Oulart-The Ballagh (Wexford) 0-16

Clonkill (Westmeath) 0-08

Oulart-The Ballagh will have another opportunity to win their first Leinster club hurling title against Cuala on November 29 after they enjoyed a surprisingly comfortable semi-final victory over Clonkill at a wind-swept Cusack Park.

David O'Reilly's Clonkill had high hopes of becoming the first Westmeath club to reach a provincial senior hurling final but, after a promising start, were brushed aside by the wind-assisted visitors, who shot eight unanswered points in a 20-minute spell to lead by 0-11 to 0-3.

Thereafter, the result was never in doubt and Clonkill's misery was compounded by a straight red card for defender Shane Power for pulling Rory Jacob's faceguard in the closing stages.

After the home side grabbed two of the first three points, Oulart settled down to play some excellent hurling in the tough conditions. Des Mythen, Nicky Kirwan and David Redmond all found the target during a dominant spell between the fifth and 25th minutes in which Garrett Sinnott and Tommy Storey also spurned goal chances. Brendan Murtagh, who struggled to get into the game, pointed a long-range free to finally end the Wexford side's eight-point scoring sequence on the stroke of half-time.

Three Anthony Prices points gave Clonkill hope after the restart, but Oulart were far too good and could would have won by more but for the brilliance of Gary Healy in the Clonkill goal.

Oulart-The Ballagh - C O'Leary; E Moore, K Rossiter, B Kehoe; P Roche (0-1f), S Murphy, K Sheridan; R Jacob (0-2), D Redmond (0-2); T Storey (0-1), T Dunne, P Murphy; D Mythen (0-5), G Sinnott (0-1), N Kirwan (0-4, 1f, 1'65). Subs: D Morton for E Moore, P Sutton for P Murphy, M Doyle for N Kirwan, M Jacob for T Storey, L Prendergast for T Dunne.

Clonkill - G Healy; K Reilly, C Scally, S Power; A McGrath, B Murtagh (0-1f), L Folan; P Dowdall, E Price; M Heffernan (0-2), Adam Price, C Crentsil; Anthony Price (0-3, 2f), N Dowdall (0-2), A Dowdall. Subs: D Egerton for C Crentsil, N Mitchell for P Dowdall, A Mitchell for Adam Price.

Referee - P Murphy.

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