Trumera comfortably get the better of The Harps to advance to semi-finals

Laois Shopping Centre Intermediate Hurling Championship q/f 

Trumera 1-20 

The Harps 1-14 

TRUMERA have booked their place in the Laois Shopping Centre Intermediate Hurling Championship semi-finals after an impressive victory over The Harps on Sunday afternoon in Rathdowney. Trumera stormed into an eight-point lead at half time and held off a spirited fight-back from The Harps to advance into the final four.

The Harps finished second in Group A thanks to narrow wins over Slieve Bloom and PRT, while Trumera came through Group B in third place thanks to their victory over Ballypickas.

The Harps got off to a dream start when a brilliant solo effort from David Doheny raised a green flag with just 30 seconds played in Kelly-O'Daly Park. Trumera responded with the next four scores on the trot, with Joe Coogan, Caolan Murphy, Niall Sinnott and Darragh McSpadden all pointing.

Bobby Murphy hit back for The Harps, but McSpadden cancelled that out and Sinnott landed his second '65 before Trumera raised a green flag of their own. A high ball in caused all sorts of confusion in The Harps' defence, with Jack Coogan on hand to turn the ball into the net.

Liam Kirby pointed a free for The Harps, but they could not stem the tide as Trumera landed six of the next five scores, including two each from Dylan Lalor and Evan McSpadden and another one each from Sinnott and Joe Coogan. The Harps landed two late scores, both from Kirby, to leave their side down by 1-12 to 1-4 at the interval.

It looked like it would be more of the same after the restart when Lalor extended Trumera’s lead. But The Harps refused to lie down and came roaring back with the next six scores without reply. Kirby landed a 65 and one from play, with a free from Conor Dunne, two from play from Donal Deegan and a beauty from Murphy.

That cut the gap to three points between the teams but a sudden flurry from Trumera saw Sinnott point a free and one from play before Lalor pointed again to put his team six points to the good with 15 minutes remaining.

Trumera Goalkeeper Finnian O’Connor landed a free from inside his own half but scores from Kirby, Doheny and Murphy brought The Harps back to within four points with five minutes of normal time remaining.

Dunne landed a ’65 in the closing stages for The Harps but Trumera found three more scores – two frees from Sinnott and the final score of the game from Lalor – to finish six-point winners and book their place in the semi-finals. They were helped massively by O’Connor in goals, with the big keeper making a few vital interventions to deny The Harps from adding to their goal tally.

Trumera will play Mountrath in the final four with Clonad against Slieve Bloom in the other semi-final.

SCORERS:

Trumera: Niall Sinnot 0-7 (0-3f, 0-2 65), Dylan Lalor 0-5 (0-1 sideline), Jack Coogan 1-0, Joe Coogan, Darragh McSpadden and Evan McSpadden 0-2 each, Caolon Murphy and Finnian O’Connor (f) 0-1 each.

The Harps: Liam Kirby 0-6 (0-3f, 0-2 65), David Doheny 1-1, Bobby Murphy 0-3, Conor Dunne (0-1f, 0-1 65) and Donal Deegan 0-2 each.

TRUMERA: Finnian O’Connor; James Kirwan, Gearoid O’Neill, Donnacha O’Neill; Caolan Murphy, Donnacha Dowling, Darragh McSpadden; Evan McSpadden, Ruairi Kavanagh; Jack Coogan, Joe Coogan, Dylan Lalor; Cathal Brophy, Dion O’Connor, Niall Sinnott.

Subs: John O’Connor for Jack Coogan (42m), Jack Coogan for Brophy (48m).

THE HARPS: Peter Walsh; Jack Murphy, Shane Phelan, Jack Dunphy; Will Duggan, Conor Dunne, Ben Dunphy; Donal Deegan, Jimmy Whyte; Lochlan Curran, David Doheny, Darren Maher; Aaron Mahon, Liam Kirby, Bobby Murphy.

Subs: Liam Dunphy for Mahon (58m).

Referee: Patrick Phelan (Castletown)