Affane Cappoquin Tourin 2-29 (35)

Shamrocks 2-15 (21)

Despite being down to 14 men for the best part of 50 minutes, Affane Cappoquin Tourin coasted through to the Waterford Premier Intermediate Hurling Championship semi-finals as they saw off Shamrocks with ease in Lismore on Friday night. 

0-12 from the outstanding Eoghan Murray and goals from Jack Twomey and Cian Nolan either side of half time were enough to secure passage to the last four for Fintan O’Connor’s men, though they will be without the suspended Gavin Fives. 

Affane Cappoquin Tourin were afforded an almost perfect start as Twomey swivelled to split the posts with barely ten seconds played, and with the minute mark not even upon us – the same man was found by a searching low ball to bear down on goal and hit the net. 

An Eoghan Murray free further exemplified their superiority before a superb sideline cut from Conor Murray was plucked by Conor Rooney to make it 1-3 to no score early on. 

Two quickfire frees from Tom Dalton got Shamrocks up and running, before Shane Roche found Padraig Hynes on the run to reduce arrears to three. David Cahillane and Kieran Crawford then traded fine scores, before Rooney and Billy Hynes repeated the trick and drama soon ensued. 

Stephen Lucey bore down on goal as Shamrocks threatened to click into gear and he was hauled down by Gavin Fives on 12 minutes. Much to the surprise of everyone in Lismore, referee Alan Kissane saw it necessary to give Fives his marching orders, and the leaders were down to 14 men. 

A Dalton dead ball moved it back to a two-point affair, but despite their man advantage – that was as close as Shamrocks would get. Murray and Billy Hynes cancelled each other out, before a superb point from Niall Fives, some Murray magic from play, a free and a David Cahillane strike saw Cappoquin move six to the good in the blink of an eye. 

Mike O’Neill found the radar from a tight angle, before Shane Roche sent over a thumping effort and Padraig Hynes capitalised on a loose ball as Shamrocks refused to roll over – but three successive scores from Murray (2) and Charlie Nicholson saw the 14 men six up at the interval. 

Any hopes of a Shamrocks comeback in the second period didn’t take too long to dissipate. Aaron O’Sullivan opened his account before Dalton exchanged white flags with Murray – but the game was effectively over on 34 minutes. The lively Twomey was found in space and sprinted towards the Shamrocks net, and he offloaded to the unmarked Cian Nolan who made no mistake from close range to open up a ten-point lead. 

Credit to Shamrocks, they responded in the best way possible as Edward Lonergan found Stephen Lucey to raise a green flag of their own a minute later – but truth be told, it was an uphill task, and at times you’d have thought it was the Knockanore side who were a man down. 

Cappoquin were relentless, their fielding and decision making was superb all evening – four successive scores via Murray (2), Nicholson and O’Sullivan showcasing the gulf in class. Padraig Hynes knocked over another consolation effort before Twomey and O’Sullivan added to their fast-growing personal tallies – and goalkeeper Darren Curran made an impressive stop to deny Dalton from a close-range free. 

Shamrocks didn’t have to wait long to plunder a second goal though, Adam Crawford was found on the run and thundered to the roof of the net on 45 minutes – though by then, it was still a nine-point margin to close. 

Murray knocked over two difficult frees to allay any fears of a temporary slump for Affane Cappoquin Tourin, and the introduction of Finán Murray and Tommy McCarthy did little to help the Shamrocks cause. 

Two late points from McCarthy, a fine effort from fellow sub Murray and a rasper from captain marvel Aaron O’Sullivan capped off a memorable night in the end – though greater challenges lie ahead in the last four for Fintan O’Connor’s charges. 

Scorers for Affane Cappoquin Tourin: Eoghan Murray (0-12; 0-10f); Jack Twomey (1-2); Cian Nolan (1-1); Aaron O’Sullivan (0-4); David Cahillane, Conor Rooney, Charlie Nicholson and Tommy McCarthy (0-2 each); Finán Murray and Niall Fives (0-1 each) 

Scorers for Shamrocks: Tom Dalton (0-5; 0-5f); Padraig Hynes (0-4); Stephen Lucey and Adam Crawford (1-0 each); Billy Hynes (0-2); Shane Roche, Mike O’Neill, Gearoid Hynes and Kieran Crawford (0-1 each)

Affane Cappoquin Tourin: Darren Curran; Colm Looby, David Cahillane, Cian Nolan; Mike O’Brien, Gavin Fives, Conor Murray; Charlie Nicholson, Evan Murray; Niall Fives, Eoghan Murray, Aaron O’Sullivan; Jack Twomey, Conor Rooney, Keith O’Sullivan

Subs: Tommy McCarthy for Mike O’Brien (49); Finán Murray for Conor Rooney (49)

Shamrocks: Kelvyn O’Farrell; Stephen Roche, Adam Crawford, Chris Murphy; Sean Meaney, Shane Roche, Billy Hynes; Adam McSweeney, Kieran Crawford; Stephen Lucey, Padraig Hynes, Eoghan Lenehan; Edward Lonergan, Mike O’Neill, Tom Dalton 

Subs: Ivan O’Neill for Stephen Roche (19); Michael Lucey for Sean Meaney (43); Gearoid Hynes for Mike O’Neill (48); Ciaran Lenehan for Billy Hynes (59)

Referee: Alan Kissane (Dunhill)

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