Arms and ash: Abbeyside's Mark Ferncombe makes a clean catch above Stradbally's Shane Lannon and Tony Grey during their County SHC encounter at Fraher Field on Saturday. | Photo: MichaelKiely.com
Abbeyside 1-15; Stradbally 0-14
Abbeyside gave themselves a good chance of winning a place in the last eight of this year’s Snowcream County Senior Hurling quarter-finals when they enjoyed a four-point win over neighbours and Group 1 strugglers Stradbally at Fraher Field last Saturday.
While the Covesiders are not mathematically without hope of winning a place in the last eight, the possibility looks rather slim as they have tough games to come against county champions Ballygunner (in a delayed round one fixture) and then a final group tie against the table toppers Ballyduff Upper.
Failure to collect any points in either of these matches would leave Stradbally contesting a relegation play-off final for the second year running, most probably against Ballyduff Lower or Dungarvan.
The opening quarter here proved to be very close and at the end of it Abbeyside held a 0-6 to 0-4 lead. The only goal of the game arrived on seventeen minutes when Richie Foley set up Patrick Hurney for a well-taken strike.
The remainder of the half remained tight, and at the change of ends it was the side from the banks of the Colligan that led by 1-9 to 0-7.
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