Intermediate Hurling Championship (A )
Sat. Aug, 5th.2023

Blackrock 1 – 16 V Mayfield 1 – 16 @ Ballinlough

Report:  Roger Ryan

Playing against a strong wind in the first half, our Intermediate team did very well to stay with Mayfield and finished the half just 2 points adrift with the score at Rockies 0 – 8, Mayfield 0 – 10. Mayfield started brightly and had 2 points on the board before Ryan Sweeney scored our first point from a free. David O'Farrell with 2 points then levelled matters at 0 – 03 each. A Mayfield point was equalled by Ryan Sweeney to level the scores again at 0 – 4 each. Mayfield surges ahead at this stage and scored 4 points without reply. David O'Farrell and Ryan Sweeney halved that lead with a point each to bring the score to 0 – 8. A further point by Mayfield increased that lead to 3 points but Fionn Coleman and Ryan Sweeney chipped in with a point each to reduce their lead to the minimum 0 – 8 to 0 – 9. Mayfield closed out the first half with a point to lead by 2 at the short whistle, Rockies 0 – 8, Mayfield 0 – 10. 

Ryan Sweeney with 2 points on the trot soon had us back on level terms at the beginning of the second half. Mayfield then moved ahead again with the next 2 points but David O'Farrell pegged them back with a point for us to reduce their lead once more to the minimum at 0 – 11 to 0 – 12. On the 39th minute Darragh Browne with a great assist from Fionn Coleman, scored our goal to put us ahead by 2 points 1 – 11 to 0 – 12. Mayfield then pointed a free to reduce our lead to a single point and followed this with another converted free to bring the score to level pegging again at 1 – 11 to 0 – 14. Ryan Sweeney with 2 pointed frees then edged us in front again and was increased to 3 points when Fionn Coleman grabbed a point. Things were looking good at this point and they got even better when Joe Golden scored a glorious point to push us ahead by 4 with time running out, but then things started to go badly wrong for us. Firstly, Mayfield pointed a free and then nipped in for their goal to level matters. Things got decidedly worse when they followed up with a point to grab the lead 1 – 15 to 1 – 16 with the Ref looking at his watch to check the time. In fairness to our boys they didn't panic and from the next puck-out they worked the ball up-field and when it eventually reached Fionn Coleman around centre field we held our breaths as he opened up his broad shoulders and sent the sliothar winging it's way towards the Mayfield goal. A mighty roar from the large crowd present signalled that he had scored the sensualising point and the Ref blew full time with the teams level at 1 – 16 each. There was a mixture of both relief and disappointment at the final result but we didn't lose and came away with a point from the game.

Scorers: Ryan Sweeney 0 – 08( 05f ), David O'Farrell 0 – 04, Darragh Browne 1 – 00, Fionn Coleman 0 – 03, Joe Golden 0 – 01.

Team: Ross Browne, Jamie Ryan, Gary Norberg, Connor Coakley, Luke O'Donovan, Sean Healy, Elliott Cantwell, David O'Farrell, Richie Laide, John O'Sullivan, Ian O'Keeffe, Darragh Browne, Ryan Sweeney, Fionn Coleman, Conor O'Brien. Subs Used: Joe Golden, Tom Grainger. Lee O'Sullivan (Temp. Sub)

Referee: Brian Murphy.