Blackrock and Midleton keen to go again after minor final draw

‘Honours even’ can be used as a quick cliché to describe a draw but it was an accurate phrase to sum up Monday’s Cork ETB Rebel Óg U18 Premier 1 HC final.

By the end, the Páirc Uí Rinn scoreboard showed that Blackrock’s 1-20 was balanced by Midleton’s 2-17, meaning the sides must meet again. A game devoid of rancour saw the two teams approach matters in a positive fashion and, while Midleton kept going ahead down the stretch, the Rockies were always able to summon a response.

Their manager John Browne was proud of how they had battled tos secure a result.

“We had no purple patch and I'd say we were trailing for pretty much all the game,” he said.

“We were under pressure there in the first half and the goal really just dragged us back into it, a massive boost for us, just before half-time.

“They kept at it, they never gave up. The thing is, every time we got a score, we got level, they'd pop up with a point but the lads never wilted, never stopped. They kept trying.

“It was a brilliant game – Midleton were excellent, their movement was excellent, and the lads just kept at it.

“They plugged away, managed to win a few frees and we were unlucky – we had a couple of chances towards the end but Middleton were the same, they had a goal chance that was cleared off the line.”

That refusal to accept defeat was key and it’s something Browne hopes they will show again in the replay.

“That's it and we said that to them that that's what they have to do,” he said, “if you want to win a final, that's what you have to do.

“There's no point in going half-hearted to anything, you really have to go for it and they took that message. They kept us in it and, look, we've another day out.

“I think that experience will stand to them. Some fellas might have been a little bit nervous, which is natural.

“It’s a county final and we’ll go and have a cut off it again. We’ve a good bit of experience under our belt at this stage.”

His opposite number Willie Lawton was also keen to see the positives.

“I was saying to the lads there that, when it came to that close, it could have gone either way,” he said.

“We saw a chance that we could have won it, the Rockies are the same – when they had a chance down there and it's bobbling around the square, you don't know. You take your draw and you're delighted with it.

“We said to the lads we're delighted with them, they worked very hard. It was probably a very good game to watch from a neutral point of view.

“We were very happy with our lads, they gave everything they had, so, even if we came out the wrong side of it, we wouldn't have had an issue.

“There was good clean hauling, there was no messing. From start to finish, it was a game that someone wanted to win. It's so hard to get into a county final and we’re still there; we get to play in two of them now, so it's good!”

For such a young team – only four of the Midleton side are on the age – another big game will provide valuable learning, but Quirke is aware of the size of the task that Blackrock present.

“You can't shake them,” he said.

“When you’ve a free-taker like Michael Quill from anywhere, you’re never going to get pulled away. We knew that.

“We knew that, they got a superb goal as well, just before half-time. We were saying, ‘Just hold on,’ as five points would have been a big lead, it takes a bit of pegging back, so it was a big difference.”

However, while they were pegged back, they were not passed out and they will be ready for the second act.

“It's great experience,” Lawton said.

“We've one or two after taking knocks and I’m sure the Rockies have as well. We'll need a week to go again!”