Jamie Harrington credits Blackrock players for solving numerical conundrum against Glen

Strength in adversity characterised Blackrock’s victory over Glen Rovers on Saturday night, to the joy of manager Jamie Harrington.

Down by 0-11 to 0-6 when Fionn Coleman was red-carded coming up to half-time, the Rockies were back to within one by the break and made light of the numerical disparity as they stayed with their rivals in the second half.

Ultimately, late points from Robbie Cotter and Alan Connolly (two) secured a 1-22 to 1-20 victory for the Rockies, leaving them well-set in Group 1 of the Premier SHC.

Harrington was proud of how the team reacted to the red card.

“During the league, whenever we got a goal, our worst ten minutes followed it and it regularly happens that a man gets sent off and there's an emotional reaction,” he said.

“In some ways, half-time came too soon for us because I thought we were kind of going well then.

“What we had to do in the second half then was just manage up front, get some fresh legs on – we've got good subs, so we brought on five of them, they all made a contribution.

“We have Robbie and Alan up front, so a bit of space then can help them.”

The Glen kept Robert Downey as their spare man but by and large Blackrock tried to avoid him in the second half, with Harrington crediting the players for thinking their way around the problem.

“What Rob tends to do is he blocks up one side of the field and you have to kind of go out the other side or you have to work it in and shoot,” he said.

“Most players know at this stage what's going to happen – we talked about it but before we got in the dressing-room, they had it half-sorted themselves.

“It's different, but the one thing about it though is when you have a man sent off and you've been going well, you don't need any kind of emotional lift.

“They're ready to go to war at that stage.”

Clinical

A key score was Alan Connolly’s goal early in the second half as he capitalised on a poor clearance. It was part of 1-10 for the county star, but Harrington saw plenty more beyond the scoring tally.

He got a good goal but, from Alan's point of view, outside of that – his overall play, his contribution to us during this week, planning things and going through puck-outs.

“Then, in the last 10 minutes, when the structure was gone from it, as it is in all championship games towards the end, when it's playing with instinct and playing with heart, he's as good as there is.”

Allied to that was a strong showing from Cotter too.

“Robbie got some great scores and, as well as the scores, he held up great ball for us,” Harrington said.

“We were able to deliver the ball from the half-back line, which we don't normally like to do, and Robbie got his hand on it and kept it there and fought hard and I thought he was really good, really good.”

Options

With injured duo Alan O’Callaghan and Mark O’Keeffe set to return before the next match against Fr O’Neill’s – who lost to Kanturk – it serves to increase the competition for places.

Naturally, facing into the preparations for that are made more enjoyable with two points on the board.

“When you analyse these things a month before the game, you say, ‘Ah, the first-round match, it's not the end of the world and that's a 100% true,” Harrington said.

“The first-round game definitely isn't the be-all and end-all but you have this certainty when you've won that you're a bit of momentum going, whereas when you don't perform in the first round, the second one becomes a very nervous affair then.

“That's not where we want to be.”