St Finbarr's U21 hurlers lay down serious marker against Blackrock

St Finbarr’s 2-23 Blackrock 2-8

St Finbarr’s have qualified for the PhramaCare Seandún U21 A Hurling Championship decider, where they will meet holders Glen Rovers or Bishopstown.

They were by far the better side here in a one-sided semi-final at Ballinlough.

Following a promising start by Blackrock, St Finbarr’s first goal turned the tide in their favour, as Blackrock only scored two points from frees in the second quarter. The Togher side also had to play the last 10 minutes with 13 players as they lost two players to second yellow cards.

Ryan Sweeney opened the scoring within three minutes of the throw-in with a pointed free for Blackrock. Fionn Coleman traded points with St Finbarr's William Buckley. Ricky Barrett put St Finbarr’s in the driving seat with two unanswered points.

Midway through the second half, John Wiggington-Barrett increased the Togher side’s lead to four points as he got the game’s opening goal from the corner of the Blackrock square.

St Finbarr’s continued to have Blackrock pinned back for most of the second quarter as they tagged on six points from play without reply. In the 25th minute, Cian Buckley got the Togher side’s second goal from the corner of the Blackrock square, to stretch the margin to 2-9 to 0-2.

James Murray and Rory O’Sullivan each tagged on points from play for St Finbarr’s, while Eoin Coughlan responded with a pointed free for Blackrock. Ben Cunningham and Wiggington-Barrett each added further points for the Togher side before Fionn Coleman was credited with a point from a free for Blackrock.

This gave St Finbarr’s an interval lead of 2-13 to 0-4.

Cunningham tagged on a point within seconds of the restart for St Finbarr’s before Coleman responded with Blackrock’s first goal from the edge of the square.

Blackrock’s Sean Healy traded points with William Buckley and Ben Cunningham converted a free. The Togher side outscored Blackrock by 0-7 to 0-3 in the final quarter.

Eoin de Burca got Blackrock’s second goal in stoppage time.

Scorers for St Finbarr’s: W Buckley 0-6 (0-1 f), C Buckley 1-3, B Cunningham 0-4 (0-1 f), J Murray 0-4, J Wiggington-Barrett 1-1, R Barrett 0-3, C Doolan, R O’Sullivan 0-1 each.

Blackrock: F Coleman 1-3 (0-2 f), E de Burca 1-0, R Sweeney 0-2 (0-1 f), E Coughlan (f) F O’Keeffe, S Healy 0-1 each.

St FINBARR’S: E Kelleher; D Burke, T Egan, J Kennefick; A Barry, C Doolan, J Murray; W Buckley, J Wiggington-Barrett; B Cunningham, C Buckley, A Buckley; C McCarthy, R O’Sullivan, R Barrett.

Subs: C O’Donoghue for McCarthy (48), F Crowley for Barrett, D Kennedy for Murray (both 58).

BLACKROCK: R Browne; T Harrington, J Ryan, J O’Brien; J O’Sullivan, S Healy, L O’Sullivan; PJ Linehan, R Sweeney; K Leahy, V Ryan, E de Burca; E Coughlan, F Coleman, J O’Farrell.

Subs: B Lynch for Healy (temp, 6-10), for Leahy (22), O McAdoo for Ryan (h-t), L de Burca for O’Farrell, F O’Keeffe for Coughlan (both 41), D Browne for Harrington (58).

Referee: Cormac Dineen (Douglas).