Limerick's Blackrock power past Fourmilewater in Munster Junior B championship

THREE goals inside the first fourteen minutes powered Blackrock to an impressive 5-11 to 2-5 victory over Fourmilewater, of Waterford, in the Munster junior B club hurling championship in Raheenagh on Saturday.

With the aftermath of Storm Eunice making stickwork and passing difficult for both sides, the Limerick champions adapted better to the conditons and, once Gavin O'Loughlin raised his third and his side's fourth green flag coming up to half-time, there was no way back for Waterford's Fourmilewater.

Most of the losing line-up had also fallen to Limerick opposition in the junior B football equivalent under the colours of the club's footballing arm, The Nire, just six days before and, despite staging comebacks in the middle of both halves, could never maintain the momentum long enough to threaten the lead.

When it came down to converting chances, they hadn't the finishers to match not just O'Loughlin but also two-goal Dave Healy and James O'Doherty who closed off the result with four second-half points.

Former county man Shane Walsh opened the scoring for the Decies men but, after missing their first free, Blackrock rocked them when O'Loughlin's speculative shot floated to the net. He bagged his second off a penalty for a foul on Healy who then got his after catching high on the edge of the square before Barry O'Shaughnessy moved the gap to nine.

Jordan Ryan replied immediately Tommy Cooney pulled a breaking ball off a long delivery to the net to bring Fourmilewater back into contact. But hey failed to build on it as Donnacha Leahy, Richie Cooke and O'Loughlin struck back and any hopes of a recovery disappeared when O'Loughlin drove home his hat-trick for a half-time lead of 4-4 to 1-2 for the Ballyhoura men.

After O'Loughlin and O'Doherty's free added to it on the restart, the Waterford champions raised their game for Walsh's free, Kenny Brazil's bullet of a goal through the crowded defence off a quick free and Shane O'Meara's follow-up point.

But that was as close as they got as the Kilfinane club lifted a gear for David O'Flaherty's point, Healy's second goal after beating his man to the long delivery, O'Doherty from a free and from play, sub Mark Duggan straight after he came on and O'Doherty again widening the margin before the game ended with Ciarán Walsh's reply.

SCORERS: BLACKROCK: Gavin O'Loughlin 3-2 (1-0 penalty), Dave Healy 2-0, James O'Doherty 0-4 (2 frees), Barry O'Shaughnessy, Donnacha Leahy, Richie Cooke, David O'Flaherty, Mark Duggan 0-1 each. FOURMILEWATER: Tommy Cooney, Kenny Brazil 1-0 each, Shane Walsh 0-2 (1 free), Jordan Ryan, Shane O'Meara, Ciarán Walsh 0-1 each.