Spa travelled to Gneeveguilla on Sunday afternoon for round 4 of the county league and they came up against a strong home side who made them do battle right to the very end.

Sean O'Keeffe was first on the scoreboard but Mike Foley quicky responded for Spa with a free from an awkward angle. Con Buckley and Jack Cremin swapped scores with Niall McCarthy and Mike Stam O'Donoghue and at the end of the first quarter the sides were level at 0-3 apiece.

Cian Murphy won a mark and added a point for Spa, and Gneeveguilla's Con Buckley replied with two points in quick succession before the first Spa goal - Niall McCarthy winning the ball inside and laid off to Ciaran Spillane who rattled the net. Shane O'Sullivan added one more for Gneeveguilla and at the half time break Spa were in front at 1-4 to 0-6, although Gneeveguilla did have a number of efforts run wide in the opening half.

Sean O'Keeffe and Mike Foley exchanged scores before Gneeveguilla's Shane Crowley, Shane O'Sullivan and Conor Herlihy were all on target for the home side. Three goals soon followed, Shane O'Sullivan's shot coming off the upright for the first Gneeveguilla goal in the 40th minute. Spa replied when Shane Cronin sprinted forward and rattled the net in the 45th minute. Two minutes later however, Gneeveguilla were again attacking the Spa goal, Pa Brosnan's shot well blocked and Shane O'Sullivan collected the rebound and fumbled it but managed to slot past the Spa keeper to make it Spa 2-5 Gneeveguilla 2-10 at the start of the final quarter. Shane O'Sullivan kicked over another point and Cian Murphy pulled one back for Spa. Try as they might Spa couldn't break down the Gneeveguilla defence and the game finished Spa 2-6 to Gneeveguilla 2-11.

Spa are home to Kenmare Shamrocks next Saturday April 30th in Rd5.

Spa: James Devane, Eric O'Donoghue, Brian Lynch, Ryan O'Carroll, Conor Stack, Shane Cronin, Mikey Moynihan, Ciaran Spillane, Gary Vaughan, Mike O'Donoghue, Evan Cronin, Niall McCarthy, David Spillane, Cian Murphy, Mike Foley. Subs: Liam Kearney, Eoin Cronin, Cian Tobin

Gneeveguilla: Pa O'Riordan, Cathal Collins, Jamie O'Sullivan, Damien Cronin, Pa Brosnan, Owen Fitzgerald, Kevin Coughlan, David Gleeson, Conor Herlihy, Shane Crowley, Sean O'Keeffe, Padraig Doyle, Con Buckley, Shane O'Sullivan, Jack Cremin.

Referee: John Enright