Unfair odds: Roanmore's Frank McGrath and Conor O'Byrne flank Ardmore's David Hennessy, with further support for the city men in the background. photo: Michael Kiely

Unfair odds: Roanmore's Frank McGrath and Conor O'Byrne flank Ardmore's David Hennessy, with further support for the city men in the background. photo: Michael Kiely

Roanmore 0-16 Ardmore 1-10

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Roanmore collected a third county crown in as many weeks at Fraher Field on Saturday last when they proving too strong for an Ardmore side that didn’t reach the playing heights that they are capable of.
For much of the game the city side held the advantage and justifiably so, with 17-year-old Gavin O’Brien proving immense, hitting a total of 11 scores.
With the Waterford management team present, there’s certain to be a clamour suggesting that the young star should be included in the senior panel.
But he’s got time on his side and shouldn’t be rushed into the inter-county game’s top grade yet with minor and Under-21 commitments, as well as college and senior club hurling now on his plate.
Three points separated the sides in the end of the game and while the better team on the day; Ardmore appeared to have just cause for frustration. While awarded one first half penalty which Clinton Hennessy converted, they ought to have had another five minutes from half-time.
As was the case first time around, David Ryan hauled down Johnny Hennessy; only this time, despite the incident appearing more blatant than the first indiscretion, no penalty was awarded.
The victors took the lead through young O’Brien after just seven seconds, surely one of the quickest scores recorded in any game or code this year.
They retained that lead until the the fifth minute when Clinton Hennessy blasted a penalty past a three man Roanmore defensive line to give Ardmore a two-point lead.
Seamus Prendergast then added a point from play to extend Ardmore’s lead and by then it looked as if Roanmore could be in trouble.
The next score was going to be crucial and it went the city club’s way, as did the next three thereafter all off the hurl of the brilliant Gavin O’Brien.
Seamus Prendergast had Ardmore quickly in front when he converted a free out near the sideline on the stand side of the field, a score which the Roanmore players hotly disputed but their pleas were ignored by the officials.
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