Ballyhale Shamrocks 5-18 St Martin’s 1-16

When the Shamrocks are in the mood, the opposition don’t have a prayer.

All the best, give it a go but no matter how well you think you’ve prepared, there’s always the danger they’ll turn it on and leave you for dead in an instant.

And there’s little you can do to stop it.

For St Martin’s of Wexford, their chances of making a miracle in the Leinster senior hurling semi-final lasted the grand total of one minute in UPMC Nowlan Park.

By that stage, Ballyhale already had 1-2 on the board and St Martin’s looked shell-shocked. Brian Cody lashed one into the net after a barnstorming Evan Shefflin run right from the throw-in before Eoin Cody and TJ Reid raised white flags.

Unfortunately for them, the worst was yet to come.

Richie Reid, brother of TJ, hit two long rangers and before St Martin’s knew where they were, this game was all over bar the shouting. The Wexford champions – rank outsiders coming into the game – needed a fast start to be in with a chance. Instead, they never got going at all as Ballyhale left them for dust.

How to take the perfect sideline.

TJ Reid stuck this one straight over the bar in Nowlan Park today 👌@Sportsfile 📸 pic.twitter.com/2Bgzb4AkJZ

— GAA JOE (@GAA__JOE) November 16, 2019

TJ slotted frees for sport as St Martin’s defenders coughed up ball after ball and free after free. Adrian Mullen joined the party with a fine point from play before TJ slotted a gorgeous sideline.

He followed the line ball up with a penalty as Henry Shefflin’s men bounded into a 2-12 to 0-7 half-time lead.

Martin’s weren’t helping themselves, but Ballyhale were absolutely lethal. In this form, no club side in the country will be able to live with them. The frightening thing for other teams is that they were at their ease here – Mullen was off early with a dead leg and Cody was quiet.

Imagine the score they’d rack up if they all click on the one day.

The second half came and went and it was one way traffic once again. Eoin Reid and Fennelly joined the goalscoring party as the Shamrocks showed no mercy.

TJ hit the net again to bring his tally to 2-14 for the day. Himself and Ballyhale will take some stopping.

Ballyhale Shamrocks

Dean Mason; Darragh Corcoran, Joey Holden, Darren Mullen; Evan Shefflin, Michael Fennelly, Richie Reid (0-2) Ronan Corcoran, TJ Reid (2-14, 0-11f, 0-1, sideline, 1-0 penalty), Adrian Mullen (0-1), B. Cody (1-0), Conor Phelan, Eoin Reid (1-0), Colin Fennelly (1-0), Eoin Cody (0-2)

Subs: Joey Cuddihy for Adrian Mullen (inj, 35), Conor Walsh for Ronan Corcoran (44), Eoin Kenneally for Eoin Cody (52), Mark Aylward for Richie Reid (54), Gavin Butler for Brian Cody (56)

St Martin’s

Luke White, Conor Firman, Joe O’Connor, Eoin O’Leary, Daithi Waters, Michael Codd (1-0), Patrick O’Connor, Aaron Maddock, Harry O’Connor (0-2), Joe Coleman (0-9f), Jack O’Connor (0-2), Jake Firman (0-1), Ciaran Lyng, Rory O’Connor, Mikey Coleman

Subs: Darren Codd (0-1) for Mikey Coleman (34) Mark Moloney for Jake Firman (44)

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