The junior hurlers have reached the county hurling final for the second year in a row following a five point win over Rathpeacon in another tight, tense, low scoring scrappy affair played at Ballinlough on Sunday evening last. Semi-finals are for winning and the objective at the start of the year was to get back to a county final to try and atone for last year’s defeat to Killavullen. In this sense, it is mission accomplished. However, players and management will know that this performance probably won’t suffice if the team is to deliver on their potential and bring the first county hurling title to White’s Cross. On the game itself, it took quite a while to get going. Indeed White’s Cross first score did not come until the 16th minute when Conor Buckley put over a fine from play from out on the wing. This was followed up almost immediately with a Donncha Murnane point from play; a score which put White’s Cross ahead on a score of 0-02 to 0-01. Rathpeacon equalised shortly after before Conor Buckley put White’s Cross back in the lead with a 65. Then came the game’s key moment when Rathpeacon’s influential midfielder Gavin Duggan was dismissed with a straight red card for an altercation with his direct opponent Donncha Murnane. Though Rathpeacon did manage to level the game shortly afterwards, and despite playing with plenty of endeavour with a man short, this is the best it got for them. Wing back James Cooney and Conor Buckley added two more points before half time to leave White’s Cross leading by two at the break. James Cooney added another fine point just after the break to stretch the lead to three: 0-06 to 0-03. This score, on another day, may have been the platform to drive on lay down a marker. Unfortunately, the performance stuttered from here. Though the backs were solid, with Breandán Murnane giving a man-of-match performance at wing back, and mopped up almost everything that came their way, the scores didn’t arrive at the other end. In fact James Cooney’s point was the final score from play in the game. Conor Buckley’s frees were the only other scores of a disappointing game. However, as mentioned earlier semi-finals are to be won. There is little point in peaking at this stage. We know from games against Gabriel Rangers and Belgooly in earlier rounds that they can perform on the big day. We just hope there is one more performance like that being held in reserve. Friday night would be a good time to release it.

Team: Shane Cahill, Derek O’Connor, John ‘Connell, Padraig Murnane, James Cooney (0-02), Murt Kelleher, Breandan Murnane, Donncha Murnane (0-01), Robert McElhinney, Ruiari Murnane, Eoin Murnane, Conor Buckley (0-06, 0-05 frees), Edwin Buckley, Kevin Buckley, Cormac O’Flynn. Subs. Seamus Quinlan for Cormac O’Flynn, Sean Twomey for Ruairi Murnane