Rampant Roanmore easily overcome Lismore with superior display
Roanmore continued their impressive start to the Waterford Senior Hurling Championship with a comprehensive 15-point victory over Lismore, taking control inside the opening five minutes before cruising to a second successive win.
The Sky Blues have added a sharper scoring edge to their trademark work-rate this season and looked dangerous every time they attacked, with Gavin O’Brien, Brian Nolan and Ethan Flynn central to an excellent team display.
Roanmore could easily have gone in front after just ten seconds, but Seanie Barry reacted superbly to deny Flynn. It proved only a temporary reprieve as Gavin O’Brien opened the scoring from a 65 before Paul O’Sullivan, Billy Nolan, Sean Roche and Flynn all found the target in a blistering opening spell.
Six points were on the board inside five minutes and Lismore were immediately chasing the game. Jack Prendergast eventually opened their account from a seventh-minute free, but Roanmore continued to dictate matters through the outstanding Alex Furlong at wing-back. The defender struck three first-half points from play, while Brian Nolan and O’Brien continued to keep the scoreboard ticking over.
Ben O’Sullivan registered twice and Prendergast added further placed balls for Lismore, but Roanmore’s movement and accuracy ensured they remained comfortably in command. By half-time they had opened up a commanding 0-17 to 0-4 advantage.
Lismore showed greater purpose after the restart. Prendergast converted another excellent free before Lee Hearne, Paul O’Sullivan and Brian Nolan responded for Roanmore to maintain their sizeable cushion.
The game’s first goal arrived in the 44th minute. Prendergast delivered a perfectly-weighted cross into Oisín O’Gorman, who gathered and finished confidently to the net to reduce the deficit to 0-22 to 1-7.
Jordan Shanahan followed with two excellent points during Lismore’s best spell of the contest, but Roanmore never looked in danger. Alex Furlong continued to influence proceedings from deep, while Hearne, Brian Nolan and the ever-reliable O’Brien kept the scoreboard moving.
Roanmore eventually got the goal their performance deserved two minutes from time when Rory Furlong reacted quickest to a dropping ball on the edge of the square and finished to the net, putting the seal on another polished display.
Alex Furlong was outstanding throughout, while Gavin O’Brien, Brian Nolan and Ethan Flynn also impressed for the winners. Jordan Shanahan and Jack Prendergast were Lismore’s leading performers on an afternoon where injuries again limited the westerners’ options.
Gavin O’Brien (0-8; 0-5f; 0-2 ‘65); Alex Furlong and Brian Nolan (0-4 each); Paul O’Sullivan (0-3); Ethan Flynn and Lee Hearne (0-2 each, Hearne 0-1f); Rory Furlong (1-1); Billy Nolan, Charlie Chester, Dean Walsh and Sean Roche (0-1 each).
Jack Prendergast (0-7; 0-5f); Oisín O’Gorman (1-1); Jordan Shanahan and Ben O’Sullivan (0-2 each); Joseph O’Keeffe (0-1).
Jack Chester; Alex Furlong, Conor Ryan, Charlie Chester; Eoin Burke, Billy Nolan, Dean Walsh; Sean Burke, Gavin O’Brien; Brian Nolan, Paul O’Sullivan, Ethan Flynn; Lee Hearne, Rory Furlong, Sean Roche.
Callum Carroll for Sean Roche (45); Ian Chester for O’Sullivan (52); Frank McGrath for Eoin Burke (54); Eoghan Barry for Brian Nolan (57).
Seanie Barry; Josh Kiely, Iarlaith Daly, Connor Howard; Hugo Quann, Kealan Dunne, Jordan Shanahan; Joseph O’Keeffe, Tadhg Duffin; Jack Prendergast; Ben O’Sullivan, Ben Cummins, Aaron Whelan, Oisín O’Gorman, Charlie Lineen.
Joe Lenihan for Kealan Dunne (48); Stevie Barry for Charlie Lineen (51).
Seaghan Walsh (De La Salle).
