RedFM Hurling League: Rockies rise to share of the lead in Division 1 with win over Carrigtwohill
Blackrock's Gary Norberg and James Mulcahy of Carrigtwohill battle for possession in the air during the RedFM Hurling League Division 1 game in Carrigtwohill. Picture: David Creedon
Blackrock moved into a share of the lead in Division 1 of the RedFM Hurling league as they overcame Carrigtwohill on Thursday night.
The visitors were always in front at Páirc Séamus de Barra, building an 0-11 to 0-5 half-time lead after playing with the wind. While a Carrigtwohill revival on the restart brought them to within three points, Niall Cashman’s fortuitous goal for Blackrock gave them breathing space again and four consecutive points after that had them in a comfortable position.
The hardworking Fionn Coleman added a second goal late on to ensure they had nine points to spare at the end. Having opened with defeat to Douglas, Blackrock have now pieced together three straight wins, leaving them on six points along with Charleville, who are away to Douglas on Friday night.
Blackrock settled well and pushed into a 0-4 to 0-1 lead after 10 minutes thanks to points from Coleman, PJ Linehan and Kevin O’Keeffe, the first of nine for the latter. While both sides left some chances behind them, Blackrock were more efficient, though they were thankful to goalkeeper Gavin Connolly for a good save to deny Justin Oke on the quarter-hour.
Points in quick succession from Lee O’Sullivan and Linehan had the Rockies 0-9 to 0-3 in front and the same six-point advantage pertained in injury time when Connolly was called into action again, first denying Brendan Twomey after a good run by the midfielder and then clearing before Jamie McCarthy could get to the rebound.
On the restart, Carrigtwohill tried to make the elements count, with points from free-taker Liam Gosnell (two), Seán Brennan and Oke cutting the gap only for Blackrock to wipe out that progress with their first goal.
It was an intended delivery by wing-back Cashman but, as Ian Keeffe battled to get to the ball ahead of goalkeeper Tomás Hogan, nobody could reach it and it ended up in the net.
Cashman set up Ryan Sweeney for a point immediately after that to open up a seven-point lead and Kevin O’Keeffe tacked on three frees to put them ten ahead.
Coleman was unlucky not to round off a good move with a goal but, after Gosnell had clawed back some of the deficit, the attacker was on hand to make sure of the victory, doing well to create an opening for himself and crashing a shot beyond Hogan.
L Gosnell 0-8 (0-7f), J Oke, J Mulcahy, J McCarthy, S Brennan, D Murnane 0-1 each.
K O’Keeffe 0-9 (0-6f), F Coleman 1-1, N Cashman 1-0, L O’Sullivan, PJ Linehan 0-2 each, D Meaney, R Sweeney, G Connolly (0-1f) 0-1 each.
T Hogan: A Walsh Barry, S de Búrca, N Coughlan; C O’Riordan, D Murnane, P Hogan; J Horgan, B Twomey; S Brennan, J Oke, J McCarthy; J Mulcahy, L O’Sullivan, L Gosnell.
A Rooney for Coughlan (50), M O’Connor for O’Sullivan (54), R Power for Horgan (58).
G Connolly; J Golden, G Norberg, A O’Callaghan; N Cashman, Cathal Cormack, O McAdoo; D Meaney, L O’Sullivan; R Sweeney, K O’Keeffe, Ciarán Cormack; F Coleman, I O’Keeffe, PJ Linehan.
S O’Keeffe for O’Sullivan (50), R Laide for O’Callaghan (53).
B Sweeney (Erin’s Own).
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