Cork Hurling: Goals proved crucial in club semis on Leeside

Both of the Premier Senior hurling semi-finals on Sunday were decided by the bare minimum, which illustrated just how fine the margins are between success and failure at the highest level of Cork club hurling.

It also shows just how evenly matched the top clubs are at present, with each score and decision proving vital to the respective outcomes.

The first semi-final between Midleton and Blackrock took a while to catch fire, but from the 50th minute onwards it was serious championship stuff.

It was the kind of game where all the players from both teams really put their bodies on the line. Watching players of the calibre of Conor Lehane and Alan Connolly leading their sides while hobbling on a leg each – that is what club hurling is all about.

Pa White might not have been the biggest attacking name on show, but he really lit up SuperValuPáirc Uí Chaoimh with his all-action display, intelligent runs and crisp shooting. Each of his seven points from play were certainly fit for the highlights reel. Midelton would have come up short without him.

The Connolly brothers stood out in their fight for the Blackrock cause, even if they fell agonisingly short. 

Gavin made some crucial saves to keep the Magpies at bay in the second half and slotted a crucial late 65, while up front Alan won a world of dirty ball, which he is not really noted for, and indeed it was his late heroics from placed balls that brought the game to extra time. The inter-county man got sight of Brion Saunderson’s goal once in the first half and he took full advantage by smashing it home for the game’s only goal.

In the end, it was no surprise that the game was decided by Lehane, who popped over a controversial late free to send the Magpies back to another county final.

The second game was always likely to be just as close, and it would have been no surprise had we got to see another period of extra time.

The Barrs lost Jack O’Kelly to injury after just 13 minutes and Conor Cahalane had to make way in the 28th minute after succumbing to an ankle injury he had picked up earlier in the game. 

STRETCHED

This really stretched the Barrs squad strength to breaking point and ultimately these losses may well have been the rocks on which their challenge perished.

Barry O’Flynn’s excellent 24th-minute goal shifted the momentum the way of the Sars men. A quick collect, turn and acceleration got him away from Eoin Keane and his rocket from a tight angle gave Shane Hurley no chance.

Interestingly, the goal came seconds after Brian Hayes turned down the opportunity to go for a goal in a one-on-one situation, with him taking his point instead. You sensed that Hayes regretted the decision as he went goal hunting afterwards. He had a ground stroke easily saved by Ben Graham, but soon after he plucked a high ball out of the sky and rattled the back of the Sars net to ensure the Barrs took a lead in at half-time.

Sars had huge goal-scoring chances that they would have regretted had they lost.

Ben Graham drove his first-half penalty a tad too high, while Colm McCarthy’s second-half batted effort went straight at Hurley. And the Barrs keeper saved brilliantly from a Shane O’Regan piledriver in the 55th minute to keep his side in the tie.

There are few better sights in hurling than Cian Darcy in full flight, and his blistering run and strike over the bar in the 56th minute had the feel of a winner about it. 

There were still a lot of nails left to be bitten before they squeezed over the line by the bare minimum, but it was the pivotal moment.

If the Barrs had their time back, they probably would have chosen to go for a goal from Ben Cunningham’s late 20-metre free. Never die wondering, and all that.

GOALFEST

The Senior A semi-finals on Saturday definitely proved that goals win games. Blarney managed to get three more scores than Castlelyons, but the fact that four of Castlelyons’ scores were goals whereas Blarney failed to raise any green flags effectively decided the game, as David Morrison’s excellent 3-1 blast proved crucial.

The other semi-final saw Bride Rovers getting three goals to Carrigtwohill’s one, to set up what should be an intriguing and spicy local derby to see which of the close neighbours moves up to Premier Senior in 2026.