Division 1 HL: Sarsfields strike four to put Blackrock to the sword
Cian Darcy, Sarsfields, battles with James Ryan, Ollie McAdoo and Daniel Meaney, Blackrock during their Red FM Division 1 Hurling League, Sarsfields V's Blackrock, at Riverstown. Picture: Jim Coughlan.
Sharper in the first half and ruthless in the second, Sarsfields coasted to victory at Riverstown as they struck four goals against Blackrock in the RedFM Division 1 Hurling League on Thursday evening.
The Rockies – though down a number of key players – had hung on in the first half, and when Fionn Coleman launched over a point in the 32nd minute, it was their first score from play not to come from Robbie Cotter, who had been flying in the first half.
The Sars response effectively put the game to bed. It was fortuitous, and it was a mix up between goalkeeper and defender after pressure from Darragh Long, but Daniel Hogan’s long range free dropped short and found its way into the net. That left the score 2-8 to 0-7 with 34 minutes played.
Cotter and Coleman did what they could to keep the hosts from pushing too far ahead, but in the 39th minute Sars goal threat came to the fore once more, Hogan teeing up Sam McNamara for the third green flag, after a couple of superb runs from the pair.
With the result sealed and signed for the tempo dipped, only for Sars to dial it up once again in added time. When Cotter threw over a 65 on the hour mark the score was 3-12 to 0-14, but Sars ended the game with a 1-4 burst that catapulted them out of sight.
Points from Jack O’Connor – who was immense – sub Seán Bracken and Eoghan Murphy went with a brilliantly worked goal from Tristan O’Leary and Long, which the latter converted in the 63rd minute.
Sarsfields started the better of the two as well, Long assisting O’Connor for Sars’ first before being fouled for the free that Hogan converted for their second.
By the 16 minute the margin was at three, the score 0-5 to 0-2 after Cotter and O’Connor went tit-for-tat. Play was briefly interrupted after when a skirmish broke out, the outcome saw both Conor O’Sullivan and Cotter booked and needing to change to the number 28 jerseys.
Sars showcased their green flag intentions early, and the Rockies would have conceded the first after 19 minutes were it not for an exceptional hook from Steve Murphy to deny Long. But, seven minutes later, the hosts would get their breakthrough.
Cillian Roche overcooked a pass intended for O’Connor which Gavin Connolly recovered. However, O’Connor was cunning enough to pounce, force the turnover, and finish to the gaping goal, leaving it 1-7 to 0-4 after 26 minutes.
Cotter would get two more to take his first-half tally to 0-4, but a Hogan white flag response ensured Sars went in at the break with a five-point buffer, which they would build on with ease in the latter half.
D Hogan (1-4 f), J O’Connor 1-5 each, S McNamara, D Long 1-0 each, B Murphy 0-2, L Elliott, C McCarthy, S Bracken 0-1 each.
R Cotter 0-10 (0-7 f, 0-1 65), F Coleman 0-2, G Connolly (f), D Meaney 0-1 each.
D McCarthy; C O’Sullivan, E Murphy, D English; B Murphy, C Roche, C Leahy; D Hogan, S McNamara; D Long, J O’Connor, L Elliott; B Nodwell, C Darcy, Colm McCarthy.
J Tierney for Nodwell (48), J Huggins for McNamara (55), S Bracken for C McCarthy (57), T O’Leary for Elliott (59).
G Connolly; S Healy, D Cormack, James Ryan; O McAdoo, A O’Callaghan, R O’Riordan; M O’Halloran, S Murphy; D Meaney, C Cormack, F Coleman; PJ Lenihan, E Coughlan, R Cotter.
S O’Keeffe for Coughlan, I O’Keeffe for C Cormack (both 44), L O’Sullivan for Murphy (49), F O’Keeffe for Lenihan (51), A Geary for O’Halloran (56).
C O’Regan (Ballyhea)
App?
