THE final scoreline shows the huge gulf in class between these sides as White’s Cross bid to win their fourth consecutive Silversprings Moran Hotel JAFC remains firmly on track.
St Nick’s arrived at Ballinlough last night minus a number of players that included hurlers not 1 available for selection and when you have to face the might of the champions that is a tall order to encounter.
Credit to St Nick’s they tried hard over the hour, but in truth this game was a mismatch right from the throw-in. When Conor Buckley kicked the opening point in the first minute, it was highly likely that the floodgates would open and four minutes later came the first green flag. A high ball
into the square found the in rushing Edwin Buckley who had little difficulty in slotting it past the keeper. A minute later St Nick’s defence was all at sea as Paul O’Sullivan was on hand to place the ball wide of the keeper.
Ironically the bestand only score of the half came for St Nick’s in the ninth minute when Kevin Herlihy kicked a sublime point straight between the posts.
For the remainder of the half St Nick’s failed to gain any possession and Buckley registered his second goal in the 16th minute.
White’s Cross kicked points at will and the half-time score made for depressing reading for the Blackpool side when they trailed 3-11 to 0-1.
The second half was much more . low key on the scoring front for White’s Cross and Buckley had to wait until the 52nd minute to complete his hat-trick Buckley took his tally to 4-4 with five minutes remaining and although St Nick’s kept battling they exited tamely from the championship.
Scorers for Whites Cross: E Buckley 4-04 (0-1f), C Buckley 0-5, P O’Sullivan 1-0, D Murnane 0- 03 M Kelleher, D Burke, C Smith, K O’Keeffe , S Kiely 0-1 each
Scorers for St Nicks K McCarthy, B O’Donovan, K Herlihy 0-02 each
White’s Cross. Billy Sheehan, John O’Connell, James Cooney, Brian Murphy, Sean Murnane, Eoin Murnane , Paddy O’Brien, Murt Kelleher , Cian Smith, Paul O’Sullivan ,Conor Buckley, Edwin Buckley (0-04, 1 free), Dylan Burke, Breandan Murnane, Donncha Murnane
Subs: S Kiely for P O’Sullivan (11 mins, inj) Ken O’Keeffe for D Burke (50)
St Nicks: E Byrnes, M McGrath, D McCarthy, A Hosford, B O’Sullivan, T Dennehy, R McCarthy, K Herlihy, C Dorris, K McCarthy, B O’Donovan, D Hourigan, N Harte, P Murphy, D Dorris.
Subs: C Hurley for DHourigan (45) M Kelleher for R McCarthy (50) R Charles for C Dorris (50) C Mullane for E Byrnes (58)