Premier SHC: Mighty Midleton dethrone champs Blackrock in thrilling semi-final
Midleton's Cormac Beausang celebrates the opening goal with Blackrock goalkeeper Gavin Connolly at Páirc Uí Chaoimh. Picture: Eddie O'Hare
Midleton 4-22 Blackrock 3-19
MIDLETON upset the form book to dethrone Blackrock as Co-Op Superstores PSHC holders following a rivetting semi-final at Pairc Ui Chaoimh on Sunday.
The Magpies richly deserved their victory, which was based on a blistering 12-minute period at the start of the second-half, when they turned a three-point interval lead into nine with a flurry of goals.
Midleton's attack caused endless problems for an uncertain Blackrock defence with Conor Lehane excelling in both accuracy and distribution while Tommy O'Connell led a defiant rearguard action.
Just 60 seconds on the resumption Midleton pounced for their second goal, Paul Haughney feeding Luke O'Farrell who capitalised on a collision between two defenders to score.
And while the outstanding Niall Cashman hit back with a brilliant individual goal, six minutes later, to make it a three-point game, Midleton pounced immediately for goal number three.
Pa White cut the defence to ribbons with a blistering run en route to a critical riposte while their fourth goal just before the second water-break was a killer blow for the champions.
Sean O'Mara provided the pass for Ross O'Regan, whose shot didn't carry a whole lot of power, but keeper Gavin Connolly went to ground early and couldn't prevent the ball from crossing the line.
At 4-16 to 2-13, Midleton had one foot in the final, barring a miraculous Blackrock comeback or a complete collapse, neither of which materialised though the Rockies went down like true champions.
The industrious John O'Sullivan kicked a third goal ,a minute from the end of regulation time, and any hope of a huge revival vanished, when Alan Connolly's free was blocked by defenders on the line.
Fittingly, the magnificent Lehane completed the scoring with another superb point from play to kick-start wild celebrations.
Early indicators suggested a rip-roaring affair as the sides couldn't be separated by the first water-break, tied at 1-7 apiece after a terrific 15-minute opening spell.
Midleton struck with a goal after four minutes, Cormac Beausang cutting in from the left and blasting to the far corner of the net.
Yet, only a couple of minutes Blackrock responded in kind, the powerful Mark O'Keeffe, also availing of space on his left before finishing in style.
The champions then struck a purple patch, firing over 0-5 in a dazzling couple of minutes with wing-back Niall Cashman and midfielder Stephen Murphy finding the range from way out.
It shoved the Rockies 1-6 to 1-4 in front only for O'Connell and Lehane to restore parity with wonderful points before Daniel Meaney and Sean O'Leary-Hayes exchanged equally impressive points.
Midleton, though, looked sharper in the second quarter, knitting together 0-3 from play and still it took O'Connell's presence to usher a ball away from goal in the 25th minute.
A super Lehane point from the right nudged the Magpies two clear and his free in the closing act helped them to a 1-14 to 1-11 interval advantage.
It was nicely poised at this stage until Midleton engineered those crucial goals to extend their season until the end of the month.
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