Michael Quill nails key scores as Blackrock deliver brilliant win over Midleton
Cian Coakley and Jack Browne, Blackrock, try to hold off John O'Sullivan, Midleton. Picture: Jim Coughlan.
A goal in the dying seconds from Ollie Walsh sealed Blackrock's victory over Midleton at home in the Cork ETB Premier 1 Minor Hurling Championship.
The Magpies were pushing to raise a green flag of their own when space opened up for a quick counterattack and the half-back that drove the sliotar in from the tightest of angles.
The result gives Blackrock three points in this group, after the club started their championship campaign two weeks ago with a draw away to champions Sarsfields. Sars have three as well and Midleton two, while Carrigtwohill can't qualify heading into the last group with the Rockies.
The hosts let a late seven-point lead slip in Riverstown two weeks ago but were determined to avoid a similar situation here after Midleton went ahead for the first time at 0-13 to 0-12 in the 42nd minute. They were relentless in the closing stretch as they outscored their East Cork rivals 1-7 to 0-4.
Michael Quill nailed all seven points, including two from play, on a night where he tallied 0-9.
Blackrock burst out of the traps and took an early 0-5 to 0-1 lead while Midleton’s forwards struggled to create at the other end.
The Rockies would have been further in front if not for two goal chances being stopped by Will Stokes, who produced a pair of stunning saves to keep the home side out with less than five minutes on the clock.
Liam Walsh got Midleton’s night underway with two frees, as they slowly clawed their way back. The catalyst was two quick white flags raised by Walsh and Molomby in the 20th minute, the gap was cut to just three at 0-8 to 0-5.
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It was pretty even from here on, as Midleton reduced Blackrock to just two more scores. Max Murphy was able to hit 65s during that same period, while Walsh tapped over a free, and that cut the gap down to one at half-time, 0-10 to 0-9.
They were level for the first time in the 36th minute and Blackrock immediately regained the lead through a solo effort by Adam Browne, to make it 0-12 to 0-11.
Walsh then got two from play and Midleton led for the first time. Their advantage increased when Charlie McCarthy and Jack Cahill both split the posts.
Instead of this being the platform to give the Imokilly outfit a victory in the city, the rest of the game was all Blackrock in a show almost personally run by Quill.
The half-back got two from play, three frees, and a 65, as Blackrock slowly pulled away.
Walsh offered some shape of response for Midleton, but the club needed a goal. It looked like that moment arrived from a McCarthy pass to Molomby in the 56th minute, but the resulting shot was saved by Cian Coakley.
The Magpies eventually started dropping the sliotar in, in a desperate bid to create something around the square.
Blackrock were quick to close down and break, which led to Walsh’s goal in the second minute of time added on.
M Quill 0-9 (0-5 f, 0-2 65), O Walsh 1-0, S O’Shaughnessy, R Moran 0-3 each, K Long, L Cummins, A Browne, J Punch 0-1 each.
L Walsh 0-8 (0-4 f), M Murphy 0-4 (1 f, 0-3 65), A Molomby, C O’Brien, C McCarthy, J Cahill, S Carroll 0-1 each.
C Coakley; L Mackesy, S O’Se, J Browne; O Walsh, D Norberg, M Quill; A Hurley, S Stack; S O’Shaughnessy, J Punch, K Long; R Moran, L Cummins, A Browne.
R O’Neill for Browne (37); C O’Neill for Hurley (45), B O’Keeffe for Punch (51), F O’Keeffe for Mackesy (51), L O’Herlihy for Cummins (58).
W Stokes; P Egan, B Dunlea, J Morley; C Hogan, S Carroll, S Dunlea; A Molomby, A Hennessy; L Walsh, C Kelly, C McCarthy; R Nolan, C O’Brien, J O’Sullivan.
S O’Mahony for O’Brien (5 inj), M Murphy for S Dunlea (20), R McCormack for O’Mahony (58).
Niall Fahy (Brian Dillons).
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