Intermediate Hurling Championship (A ) Q/F
Sat. Sept. 16th.2023
Blackrock 1 – 20 V Ballygiblin 0 – 18 @ Riverstown.
Report: Roger Ryan
Sat. Sept. 16th. I.H.C. (Q/F) Blackrock 1 – 20 V Ballygiblin 0 – 18.
Our Intermediate team scored a mighty win over former All-Ireland Junior Champions Ballygiblin in the quarter-final of the Inter. Championship at Riverstown on Saturday last. After a very exciting game our boys finished with 5 points to spare on a score of Rockies 1 – 20, Ballygiblin 0 – 18. Because of their previous successes, Ballygiblin were firm favourites to win this one but our gallant boys had other ideas and put on a fantastic display to come away with the spoils. Richie Laide led the charge and scored the first point and this was quickly followed by point from Eoin O'Farrell. Ballygiblin put over the next point from a free and Ross Browne had to bring off a mighty save to prevent a goal as Ballygiblin strove for the lead. Eoin O'Farrell converted his second free and Ian O'Keeffe followed with a point to put us 4 ahead, 0 – 5 to 0 – 1 on the 8th minute. Ballygiblin with a point followed by a similar score from Eoin O'Farrell, was followed by a further point from Ballygiblin and then one from David O'Farrell to leave us still 4 points in front at 0 – 7 to 0 – 3 with 13 minutes elapsed. Ballygiblin then put on quite a spurt and had the next 3 points on the trot to reduce our lead to the minimum 0 – 7 to 0 – 6. Eoin O'Farrell, John O'Sullivan, Ryan Sweeney and Eoin O'Farrell again, with a point each, increased our lead to 5 points, 0 -11 to 0 – 6 on the call of time. Ballygiblin did manage to claw one point back to bring it to 0 – 11 to 0 – 7 as the Ref blew for half time. Our scorers in this half were, Eoin O'Farrell 0 – 5, Ryan Sweeney 0 – 2, Richie Laide 0 – 1, Ian O'Keeffe 0 – 1, David O'Farrell 0 – 1, John O'Sullivan 0 – 1.
Ballygiblin came out for the second half in a determined mood and with 3 points in a row soon reduced our lead to 1 point, 0 – 11 to 0 – 10. Eoin O'Farrell's next 2 points were sandwiched by 1 point from Ballygiblin to leave it at Rockies 0 – 13, Ballygiblin 0 – 11 in the 39th minute. Tom Grainger was introduced at this juncture. Ballygiblin had it back to a single point again with the next score and followed with a pointed free to reach parity at 0 – 13 each. Ian O'Keeffe then scored a point followed in quick succession by a similar score from Eoin O'Farrell and Sean Healy to put us ahead again by 3, 0 – 16 to 0 – 13. Ballygiblin were in no mood to surrender though and had our lead back to a single point again when they scored 2 on the trot to leave it at 0 – 16 to 0 – 15. Eoin then swapped points with them and Ballygiblin added a further point to draw level once again at 0 – 17 each. Lee O' Sullivan signalled his appearance on the pitch with the next point and big Fionn Coleman was sprung from the dugout. Fionn scored the next point to put us 2 ahead and then laid on a peach of a pass to Tom Grainger who gratefully accepted the gift and planted the sliothar in the back of the net as time ticked away. Ballygiblin did manage a point in the second minute of injury time but this was equalled by Ryan Sweeney to restore our 5 points lead as the clock read 63 minutes, Blackrock 1 – 20, Ballygiblin 0 – 18. And so for the second time in the weekend, we had qualified for the semi-final of two championships as our Junior Bs had won their game on Friday night against Nemo.
Overall Scorers: Eoin O'Farrell 0 – 9(5f, 1,65), Tom Grainger 1 – 00, Ryan Sweeney 0 – 3(f), Ian O'Keeffe 0 – 2, Richie Laide, David O'Farrell, John O'Sullivan, Sean Healy, Fionn Coleman, Lee O'Sullivan 0 – 1 each.
Team: Ross Browne, Joe Golden, Gary Norberg, Jamie Ryan, Eoin Smith, Richie Laide, Elliot Cantwell, Seran Healy, David O'Farrell, Ian O'Keeffe, Eoin O'Farrell, Ryan Sweeney, John O'Sullivan, Luke O'Donovan, Collin Coakley. Subs Used: Tom Grainger (40), Lee O'Sullivan (54), Fionn Coleman (57).
Referee: Brian Sweeney, Erins Own.
