Junior B Hurling Championship
Wed. July 9th. @ Ballinlough

Blackrock 1 – 18 V lough Rovers 2 – 14

Report:  Roger Ryan

Our Junior Hurlers had to dig deep to overcome a strong challenge from Lough Rovers in the first round of the championship at Ballinlough on Wednesday evening. Played on a well-appointed pitch in brilliant sunshine, the result was in doubt right up to the end. 

Lough Rovers forged ahead by 2 points before Cian Mc Carthy grabbed our first point. Vaughan Ryan then followed up with our second point to level matters for the first time at 0 – 2 each. Paul O'Brien and Eoin O'Farrell with a point then pushed us ahead by 3, 0 – 5 to 0 – 2. Eoin then swapped a point with Rovers to make it 6 – 3 but Lough Rovers hit back with the next 3 points to draw level once again at 0 – 6 to 0 – 06. Eoin's next point was equalled by a point from Rovers --- all square again at 0- 7 to 0 – 7. Michael Whelan and David Cashman gave us the lead again with a point each, Lough Rovers and Eoin exchanged points and Paul O'Brien added a point for us to give us a lead of 3 points, 0 – 11 to 0 – 8. Lough Rovers the got through for their first goal to level up again on the stroke of half time leaving the score at 0 – 11 to 1 – 08.

David Cashman opened the second half with a point and Vaughan Ryan stretched that lead to 2 with the next point. Rovers reduced that by a point but Peter Collins stretched our lead to 2 again with a point. Lough Rovers then took a close in free which was blocked but ended up at the feet of the free taker who struck it on the ground to the back of the net to put them ahead by 1 point 0 – 15 to 2 – 10. J.P.Carroll soon restored parity with a point and Rovers pushed ahead again before Peter Collins equalled with our next point at 0 – 17 to 2 – 11. Lough Rovers went on a spree at this stage and scored 3 points on the trot to lead by 3 with time running out. Brian O'Leary grabbed 1 back for us and in the final frantic minutes J.P. Carroll rattled the net for a great goal to put us ahead by the minimum. Rovers make a last desperate effort to retrieve the game but our backline held firm and the Ref awarded a free out for a square infringement before blowing for full time with Rockies leading by a single point 1 – 18 to 2 – 14. Great credit is due to our boys for hanging in there when the game seemed to be slipping away from them.

Scorers: J.P. Carroll 1 – 01, Eoin O'Farrell 0 – 04(02f), David Cashman 0 – 03(01f) Paul O'Brien 0 – 03(03f), Peter Cotter 0 – 02, Vaughan Ryan 0 – 02, Cian Mc Carthy 0 – 01, Michael Whelan 0 – 01, Brian O'Leary 0 – 01.

Team: Cormac Sweeney, Fionn O'Donoghue, Conor Long, Dan Linehan, Kevin Morgan, Eoin Smith, Hugh Espey, Vaughan Ryan, Cian Mc Carthy, Mikey Whelan, Eoin O'Farrell, Caleb Leahy, Paul O'Brien, David Cashman, David Healy. Subs Used: Peter Cotter, Greg Maher, J.P.Carrtoll, Brian O'Leary, Paddy Lynch.

Referee: Shane Hodkins.