Rathnure 4-12 Kilmessan 1-9 Wexford champions Rathnure had a predictably easy victory over Meath side Kilmessan at Páirc Tailteann, Navan, yesterday, to progress to the Leinster club hurling semi-final, after the home side had a player sent off late in the second half.

Despite being without Paul Codd and playing against a strong wind in the first half, Rathnure led by 3-5 to 1-6 at the interval, landing three goals in the opening 16 minutes. Seán O'Neill set up the first two and then hit the target himself before retiring shortly afterwards with an injury.

O'Neill offloaded to Brendan O'Leary, who volleyed to the net to open the scoring after 50 seconds. Kilmessan responded with a Nicky Horan goal after five minutes. However, daylight opened up between the sides when O'Neill goaled and shortly afterwards Robbie Codd hit the net as his side went 3-3 to 1-2 clear.

Kilmessan finished out the half with four points on the trot from Horan (two), Leon Maguire and Ger O'Neill and eroded the deficit further when Stephen Clynch shot over within a minute of the restart. Richard Flynn scored Rathnure's fourth goal from a 55-metre free after 50 minutes to put his side 4-5 to 1-7 ahead. A brief skirmish during a rare Kilmessan foray resulted in Clynch receiving his marching orders.

RATHNURE: J Morrissey; A O'Connell, S Somers, D Guiney; J Somers, M O'Leary, R Guiney; N Higgins, J O'Connor (0-2); T Hogan, M Byrne, B O'Leary (1-0); S O'Neill (1-1), R Codd (1-4), R Flynn (1-5). Subs: A Codd for O'Neill; A Ronan for B O'Leary; C Byrne for Hogan; S Murphy for D Guiney.

KILMESSAN: M Brennan; P McGovern, D Donnelly, J Horan; C Keena, A O'Neill, R Donnelly; S Stephens, G O'Neill (0-1); S Clynch (0-1), M Reilly (0-1), L Maguire (0-1); J Keena (0-1), M Horan (0-1), N Horan (1-3). Subs: P Farrell for Stephens; J Battersby for Maguire; J Byrne for J Horan.

Referee: E Morris (Dublin).