Minor hurling: Blackrock on song as they advance to final with win over Piarsaigh
Shane O’Shaughnessy of Blackrock takes possession as Na Piarsaigh’s Dara O’Leary closes in during Wednesday's Cork ETB U18 Premier 1 HC semi-final at Glenville. Picture: Noel Sweeney
While they gave away a head-start, Blackrock were impressive thereafter as they booked their place in the Cork ETB Rebel Óg U18 Premier 1 HC final.
The Rockies will have a chance to bridge a gap dating back to 2013 following this nine-point win over Na Piarsaigh in Glenville. Leading by eight points at half-time, the victors never looked like having their supremacy shaken in the second half as they produced a balanced team performance.
However, they did give themselves an early hurdle to overcome as a Craig O'Sullivan 65 for Na Piarsaigh in the opening minute was followed by the attacker setting up his fellow former Cork minor Callum Coffey for a superb goal.
If Blackrock felt pressure at early setback, they didn't show it - they reeled off nine unanswered points, with Michael Quill impeccable from dead balls, to take control. With Piarsaigh - missing the injured Nathan Coffey - operating a third midfielder, Blackrock centre-back Dylan Norberg was able to sweep effectively while Conor Stack was full of industry at midfield.
Na Piarsaigh did still have a goal threat, with Coffey flashing a shot across the face of goal in the midst of that run of Rockies points but, even when O'Sullivan did end their scoring drought, Blackrock's response was a long-range Jack Browne point followed by a Rowan Moran goal, brilliantly set up by Liam Cummins' crossfield pass.
Another nearly followed but Jack Punch's shot was brilliantly blocked by Jack O'Connor; Quill's 65 made it 1-13 to 1-5. In the latter part of the first half, Na Piarsaigh went with a more conventinal set-up and were rewarded as Corey O'Sullivan found Coffey, who did brilliantly to lay off to Luke Hurley for a superb finish to the net.
That left five in it but the Rockies conjured another goal, Moran again the scorer - profiting this time from Norberg's good delivery.
Early in the second half, Na Piarsaigh enjoyed possession and territory with the breeze behind them but their shooting left them down while Quill was able to punish any indiscretions at the other end.
A nice Kevin Long point had Blackrock 2-18 to 2-9 in front of 40 and then a third goal arrived as Shane O'Shaughnessy claimed possession from a breaking ball close to goal and showed good strength to fashion a chance despite being fouled, producing a batted finish to the net.
By that stage, Na Piarsaigh had also lost Callum Coffey to injury and Blackrock might have added more goals - Ruairí Quinlan did well to stifle a Punch effort while goalkeeper Cian Quinn denied O'Shaughnessy another.
With 11 minutes left, the northsiders had a third green flag of their own as Craig O'Sullivan drilled a free to the net to leave it 3-20 to 3-12 but that was as low as the margin would go in the closing stages as further goal attempts by them were repelled by the Blackrock defence.
Blackrock sub Conor O'Neill relieved pressure with a point just after this arrival and, after Na Piarsaigh lost sub Zach Brady to a late red card, Adam Browne went close to a fourth Rockies goal - Quinn saving again - before Rory O'Neill did find the net at the death to rubber-stamp their progression to the decider.
M Quill 0-11 (0-9f, 0-1 65), R Moran 2-4 (0-1 sl), S O'Shaughnessy 1-2, R O'Neill 1-0, J Punch 0-2, J Browne, P McCarthy, K Long 0-1 each.
Craig O'Sullivan 1-10 (0-5f, 0-1 65), L Hurley 1-1, C Coffey 1-0, R Cronin, R Manley 0-1 each.
C Coakley; L Mackessy, J Browne, S Ó Sé; O Walsh, D Norberg, P McCarthy; A Hurley, C Stack; M Quill, S O’Shaughnessy, K Long; J Punch, L Cummins, R Moran.
C O'Neill for Cummins (49), R O'Neill for Punch (55, injured), F O'Keeffe for Mackessy (59), S O'Flynn for Moran (60+1).
C Quinn; J O’Connor, R Quinlan, D O’Leary; J Cregan, R Manley, D Casey; Corey O’Sullivan, S O’Neill; Craig O’Sullivan, J Coughlan, J Cahalane; L Hurley, C Coffey, R Cronin.
A Crowley for Cregan, J Constant for Corey O’Sullivan (both half-time), D Downey for Coffey (34, injured), Z Brady for O'Neill (47).
S Stokes (Tullylease).
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