RedFM Hurling League: Rockies on a roll as they see off Charleville

Blackrock 2-27

Charleville 1-17

The voluntary loss of home advantage was no impediment as Blackrock bettered Charleville in Sunday afternoon’s RedFM Hurling League Division 1 clash at Mourneabbey.
Clyda Rovers’ home will host the Rockies’ last group game against Kanturk in the Co-op SuperStores Premier SHC at the beginning of September and so they opted to use this as an organisational dry-run; they will hope for a similar outcome on the scoreboard.

Results elsewhere had meant that both sides’ slim hopes of reaching the league final had ended before the game began. With the stiff breeze in their favour, Charleville the boost of an early goal as Tim Hawe’s turnover allowed Cathal O’Carroll to set up David Forde for a first-minute goal but, once Blackrock hit the front, they hung on to the lead.

While Michael O’Halloran was denied a goal as goalkeeper Scott Berry took the ball off the line, the Rockies’ scoring power was evident as they had ten first-half scorers.

Niall Cashman was heavily involved at midfield and had two points to his name before he dovetailed with Kevin O’Keeffe for O’Halloran to find the net on 18 minutes.

That made it 1-11 to 1-4 and Mark O’Keeffe, another to impress, might have goaled too but Berry denied him – at the other end, Gavin Connolly made a good block when Charleville’s O’Carroll had an opportunity.

By half-time the lead was 1-14 to 1-8 and O’Halloran and sub Ciarán Cormack extended the advantage on the restart. Goalkeeper Connolly landed two huge points from play as they made use of the elements while Kevin O’Keeffe and Fionn Coleman were prominent as Blackrock maintained the upper hand.

Sub Conor Buckley did well for Charleville, who had good second-half scores from Seán Bresnan and Garett Gleeson, but Alan O’Callaghan and John Cashman was good in a Blackrock defence that didn’t give a lot away.

They had a second goal when Diarmuid Cormack’s good delivery was won by O’Halloran, who applied a smart finish. David Forde went close to another for Charleville but shot wide – they did have some late joy when they were awarded a penalty, converted by Robert Carroll, but the outcome had been decided long before the end.

Scorers for Blackrock: M O’Halloran 2-6 (0-2 f), N Cashman, K O’Keeffe 0-4 each, G Connolly 0-3 (0-1 f), R Sweeney, A O’Callaghan 0-2 each, P Linehan, Ciarán Cormack, F Coleman, D O’Farrell, M O’Keeffe, D Meaney 0-1 each.

Charleville: R Carroll 1-7 (1-0 penalty, 0-3 f, 0-1 65), D Forde 1-4 (0-3 f), S Bresnan 0-3, G Gleeson 0-2, C Buckley 0-1.

BLACKROCK: G Connolly; J Ryan, Cathal Cormack, D Cormack; A O’Callaghan, J Cashman, M O’Keeffe; N Cashman, D O’Farrell; F Coleman, K O’Keeffe, R Sweeney; D Meaney, M O’Halloran, P Linehan.

Subs: S Healy for Cathal Cormack (30, injured), Ciarán Cormack for Linehan (half-time), R O’Riordan for D Cormack (43), I O’Keeffe for Meaney (50), G Norberg for J Cashman (52), F O’Keeffe for N Cashman (54), A Geary for Coleman (55), N Cashman for O’Callaghan (58, injured).

CHARLEVILLE: S Berry; D Butler, J Meade, A Dennehy; O O’Connell, F Cagney, B O’Connell; J Callaghan, C O’Carroll; S Bresnan, D Forde, R Carroll; DJ Collins, T Hawe, G Gleeson.

Subs: J Madigan for O’Connell, C Buckley for Collins (both half-time).

Referee: C O’Regan (Ballyhea).