Abbeyside ease past Fourmilewater and into the quarter-finals
Abbeyside's Michael Kiely controls the sliothar against Fourmilewater's Conor Gleeson in Fraher Field.
Bitter rivals when competing as The Nire and Ballinacourty for football honours it was confidently expected that with direct passage to the hurling quarter finals the prize the same level of commitment and enthusiasm would be in evidence when the sides clashed in Fraher Field on Saturday evening.
Alas, such expectations were not realised as the Fourmilewater side that faced Abbeyside in Fraher Field last Saturday was but a pale shadow of that which showed up strongly against Ballygunner in last year’s championship semi-final. At no time in this game did the Ballymac’ based side threaten the supremacy of young and eager opponents fully focussed on the job at hand and determined to see it to fruition.
Fielding much the same team that saw off Ferrybank the previous week, Abbeyside went into this match with a game plan that saw Conor Prunty deployed to pick up Jamie Barron and Michael Kiely, though listed at No. 14, allowed a roving commission that kept the Fourmilewater defence under pressure throughout. It was Prunty who set Kiely up for the opening point inside a minute and by the sixth minute further points from Charlie Treen, Michael O’Halloran and Kiely again had Abbeyside four points clear.
A point from Michael Morrissey opened Fourmilewater’s account in the ninth minute but Abbeyside continued to apply the pressure as Michael O’Halloran replied with two points from frees and Prunty with one from play before a Jamie Barron point in the 9th minute seemed to energise a hitherto lethargic Fourmilewater side as Aaron Ryan followed up with a point from a free. Once again, Abbeyside responded with a second point from Charlie Treen followed by two mor from Michael O’Halloran frees.
Sean Walsh and Michael Kiely (F) exchanged points but with halftime approaching Fourmilewater hit their best spell with a Ciaran Walsh point followed by two from Aaron Ryan (1F) before O’ Halloran sent over a free on the stroke of halftime to give his side an unflattering 0-12 to 0-7 lead going into the second half.
It took Abbeyside just three minutes into the second period to extend their lead with points from Michael O’Halloran (F) and Rian Walsh. There was still time for Fourmilewater to get back into the game but they were unable to follow through on two points by youngsters Evan Spellman and Pat Walsh as Abbeyside hit back with five unanswered points between the 36th and 50th minutes through Rian Walsh (2), Michael O’Halloran (2Fs) and Charlie Treen.
The last ten minutes saw Fourmilewater bringing some pressure to bear on the Abbeyside defence but could add just two Aaron Ryan points from ‘65’s and a fine point from play by sub Billy Byrne only to be still outscored in the same period as Charlie Treen and Michael O’Halloran added a further two points apiece before the final whistle.
It was an impressive performance by Abbeyside who once again fielded without the injured Neil Montgomery but their other county players, Conor Prunty and Michael Kiely. provided all the leadership that was needed on the field for impressive performers such as David Collins, William Beresford, Rian Walsh, and Charlie Treen while Michael O’Halloran continues to prove most reliable when scoring from frees.
Fourmilewater will, no doubt, seek to get this performance out of their system when they play Ferrybank next weekend but they will be looking for big performances going forward from their experienced players to back up the younger crop such as Evan Spellman, Aaron Ryan, Michael Morrissey and Billy Byrne who could not be faulted here.
– Michael Kiely was the man for Abbeyside.
– Abbeyside always in control from start.
– Fourmilewater’s dip in form
– A three Break for Abbeyside to the quarter finals while Fourmilewater face Ferrybank this weekend.
– Michael O’Halloran 0-11 (Fs), Charlie Treen 0-5, Michael Kiely and Rian Walsh 0-3 each, Conor Prunty 0-1.
– Aaron Ryan 0-5 (2’65’s,2Fs), Sean Walsh, Jamie Barron, Michael Morrissey, Pat Walsh, Evan Spellman, Ciaran Walsh and Billy Byrne 0-1 each.
– Lar Power, Sean Whelan-Barrett, Brian Looby, James Beresford, Maurice Power, David Collins, Evan McInerney, William Beresford, Conor Prunty,Michael O’Halloran, Rian Walsh, Billy O’Connell, Charlie Treen, Michael Kiely, Daire Slevin. – Eoin Kiely for Slevin (49), Colin Foley for Power (54). Mark Twomey for Walsh and Aidan Higgins for O’Connell (60).
– Stephen Ryan, Fionn Hallinan, Conor Gleeson, Tadhg Walsh, Tholum Guiry, Tom Barron, Oisin Walsh, Evan Spellman, Jamie Barron, Aaron Ryan, Dylan Guiry, Pat Walsh, Ciaran Walsh, Michael Morrissey, Sean Walsh. – Dermot Ryan and Billy Byrne for T. Walsh and Dylan Guiry (42), Larry Walsh for T. Guiry (52), Jake Mulcahy for Hallinan (58).
– Michael O’Brien (Portlaw).
