Tallow Shane F McCarthy and Abbeyside Tiernan Murray pictured in action during their Waterford Senior hurling championship third round clash at Cappoquin GAA grounds.

Tallow Shane F McCarthy and Abbeyside Tiernan Murray pictured in action during their Waterford Senior hurling championship third round clash at Cappoquin GAA grounds.

Tallow 3-9; Abbeyside 1-15

Like all other games played over last weekend in the county senior hurling championship, the meeting of last year’s beaten finalist, Abbeyside and losing semi-finalists Tallow produced lots of scores at Cappoquin on Saturday evening.

Tallow got off to a fantastic start when Stuart Barry, in for the injured Thomas Ryan, goaled. However, it took another 25 minutes before the Bride Valley men scored again. Abbeyside, who are hoping to emulate their 2008 achievement, weren’t standing on ceremony and inspired by their half-back line of Eoin Enright, Richie Foley and Shane Briggs they were soon in front.

Mark Gorman scored a goal in the opening half for Abbeyside but Paul O’Brien, who is in fine form, rifled over a number of points for Tallow, while a Paul Kearney goal before the change of ends ensured that the two sides went into the second half with everything to play for.

Abbeyside were the better of the two teams for much of the second period but they were unable to pull away from a determined Tallow side. With scoring difference to determine who plays who in the quarter-finals, Abbeyside might yet rue the chances they missed in this game, particularly on the turnaround when they hit over a dozen wides.

However, Patrick and Gary Hurney, Sean O’Hare, John and Mark Ferncombe and Mark O’Gorman all struck vital scores for ‘The Village’. But Tallow to their credit kept coming and were less wasteful with their opportunities – something that proved crucial to the outcome.

In added time a 65 was sent in and around the house by Paul O’Brien but sloppy defending by Abbeyside meant that O’Brien had time to advance towards goal and as the ball came back out he gathered and billowed the sliotar to the net – a score that gave his team a share of the two points on offer.

Abbeyside: D Ryan; T Murray, P Lynch, G Breen; E Enright, R Foley, S Briggs; J Hurney, S O’Hare; J Gorman, G Hurney, M Gorman; P Hurney, L Hurney, M Ferncombe. Sub: J Phelan for L Hurney.

Scorers: M Gorman 1-5, G Hurney 0-3, S O’Hare, J Gorman, P Hurney 0-2 each, R Foley 0-1.

Tallow: B Power; Shane G McCarthy, D O’Brien, K Kearney; M O’Brien, A Kearney, W Henley; K Geary, J Murray; P O’Brien, Shane F McCarthy, P Kearney; B Sheehan, S Barry, L McCarthy. Subs: T Ryan for Sheehan, JP Grey for Geary, E Sheehan for T Wall.

Scorers: P O’Brien 1-7, P Kearney and S Barry 1-0 each, T Ryan 0-2.

Referee: T Sullivan (Cappoquin).