources troubled the umpires as their direct running and use of the diagonal ball flummoxed Fourmilewater. Jake Dillon snapped up seven points, David Greene delivered 1-3 and Shane McNulty burst forward from midfield for two singles. Their weakened opponents started without Liam Lawlor, Shane Walsh and Conor Gleeson. Jamie Barron battled for the Fourmile cause and amassed eight points in all.
In the curtain raiser at Walsh Park, Lismore needed injury time points from Maurice and Dan Shanahan to squeeze past Roanmore (2-15 to 2-13) and reboot their quarter final prospects. A Maurice Shanahan double blast put Lismore in a commanding position at halfway (2-8 to 0-6). The Sky Blues re-emerged a different animal and Eamonn Power kick started the comeback with a goal three minutes into the second period. Shane Nolan then teed up Brian Nolan for a second major after 42 minutes. A Gavin O’Brien free edged them one up (2-11 to 2-10). It was score for score entering the closing stages and the game seemed destined for a draw when Shane Nolan equalised in the final minute of normal time. A disputed injury time free allowed Maurice Shanahan to shoot his side into a narrow lead and Dan followed up with the insurance score from open play. Both of these teams sit on three points with two rounds remaining.
Tallow nosed a ferociously contested local dispute against Ballyduff Upper in the Lismore sunshine on Friday evening to earn their first win of the season (1-13 to 0-15). They shot to the front on the stroke of half time when Evan Sheehan whipped a blistering first time pull past John Twomey. The Bridesiders never relinquished control thereafter. The teams were tied with five minutes remaining as full forward Mikey Kearney put over nine points. Ten wides proved expensive for the Reds however. Tallow struck for home when Ryan angled a shot between the posts from close to the sideline and O’Sullivan nailed a difficult free from 65 metres out.
Ballygunner became the first team to qualify for the quarter finals of the Waterford SHC following a low key Group 2 tussle with Mount Sion at Walsh Park on Thursday night (0-20 to 1-9). Pauric Mahony posted seven points to lead the way in the scoring stakes and the sharpest forward on show Conor Power grabbed six from open play.
After losing the last three championship encounters to their fiercest rivals, last year’s runners-up were eager to repair that record from the gun. Fergal Hartley’s charges had six points in hand at half time (0-9 to 0-3). The Gunners stretched the gap to ten by the third quarter. The Monastery men rallied briefly through a Eoin McGrath goal on 51 minutes but the leaders were never seriously troubled.
In the Western affair at Fraher Field, a slick-looking Dungarvan outfit finished 14 points in front of an understrength Ardmore (1-22 to 0-11) and their second win of the campaign leaves them in a good position to reach the knockout rounds. Cormac Curran (eight points) and Cathal Curran (1-4) flowed freely throughout with Jamie Nagle in charge at centre back. All six forwards scored for James O’Connor’s side before half time as the Blues held a commanding 1-11 to 0-6 lead. Six points from Cormac Curran was central to that early progress and Cathal Curran’s deft flick to the roof of the net on the quarter hour mark opened clear daylight.
Ardmore started minus the services of Clinton Hennessy, Declan Prendergast and Michael Cronin. Seamus Prendergast did all in his power to retrieve the situation and struck over nine points. With no points to show from three outings, Ardmore are scrapping for senior survival.
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