Roscrea punish undisciplined Newport
Roscrea 2-14
Newport 0-13
Report: Liam Hogan in Cloughjordan
Luke Cashin scored 1-10 as Roscrea for their Premier Intermediate hurling campaign off to a satisfactory start when they eventually came good to defeat a disappointing Newport side in the North quarter final on Saturday evening.
Cashin got over a shakey first half on placed balls before his radar clicked into working order before half time. Perhaps the delay in starting the game, due to extra time and penalties in the curtain-raiser involving Kiladangan and Silvermines, didn’t help the game spark into life.
Playing against the breeze in the first half, Roscrea looked shell shocked as they ran into a 0-5 to 0-1 deficit by the fourteenth minute. Peter O’Sullivan opened the scoring with a point but seconds later, Evan Fitzpatrick replied from a difficult angle.
Both sides exchanged wides but in the eighth minute Dan Carew had Newport in front and the lead stretched to four after Darragh Carroll, Kealan Floyd and Oran Connors found the target.
Roscrea’s ploy of a short passing at the back before landing a long ball up front eventually paid off as Luke Cashin hit two pointed frees, either side of a long ranger by the impressive Darren O’Connor, to bring them level at 0-5 each after eighteen minutes.
Newport regrouped and combination play by Cian Flanagan, Darragh Carroll and Daniel Carew led to a free which Colin Floyd converted before points by Pa Ryan and Darragh Carroll had them 0-8 to 0-5 in front as each of the starting forwards had got on the scoresheet.
Roscrea refused to panic and continuing to build from the back, saw them piece together a goal by Shane Fletcher in the 29th minute, following an assist by fellow midfielder Daniel Ryan.
But not to outdone, Newport found a way to regain the lead as a Darragh Carroll free moved Newport in front in time for the interval, 0-9 to 1-5.
Newport went two clear by the 36th after Daniel Carew doubled his account but another combination move by Roscrea with Evan Fitzpatrick, Jason Gilmartin and Luke Cashin saw the later fire home their second goal in the 37th minute for a 2-6 to 0-10 lead.
That goal gave Roscrea some breathing space and with Newport conceding far too many frees, Luke Cashin was only too happy to punish them, and he added two more inside the three minutes, quickly followed by points from play by Jason Gilmartin and Jason Fitzpatrick, with Colin Floyd providing the only response from the Mulcair men to leave five points between the teams on 42 minutes.
Two minutes later, Newport keeper Paul Hogan was called on to deny Jason Gilmartin from close range, and in the 48th minute Luke Cashin increased his tally which moved his side two clear goals in front.
Darragh Carroll’s free in the 51st minute kept Newport in sight of the leaders, but Luke Cashin was in form now and with three more frees added to his tally there was no way back for Newport who must look forward to the county championship while Roscrea will take on Silvermines in the North semi-final next Saturday, back in Cloughjordan.
Player of the Match: Luke Cashin (Roscrea)
Roscrea: Enda Moloney (7); Shane Davis (7), Keith McMahon (7), Luke Seacy (7); Michael Campion (7), Darren O’Connor (0-1, 8), Conor Sheedy (8); Daniel Ryan (7), Shane Fletcher (1-0, 7); Darragh Tynan (6), Joe Carroll (6), Evan Fitzpatrick (0-1, 6); Jason Gilmartin (0-1, 7), Kenny Lee (6), Luke Cashin (1-10, 0-10f) 8).
Subs: Conor Phelan (6) for Seacy (31 inj); Jason Fitzpatrick (0-1, 7) for Lee (38); Kenny Lee for Ryan (52).
Newport: Paul Hogan (7); Conor Hickey (7), Robert Houlihan (7), Jordan Young (7); Aidan Ryan (7), Conor Floyd (8), Thomas Floyd (7); Peter O’Sullivan (0-1, 7), Cian Flanagan (6); Pa Ryan (0-1, 6), Darragh Carroll (0-4, 2f) 7), Kealan Floyd (0-2, 6); Daniel Carew (0-2, 7), Colin Floyd (6), Oran Connors (0-1, 6).
Sub: Odhran Floyd (6) for Hickey (46).
Referee: Gerry Treacy (Borris-Ileigh).