Cork hurling Team of the Week: Connolly brothers impress, Pa White stars and Jack O'Connor delivers
Blackrock 's Alan Connolly taking a free against Midleton during their Co-Op Superstores Premier SHC semi-final at SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh. Picture: Dan Linehan
Only one more weekend remains in the Cork hurling championships – finals across every grade.
The semi-finals were close and tense. Each hung in the balance until the finish, and by Sunday evening we had our finalists – and a handful of standout displays.
To do justice to that, this week’s selection stretches from the top three championships right down to Intermediate A. Here’s your Echo Sport Cork Hurling Team of the Week.
Wearing 16 for Blackrock but taking our No. 1. It was a performance that Trevor Barry would have been proud of. No goalkeeper across the weekend made as many saves as Connolly, the Rockies netminder denying Midleton at least three times in the second half alone. Superb.
Lined out at full-back, but shifts into the corner here. Another immense outing from Roche, who has been rock-solid all year. Brian Hayes did grab one goal in the first half, but the Cork forward got little joy thereafter.
The outstanding defender of the weekend. Moloney was Midleton’s best player once more, emptying the tank before limping off near the end of extra-time. His suspected achilles injury darkened an otherwise magnificent performance.
Brilliant once again. Kept Jack Leahy quiet just as he had Brian Kelleher in the quarters. Composed, physical, and commanding – the spine of Ballincollig’s defence heading into the final.
Outstanding at six against the Barrs. Controlled the defensive third, hoovered up breaks, and dictated tempo as Sars pulled clear in the second half.
If anyone rivalled Moloney for top defensive honours, it was Tobin. After too many injuries and near-misses, this was the performance of a man on a mission, and a mission that will be hard for Castlelyons to stop. A stunning hook to deny Liam O’Sullivan, a late block on Matthew Barrett, and two monster first-half points to top it off.
O’Leary has long been among Cork’s most consistent defenders, and he showed exactly why again on Saturday, quelling Shane Barrett’s influence and leading for Castlelyons at centre-back.
Even as Blarney faltered, Coleman never did. Accounted for more than half their total, ran tirelessly, and tried to drag them back into it by sheer force of will. So unlucky.
Influential throughout, particularly when the game hung on a thread. Won plenty of ball, used possession smartly, and drove Castlelyons over the line in the final stages with composure.
A menace every time he had the ball. Relentless accuracy – 11 from 12 placed efforts – and the game’s only goal. Still hunting possession deep into extra-time, Connolly epitomised the Rockies’ fight as the standout player this week.
The hat-trick hero. Needs little elaboration – three green flags in a semi-final says enough. The heartbeat of a Castlelyons attack, brimming with belief against Blarney. And he’s not their first hat-trick hero this year either… Half-forward: Jack O’Connor (Sarsfields) 0-4 Another big second half, another big showing from one of Sars’ key men. That’s 1-22 from play now this campaign – serious numbers.
A tragic week for the club, softened only slightly by their extra-time win over Aghada. Lane’s 2-1 was decisive in sending them back to an Intermediate A final and the cusp of a return to Premier Intermediate.
Few players deserve a shot at the top grade more. Fenton was again the go-to scorer and leader up front, doing what he always does for Castlelyons.
Midleton’s liveliest forward at Páirc Uí Chaoimh. Scored more in the second half than across his previous four games combined. A reliable player who constantly chips in every time he steps onto the field, but when it mattered here, he starred.
Tadhg O’Leary Hayes (Midleton) 0-1
Brian Dore (Ballincollig)
Darragh O’Sullivan (Ballinhassig)
Ciaran Doolan (St Finbarr’s)
Matthew Barrett (Carrigtwohill) 0-2 f
Conor Lehane (Midleton) 0-12 (0-6 f, 0-2 65)
Brian Roche (Bride Rovers) 1-3
Shane McCarthy (Ballinhassig) 1-3
Cian Darcy (Sarsfields) 0-3
![<p>Mark Coleman: 'We knew the kind of person Ben was coming into it. He's the same with us as he is with ye [media], just straight to the point and that's it.' Picture: Eóin Noonan/Sportsfile</p>](/cms_media/module_img/10051/5025956_2_augmentedSearch_2020946_1_.jpg "<p>Mark Coleman: 'We knew the kind of person Ben was coming into it. He's the same with us as he is with ye [media], just straight to the point and that's it.' Picture: Eóin Noonan/Sportsfile</p>")
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