Kilkenny SHC Semi-finals/ Ballyhale Sahmrocks 1-19 O'Loughlin Gaels 1-10: Shamrocks showed a big improvement all on all previous form to beat O'Loughlin Gaels in convincing fashion in yesterday's semi-final at Nowlan Park.

The winners put in a strong closing five minutes during which they added unanswered points through Henry Shefflin (3) and Mark Aylward to secure a deserved victory.

The Shamrocks were strong in defence during the first half and with TJ Reid in impressive form at midfield they took a firm grip on proceedings with the wind at their backs.

The losers were restricted to five points, four from Nigel Skehan, as Henry Shefflin and company went on a bit of a scoring spree at the other end.

At the break Ballyhale led by 0-10 to 0-5 with Shefflin (five), TJ Reid (two) and James 'Cha' Fitzpatrick (two) the main marksmen. When Gaels goalkeeper failed to control a simple ball in the 39th minute and Patrick Reid raced in to force the ball into the net it put Shamrocks into a strong 1-12 to 1-5 lead and from that point it was as good as over for O'Loughlin's.

The losers had dragged themselves back into contention earlier when a goal from Jason Lawlor cut the deficit to 1-5 to 0-11. For a while they looked threatening but after Reid's goal Shamrocks were always in control.

BALLYHALE SHAMROCKS: J. Connolloy; P. Shefflin, E. Walsh, P. Holden; K. Nolan, B. Aylward, A. Cummins; M. Fennelly; TJ Reid (0-2); E. Reid (0-1); H. Shefflin (0-8), D. Hoyne (0-1); P. Reid (1-0), J. Fitzpatrick (0-4), M. Aylward (0-3). Subs: T. Coogan for K. Nolan; B. Costelloe for P. Reid.

O'LOUGHLIN GAELS: K. Cleere; P. Dowling, B. Murphy, A. O'Brien; S. Dowling, B. Hogan, A. Comerford; S. Cummins, A. Geoghegan; B. Kelly, M. Comerford, N. Skehan (0-7); J. Lawlor (1-2), M. Nolan, B. Dowling (0-1). Sub: J. Comerford for B. Kelly.

Referee: J. Guinan (St Lachtain's).