St Finbarr’s book their place in the U21A hurling decider, after victory over Blackrock

St. Finbarr’s 2-17

Blackrock 2-14

St. Finbarr’s, who last won the PharmaCare U21A Hurling Championship in 2024, have booked their place in the decider, after they defeated last year’s beaten finalists Blackrock, in the first semi-final before a sizeable attendance at Togher.

This game was dictated by the wind as Blackrock, who were favoured by the elements in the opening half, held a three-point advantage at the interval. 

In a one-sided second half, the Togher side raised their game as they drew level with three unanswered points from the resumption. 

They got the game’s decisive goal in the 40th minute. 

Blackrock net-minder Fionn J O’Keeffe, to his credit, was pulling off some spectacular saves in the final quarter.

James Murray opened the scoring with a pointed free for St. Finbarr’s. 

Michael Quill replied for Blackrock with a pointed 65.

Ricky Barrett got the game’s first point from play for the Togher side, but Blackrock gained the upper hand with points from Kevin Long and Ollie Walsh. Quill also pointed a free, to give Blackrock a lead of 0-4 to 0-2.

In the 11th minute, Murray set up Evan Malone for the game’s opening goal to give St. Finbarr’s a one-point advantage. 

Quill responded with three unanswered points, including a free, to put Blackrock back in the driving seat.

St. Finbarr’s Charlie Kelleher tagged on a point from play, but Quill replied with his third pointed free.

Persistent fouling was proving to be costly for Blackrock as Ricky Barrett and John Wiggington-Barrett converted a free each.

Blackrock responded when Fionn N O’Keeffe drilled the ball home to the net, shortly before the interval.

This gave Blackrock a half-time lead of 1-8 to 1-5.

With wind advantage in the second half, St. Finbarr’s upped the ante as Barrett, Malone and Kelleher each tagged on unanswered points to tie the scores at 1-8 apiece.

Shane O’Shaughnessy put Blackrock ahead with a point, before the tide turned in the Togher side’s favour.

St. Finbarr’s equalised with a pointed free by Wigginton-Barrett. This was followed by their second goal by Alex O’Herlihy, which starched the margin to 2-9 to 1-9. 

The Togher side followed this up with a point from play by Malone and a 65 by Wigginton-Barrett.

Quill responded with his fourth pointed free for Blackrock, but this was cancelled out by Barrett’s 65.

Blackrock’s Alex Geary and Sean Healy exchanged points with Malone and Murray.

In the 54th minute, Healy got Blackrock’s second goal, which reduced the deficit to two points.

In the closing minutes, the Togher side outscored Blackrock by three to two.

Scorers for St. Finbarr’s: E Malone 1-4 (0-1f); R Barrett 0-5 (0-1f, 0-1 65); J Wiggington Barrett 0-4 (0-3f, 0-1 65); A O’Herlihy 1-0; J Murray 0-2 (0-1f); C Kelleher 0-2.

Blackrock: M Quill 0-8 (0-4f, 0-2 65); S Healy 1-1; Fionn N O’Keeffe 1-0; A Geary 0-2; S O’Shaughnessy, O Walsh, K Long 0-1 each.

St. Finbarr’s: E Kelleher; D McGuirk, J Kennefick, C Garvey; T Egan, J Murray, T Howe; C Galvin, C Buckley; C Kelleher, R Barrett, C Herlihy; E Malone, J Wiggington-Barrett, CJ Barrett.

Subs: A O’Herlihy for Howe (h/t), E Burke for Galvin (50).

Blackrock: Fionn J O’Keeffe; J Browne, R O’Riordan, S Ó Sé; S Healy, D Norberg, O Walsh; C Stack, K Long; S O’Shaughnessy, M Quill, L de Burca; Fionn N O’Keeffe, A Geary, R Moran.

Subs: D Browne for Stack (temp, 42-43), C O’Neill for Moran (47).

Referee: Cormac Dineen (Douglas).