Rathnure stage strong recovery

Rathnure ... 1-13 Naas ... 0-8 Wexford senior county champions Rathnure were forced to mount a second-half comeback to advance to the semi-finals of the Leinster club hurling championship at the expense of Naas yesterday.

Rathnure came into the game as strong favourites, but they played second fiddle for the first half after Naas took a two-point lead inside five minutes.

Midfielder Paul Codd opened the visitors' account with a point, but a Damien Scallan free kept Naas in front.

Scallan added two more scores later in the half, and the teams went to the dressing room with Naas leading by 0-6 to 0-4.

The Rathnure recovery got under way early in the second half with a point from Trevor Hogan seconds after the throw in, and shortly afterwards Codd converted a 65 to level the game.

However, Scallan replied for Naas with another point from a placed ball.

Rathnure pulled clear in the final quarter and they were two points in front by the time Brendan O'Leary got the only goal of the game in the 55th minute to make sure of victory.

RATHNURE: J Morrissey; A O'Connell, S Somers, D Guiney; J Mooney, M O'Leary, R Guiney; J O'Connor, P Codd (0-7, 6 frees); T Hogan (0-2), M Byrne, N Higgins; R Codd (0-1), M Morrissey (0-3), B O'Leary (1-0). Subs: S O'Neill for O'Leary, M Redmond for Morrissey, A Codd for O'Connor.

NAAS: B Murnane; M Byrne, E Leamy, J Dowling; M Hennessy, E Denieffe, P Rohan; Martin Boran, D Scallan (0-6, all frees); P Brennan, J Brennan, N Swan; A Dowling (0-1), R Coyle (0-1), J Kinlon. Sub: J Ryan for Dowling.

Referee: J McGrath (Westmeath)