Cork SAHC: Cian Barrett's first-half goal key as Blarney ease by Na Piarsaigh
Na Piarsaigh's Luke Sheehan breaks away from Blarney's Shane Barrett during the SAHC quarter final match in Pairc Ui Rinn. Picture: Howard Crowdy
The Senior A Hurling Championship has become a recurring stage for Blarney heartache, but in Páirc Uí Rinn for Saturday evening’s quarter-final, they looked every inch a team intent on banishing it.
Last year’s beaten finalists brushed Na Piarsaigh aside with the authority that suggests they’ve got another bout at the top tier firmly in their sights. Next up, it's Castlelyons in the last four with Bride Rovers against Carrigtwohill in the other semi-final.
The margin read five at the finish, yet Blarney were never less than in command. Na Piarsaigh stuck at it, they clipped over bursts of points to stay in touch, but every time the gap narrowed Blarney would steady themselves with a flurry of their own. The line never felt under real threat.
For a long spell in the opening half, the northsiders matched the shape and tempo of their opponents.
What they lacked was the edge to turn possession into return.
Five wides and four shots dropped short told that tale. Still, by the 26th minute, a run of four points to one had them back within two.
Keep the net untouched until the break, and maybe. But Blarney cut the ground from beneath them.
A Coleman free was followed by Cathal McCarthy working the ball to Shane Mulcahy, who squared across to Cian Barrett. Barrett’s finish was emphatic, lashed into the roof of the net. Patrick Crowley’s booming pass in found Mulcahy, and he added a point to stretch the gap to seven, 1-12 to 0-8.
Na Piarsaigh could have salvaged something before the interval. Ross O’Sullivan was fouled for a penalty, but his effort was so far high and wide it yielded neither a white or green flag. Instead of four, they trailed by seven at half time.
The opening two scores of the second half went Na Piarsaigh's way, but the damage of the missed penalty grew heavier when Blarney reeled off three in a row to move eight clear. From there, the gap toggled between five and eight, never closer, never further.
Guest and Moynihan pulled them back to within five on 46 minutes, but the goal they needed never looked likely.
Blarney replied with another unanswered burst, and by the time Owen Galvin and Evan Sheehan made an impression off the bench, Cian Barrett and company had it beyond doubt.
A late dismissal for Na Piarsaigh captain Keith Buckley did nothing but rub salt in northside wounds.
The real damage was done before half-time. Na Piarsaigh sent Patrick Murphy to shadow Mark Coleman in the first half and, while he kept the Cork man scoreless from play, the wider battle was slipping away, their shooting inefficiency a real problem.
Five without reply by the 11th minute had left Blarney 0-7 to 0-2 clear, and when Barrett struck his goal and O’Sullivan spurned the penalty, it was only going to go one way.
Blarney, steady and certain, go on.
C Barrett 1-4, M Coleman 0-5 f, S Mulcahy, S Barrett 0-3 each, C McCarthy, E Kirby 0-2 each, C Hegarty, D McSweeney 0-1 each.
P Guest 0-6 (0-3 f, 0-1 65), R O’Sullivan 0-3 (0-1 f), K Moynihan, P Rourke, E Sheehan 0-2 each, O Galvin, L Sheehan, DJ Coffey, C Hanafin 0-1 each.
P Hallissey; D Murphy, S Crowley, S Mullane; C Power, P Crowley, A McEvoy; O Hegarty, M Coleman (c); D McSweeney, S Barrett, E Kirby; S Mulcahy, C Barrett, C McCarthy.
for C Hegarty for McSweeney (52), J Murphy for O Hegarty (59).
J Lonergan; K Buckley (c), Eoin Sheehan, C Meaney; K Moynihan, C Buckley, G Healy; C Hogan, P Murphy; L Sheehan, P Guest, P Rourke; C Hanifin, DJ Coffey, R O’Sullivan.
O Galvin for L Sheehan (41), Evan Sheehan for Hanafin (50), G Joyce for Hogan (57).
C McAllister (Aghada)
App?
