AIB All-Ireland Club IHC semi-final
Watergrasshill (Cork) 1-21 Carey Faughs (Antrim) 0-8
CAREY FAUGHS’ bid to become just the third Antrim club to reach the All-Ireland intermediate hurling final fell well short as they suffered a comprehensive defeat at the hands of Watergrasshill in Navan yesterday.
The north Antrim men went into this last-four tie as underdogs, and while they made a promising start with the opening two points inside 10 minutes, they were second best in most sectors of the pitch thereafter.
The Cork side, unbeaten in club and provincial competition all season, produced a power-packed display of fast flowing hurling to which their opponents had little or no answer.
Their superior physicality was evident throughout the pitch and their ability to create and take scores left Carey Faughs on the back foot from the early stages.
The Carey Faughs attack struggled for scores against the imposing presence of Cork county panellist Daire O’Leary, Dylan McCarthy and Kevin O’Neill and all too often the final pass let them down.
They managed just three points from open play for the hour and rarely threatened to create an opening to score a goal.
With the advantage of the stiff breeze, the lively Conall McGlynn converted two early frees and the Carey Faughs rearguard stood up to early Watergrasshill pressure.
However, once the Leesiders settled and Sean Desmond grabbed possession and turned his marker before blasting to the net on 11 minutes it was mostly one-way traffic.
Brendan Lehane added a quick point before Connor McBride had Carey Faughs’ opening score from play on 13 minutes. McGlynn’s third pointed free left the minimum between the teams early in the second quarter.
The Munster champions took control from there, scoring the next eight points to lead 1-10 to 0-4 after 28 minutes. Caolan McCaughan and Brendan Lehane then swapped points leaving it 1-11 to 0-5 at half-time.
Watergrasshill’s superiority continued at the start of the second half with a further four points before McGlynn added to Carey Faughs’ tally from another free.
By the three-quarter way stage, the lead had stretched to 1-17 to 0-6 and the Glensmen had to wait until the 57th minute before Connor McBride accounted for their only score from play in the second half. The losers’ remaining point came from a Callum Cane free in added time.
Sean Desmond finished with 1-5 for the winners, while Adam Murphy accounted for eight points, seven from frees.
Watergrasshill will now face Galway champs Tynagh-Abbey/Duniry, who beat Rathnure of Wexford by 2-19 to 2-11.
Watergrasshill A Foley; S Field, D McCarthy, I O’Callaghan (0-1); D Roche, D O’Leary (0-1), K O’Neill; A Cronin (0-1), A Spriggs; S O’Regan (0-1), A Murphy (0-8, 0-7 frees),
C O’Leary; B Lehane (0-3), S Desmond (1-5), P O’Leary (0-1)
Subs J Foley for A Foley (38), L Foley for C O’Leary (42),
J Gowen for Spriggs(47), P Cronin for O’Callaghan (48),
J McCarthy for Murphy (54)
Carey Faughs S McGinn; Z McCaughan, S McBride, P Gillan; J McBride, J McCouaig, S Hunter; P Butler, M McVeigh;
C McGlynn (0-4 frees), C McCaughan (0-1), C McBride
(0-2); J Black, C McKinley, C Cane (0-1 free)
Subs F McVeigh for Black (29), E Hill for Gillan (42), E McKinley for C McBride, C McKiernan for Hunter, S Mathers for C McKinley (all 59)
Referee C Daly (Kildare)
