Premier SHC: Jack O'Connor's goal the difference as Sarsfields advance

Sarsfields 1-15

Blackrock 0-15

Sarsfields moved to the semi-finals of the Co-op SuperStores Cork Premier SHC as Jack O’Connor’s goal was the difference against Blackrock on Sunday afternoon.

The Cork star’s strike on 14 minutes was the chief separator on the scoreboard at Páirc Uí Chaoimh but Blackrock were guilty of wastefulness in the quantity of 13 wides over the course of an hour and a bit, with nine coming in the first half.

Bar a late push, the Rockies struggled to create goalscoring opportunities of note against a Sars defence where Craig Leahy and Cathal McCarthy were strong. While Sars’ attacking wealth wasn’t fully exploited on a murky day, the key thing for them is a place in the last four.

Other than O’Connor’s goal, the first half was an even affair, with both teams enjoying periods of supremacy. A pair of Aaron Myers frees had Sars 0-4 to 0-2 in front by the tenth minute, with Kevin O’Keeffe responding for Blackrock before O’Connor struck. When a long Donnacha McCarthy puckout broke, O’Connor latched on to possession from his right half-forward berth and race at the Rockies defence before firing past Gavin Connolly.

While Fionn Coleman – a replacement for the injured Alan Connolly – replied for Blackrock after Robbie Cotter and Kevin O’Keeffe had engineered a good turnover, Sars had the upper hand. Cian Darcy went close to a second goal, crowded out at the expenses of a 65, before Myers landed his third free and then set up O’Connor to made it 1-6 to 0-4 by the 21st minute.

Blackrock didn’t panic. Robbie Cotter benefited from a well-directed long-range pass by Conor O’Brien to conjure his second points before Ciarán Cormack was the architect for Michael O’Halloran to get on the scoresheet.

Kevin O’Keeffe’s free left two in it, 1-6 to 0-7, and he was on hand to get his third following Colm McCarthy’s point for Sars – 1-7 to 0-8 at half-time.

The second half brought more of the same, albeit with Sars – now playing into the City End – now having trouble on the shooting front, too.

After Myers and Tadgh Deasy exchanged points in the opening minutes, a run by Sars centre-back Eoghan Murphy deep into Blackrock territory saw him lay off to Cian Darcy but his goal attempt was well-blocked by John Cashman for a 65 that was wasted.

Even with their growing in accuracy, Sars were still able to move clear of their opponents. Hardworking midfielder Killian Murphy made it 1-9 to 0-9 on 42 minutes but an excellent Fionn Coleman point – his third – gave hope to Blackrock, especially as Alan Connolly had been introduced from the bench.

Overall, however, Blackrock couldn’t shake their earlier shooting malaise and were punished as a quick Sars break led to Cian Darcy playing in O’Connor to bring his tally to 1-3, with Myers’ fifth of the day providing a 1-11 to 0-10 advantage.

Connolly did give a glimpse of what Blackrock had been missing with a surging run that unfortunately with a tame shot at McCarthy. That was followed by another Myers point, a five-point lead the biggest of the game up to then.

As the game drifted towards the end of normal time, the same margin pertain, Sars with a 1-14 to 0-12 lead following a point from sub Luke Hackett, but Blackrock were given hope as a Kevin O’Keeffe 65 was followed by a Mark O’Keeffe point.

When Connolly landed a point, the lead was down to two and, in the fourth minute of injury time, Blackrock thought they had stolen it as a Niall Cashman free was touched to the net but referee Ciarán O’Regan had his whistle blown.

Sars sub Shane O’Regan almost made the game safe but for a Gavin Connolly save but Myers’ point from the 65 that accrued was enough to see them over the line.

Scorers for Sarsfields: A Myers 0-6f, J O’Connor 1-3, D Kearney 0-2, K Murphy, Colm McCarthy, L Hackett 0-1 each.

Blackrock: K O’Keeffe (0-2f, 0-1 65), F Coleman 0-4 each, R Cotter 0-3, M O’Halloran, T Deasy, A Connolly, M O’Keeffe 0-1 each.

SARSFIELDS: D McCarthy; Cathal McCarthy, C Leahy, P Leopold; B Murphy, E Murphy, L Elliott; K Murphy, D Kearney; J O’Connor, Colm McCarthy, C Darcy; A Myers, D Hogan, J Sweeney.

Subs: S O’Regan for Hogan (42), L Hackett for Darcy (50), B Nodwell for Sweeney (60).

BLACKROCK: G Connolly; J Cashman, A O’Callaghan, C O’Brien; Cathal Cormack, Ciarán Cormack, N Cashman; K O’Keeffe, D Meaney; S O’Keeffe, T Deasy, M O’Halloran; F Coleman, R Cotter, P Linehan.

Subs: A Connolly for Deasy (41), M O’Keeffe for S O’Keeffe (47), O McAdoo for Linehan (50), Deasy for O’Halloran (57), G Norberg for O’Brien (58).

Referee: C O’Regan (Ballyhea).