Na Piarsaigh hurlers retain MacCurtain Cup after lively clash with Blackrock

Na Piarsaigh 2-23 Blackrock 3-15

Na Piarsaigh retained the Cork City Council MacCurtain Cup as they defeated Blackrock in the decider before a good-sized attendance at Ballinlough.

Blackrock made the better start as they scored two early first-half goals, but the tide turned in Na Piarsaigh’s favour for the second half as they outscored Blackrock by 1-16 to 1-9.

Play was also held up for several minutes, pending the arrival of an ambulance due to a shoulder injury to a Na Piarsaigh player.

Playing with the aid of a slight breeze in the opening half, Eoin Coughlan opened the scoring with a pointed free for Blackrock within a minute of the throw-in.

In the fourth minute, Fionn O’Keeffe won possession from a Blackrock puck-out to pounce for the game’s opening goal to leave Blackrock leading 1-1 to 0-0.

Wayward puck-outs were proving to be costly for Na Piarsaigh as O’Keeffe extended his side’s lead with a point from play.

Na Piarsaigh opened their account courtesy of a point by Alan Keating. Blackrock replied when Rowan Moran won possession from a Blackrock puck-out in the eighth minute to score his side’s second goal.

Eoin Coughlan slotted over two unanswered points from play for Blackrock. Lehane replied with two points for Na Piarsaigh and Keating converted a 65.

Eoin O’Farrell tagged on a point from play for Blackrock, but Cillian O’Leary responded for Na Piarsaigh. Keating also pointed a free.

Blackrock’s Kevin Long and Na Piarsaigh’s Michael Sheehan exchanged points as Blackrock led 2-6 to 1-7 at the interval.

In the opening minutes of the second half, Na Piarsaigh upped the ante and Gordon Joyce tagged on a point from play. Persistent fouling was also proving to be Blackrock’s undoing as Keating converted two frees. Blackrock responded with points from play by Michael Quill and Shane O’Shaughnessy.

Cian O’Brien got two points for Na Piarsaigh and this was followed by further points by Lehane and Sheehan. This left Na Piarsaigh leading 1-14 to 2-8.

Blackrock replied with two points, including a free by Coughlan. Quill also got a point to level matters.

Eoin Coughlan won possession from a Blackrock puck-out to score his side’s third goal, which kept his side in the contest. Luke Murphy replied with Na Piarsaigh’s second goal, following a defensive error by Blackrock.

Na Piarsaigh outscored Blackrock by five points to two in the closing stages.

Scorers for Na Piarsaigh: A Keating 0-9 (0-4 f, 0-1 65), M Sheehan 1-3, P Lehane 0-4, L Murphy 1-0, C O’Leary, C O’Brien 0-2 each, G Joyce, SP Cooke, S O’Connell-Ahern 0-1 each.

Blackrock: E Coughlan 1-7 (0-3 f), F O’Keeffe 1-2, R Moran 1-0, M Quill 0-3, E O’Farrell, K Long, S O’Shaughnessy 0-1 each.

NA PIARSAIGH: A Hogan; L Murphy, K Power, J McGrath; S Daly, C Joyce, J Scannell; G Joyce, SP Cooke; P Lehane, A Dennehy, A Keating; S Galgey, R Lynch, M Sheehan.

Subs: C O’Leary for McGrath (16), D Lee for Dennehy (h/t), C O’Brien for Lee (35, inj), K O’Meara for Hogan, R O’Meara for Murphy (both 60+, inj).

BLACKROCK: P O’Brien; R Laide, E Smith, D Norberg, L O’Sullivan, G Norberg, C Coughlan; K Long, E O’Farrell; E Coughlan, R O’Riordan, M Quill; F O’Keeffe, D McCarthy, R Moran.

Subs: S O’Shaughnessy for McCarthy (42), A Browne for Moran (60+).

Referee: Cormac Dineen (Douglas).