Hot favourites Glenmore reached the semi-finals of the Leinster Club AIB hurling championship after this comprehensive and expected win over Lough Lene Gaels at Castletown-Geoghegan yesterday Aided by a seventh minute goal from corner forward Michael Phelan the newly crowned Kilkenny champions surged into a 1-5 to 0-0 lead after 20 minutes. An impressive fight back by Lough Lene Gaels before the break saw them shoot over four unanswered points to reduce the interval deficit to 1-6 to 0-4.
The Westmeath side stayed in touch in the third quarter and with just over five minutes remaining Glenmore led by 1-11 to 0-8.
A Ray Heffernan goal in the 56th minute ended the challenge of the Gaels and in the closing minutes Glenmore added a further 1-4.
GLENMORE: F Kirwan; F Freyne, M Aylward, W Vereker; P Mullally, W O'Connor, R Mullally; R Heffernan (1-6), S Dollard; P Fitzgerald (0-4), P J O'Connor (0-1), S Vereker; M Phelan (2-0), J Phelan (0-3), M Murphy. Sub: M Mullally (0-1) for S Vereker.
LOUGH LENE GAELS: M Briody; J J Fitzsimons, M Murtagh, M Kennedy; B Williams, M Williams, C Williams; M Shaw (0-1), P Williams; J Williams (0-1), F O'Farrell (0-2), G Briody (0-1); A Murray, J Kennedy (0-2), S Fitzpatrick (0-1). Subs: B O'Connell for C Williams, D Cunningham (0-1) for A Murray.
Referee: P Horan (Offaly).
