Kirby the star as The Harps march onto another U/20 final
The Harps' Mark Downey looks for a way past Jack Finlay and Kyle Mullen in the U/20HC semi-final Photo: David Maher
Laois Shopping Centre U/20 Hurling Championship s/f
The Harps 4-15
St Lazarian’s Abbeyleix 1-7
THE Harps bid for four U/20 hurling titles in a row remain on track after they cruised past 14-man Abbeyleix in Durrow on Sunday morning.
The turning point in the game was in the 15th minute as Daniel Bergin got sent off for Abbeyleix for a second yellow card, although The Harps were four points up at the time it did have a major bearing as the game went on.
Cormac Byrne opened the scoring for the away side, but The Harps responded with two points of their own through Liam Kirby and Mark Downey to open up a lead for the home side.
Abbeyleix were dominating the early exchanges and went ahead after Byrne registered another free while Cathal Noone got on the score line.
The victors then clicked into gear and hit a purple patch scoring the next five scores, four of them coming from Liam Kirby who was brilliant all day, Justin Duggan got the other point as the scores were 0-7 to 0-3 after 15 minutes.
In the next attack, Kirby was taken down by Daniel Bergin and Kieran Bowe deemed it as a second yellow with Bergin given his marching orders.
Kirby added the resulting free before the home side struck for their first goal as Hugh Whelan registered the green flag with a clinical finish to the corner.
Abbeyleix did hit a goal for themselves through Cathal Noone and was backed up by another free from Byrne.
Duggan and Kirby hit their sides last points of the half, but it was Cormac Byrne that landed the last score as The Harps led 1-11 to 1-5 at half time.
The Harps made use of their spare man and dominated the second half from the word go. Kirby added another free to get things going in the second half.
The game was all over in the next attack as Jack Kennedy evaded three defenders and fired the ball into the back of the net to give The Harps their second goal.
Duggan added a point immediately after and it looked like it was going to be a long half for Abbeyleix.
Noone did add a point for his side, but things were going to get a lot worse as the home side showed their ruthlessness in attack.
They fired in two goals in as many minutes with Mark Downey adding the third with a brilliant finish, while Liam Kirby got his goal to cap of a brilliant individual performance.
Byrne added a free for the away side, but the game was out of sight. Hugh Whelan added the last score of the game as The Harps ran out deserving winners.
SCORERS:
The Harps: Liam Kirby 1-10 (0-7fs), Mark Downey and Hugh Whelan 1-1 each, Justin Duggan 0-3, Jack Kennedy 1-0.
Abbeyleix: Cormac Byrne 0-5 (0-3fs), Cathal Noone 1-2, THE HARPS: Bobby Murphy; Cormac Dunne, Ciaran Flynn, Will Duggan; Tony Mahony, Donal Deegan, Jack Dunphy; Aaron Mahon, Ross Deegan; Jack Kennedy, Hugh Whelan, Lochlan Curran; Liam Kirby, Mark Downey, Justin Duggan.
Subs: Jimmy Whyte for Will Duggan (13m), Ned Duggan for Dunne (42m), Jay Brophy for Curran (48m), Eoin Holland for Mahon (55m), Neil Stanley for Dunphy (57m).
ST LAZARIAN’S ABBEYLEIX: Darragh Ryan; Tom O'Keefe, Daniel Bergin, Declan Iguma; Liam O'Keefe, Jack Finlay, Adam Jones; Eli Quinn, Kyle Mullen; Joe Cole, Stephen O'Donnell, Cormac Byrne; Daniel Jones, Jack O'Dea, Cathal Noone.
Referee: Kieran Bowe (Rathdowney/Errill)
