SAHC: Blarney push on in second half to reach semi-finals
Pádraig Power runs at the Cloyne defence in the Co-op SuperStores Cork SAHC quarter-final at Páirc Uí Chaoimh. Picture: Larry Cummins
A semi-final clash with Bride Rovers awaits Blarney as they eased clear in the second half of Friday’s Co-op SuperStores Cork SAHC quarter-final against Cloyne at Páirc Uí Chaoimh.
While Blarney never trailed, a pair of Cloyne goals – in first-half injury time and early in the second half – had them within touching distance before a surge from the winners. Shane Barrett, impeccable from dead balls all night, ended up with 11 points to his name while a run of five straight scores included two smart efforts from Mark Coleman after his introduction as a sub at the break.
Three points from Cloyne captain Brian O’Shea meant that they weren’t fully out of it, trailing by 0-20 to 2-9 with seven minutes left. However, as he stood over a free inside the D that would have reduced the gap further, dissent from the black and red side led Simon Stokes to award a throw-in instead. Blarney cruised on from there, with Barrett and sub Eoghan Kirby each landing two points.
The Muskerry side were deserving winners. A Shane Barrett free opened the scoring for Blarney in the second minute and they got a grip on the Cloyne puckout as three more points were added in as many minutes, with Denis McSweeney – a member of this year’s Cork All-Ireland-winning U20 panel – landing a pair of smart efforts.
O’Shea got Cloyne off the mark before a delay due to an injury that forced Blarney wing-back Alan McEvoy to depart. When the action resumed, a quick sideline cut routine allowed O’Shea to get his second and Jack Hallihan was on hand to reduce the deficit to a single point.
However, while they were not at their most fluent, Blarney never allowed their East Cork opponents to achieve parity and skipper Conor Power’s long-range effort on 20 minutes made it 0-6 to 0-4.
In a half where goal chances were rare, Blarney tried to take advantage of a free close to goal as Shane Barrett looked to play in his brother Cian but the ball ran out of play. Even so, when O’Shea’s third point was followed by three from Blarney – two Shane Barrett frees and a Shane Mulcahy score set up by the Cork star – the Mid-Cork men were 0-9 to 0-5 in front as the opening period ticked into injury time.
A four-point deficit for Cloyne was reduced down to just one, however, in the 32nd minute as Hallihan’s point attempt from halfway dipped at the last moment, fooling goalkeeper Conor Murphy.
Barrett’s fifth free of the night ensured breathing space at half-time for Blarney, for whom Seán Crowley and Paul O’Leary had been strong in defence, while they had the benefit of being able to bring on Coleman for the second half.
Within 13 seconds of the restart, the ever-active Cathal Hegarty had them three to the good and they might have even tacked on a goal. First, Cian Barrett worked his way in from the left but goalkeeper Ashley Walsh was quick off his line to snuff out the chance; then, first-half sub Kirby found Shane Barrett but his low shot was repelled by Walsh. Pádraig Power’s point did at least provide some output from that passage of play and at the other end O’Leary got a good block in to deny Michael Cahill a goal opportunity for Cloyne.
After Barrett’s sixth point, Cloyne did find an avenue back into contention though. As O’Shea’s free from distance dropped in the goalmouth, Murphy couldn’t cleanly claim the greasy sliothar and Brian Walsh reacted quickest to prod it to the net. While Barrett conjured an instant response for Blarney, O’Shea’s fifth free for Cloyne left two in it with 20 minutes left.
From there, Blarney powered on though and they will look to carry that momentum into the last four.
S Barrett 0-11 (0-10 f), M Coleman, E Kirby, S Mulcahy, D McSweeney, C Barrett 0-2 each, C Power, C Hegarty, P Power 0-1 each.
B O’Shea 0-8 (0-6f, 0-1 65), J Hallihan 1-1, B Walsh 1-0.
C Murphy; D Murphy, A McEvoy, S Crowley; P Philpott, P Crowley, S Crowley; O Hegarty, C Hegarty; S Mulcahy, C Power, S Barrett; D McSweeney, P Power, C Barrett.
C Dunlea for McEvoy (8, injured), E Kirby for McSweeney (20, injured), M Coleman for O Hegarty (half-time), J O’Keeffe for Mulcahy, W Crowley for C Barrett (64),
A Walsh; T O’Regan, E Motherway, A Sherlock; É Motherway, S Beausang, D Byrne; C Cahill, B Minihane; J Hallihan, B O’Shea, N Cahill; B Walsh, M Cahill, K Dennehy.
I Cahill for Byrne (half-time), C Mullins for M Cahill (39), J Sherlock for Minihsne (44), C Motherway for Dennehy (53), C O’Sullivan for N Cahill (60).
S Stokes (Tullylease).
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