Red FM Senior Hurling League

Tues. May 7th. 

Blackrock 1 – 25 V Sarsfields 4 – 16 @ Church Road. 

Report:  Roger Ryan

Following a great game of competitive hurling, the result ended in a draw in our senior hurling league game versus Sarsfields at Church Road on Tuesday evening. Playing their best hurling so far in this competition, our boys finished the first half with 3 points to spare on a score of Rockies 1 – 12, Sars 1 – 09. It was nip and tuck for the opening 20 minutes and with the score at 0 – 06 to 0 – 05, Robbie Cotter scored a great goal to put us ahead by 4 points. Fionn Coleman , P.J.Linehan and Cathal Cormack then stretched that lead to 7 with 1 point each, 1 – 09 to 0 – 05. 

Sars came back strongly and scored a goal and a point to reduce our lead to 3 points but Lee O'Sullivan and Kevin O'Keeffe popped over a point each to push us up to 5 again, 1 – 11 to 1 – 06. Robbie then swapped point's with Sars and Sars closed out the first half with 2 further points to leave the score at Rockies 1 – 12, Sars 1 – 09 as the Ref blew for half time. Our scorers in this half were, Robbie Cotter 1 – 01, Kevin O'Keeffe 0 – 03, Shane O'Keeffe 0 – 01, Lee O'Sullivan 0 – 02, Ryan Sweeney 0 – 01, Fionn Coleman 0 – 02, P.J Linehan 0 – 01, Cathal Cormack 0 – 01. Lee O'Sullivan, making his debut at centre back, did very well and he was ably flanked by the forceful Cathal Cormack and Niall Cashman.

Sars were first out of the blocks for the second half with a point but PJ Linehan replied with a similar score for us. Things certainly took a turn for the worst at this stage and Sars not only levelled with a goal but followed up with a further goal to lead by 3 points 1 – 13 to 3 – 10. Kevin's next point for us was quickly answered by a further goal from Sars (their 4th) and a point to leap ahead by 6 points 1 – 14 to 4 – 11. Kevin with 2 points on the trot reduced that lead to 4 points, but Sars scored again to push it back to 5. Kevin and David O'Farrell grabbed a point each to bring us within 3 points of Sars at 1 – 18 to 4 – 12. Sars hit back with 3 more points and looked to have the game sewn up at this stage, with the board reading 1 – 18 to 4 – 15. But they reckoned without the staying power of our boys who set about reducing the deficit . In an action packed finale, Kevin scored the next 7 points to put us in the lead again by a single point as we headed into 3 minutes of extra time. In a last ditch effort, Sars were awarded a free which they scored to draw level at 1 – 25 to 4 – 16. From being well out of it in the third quarter, our boys came thundering back into the game and almost claimed victory in the end.

Kevin O'Keeffe was in excellent form and punished the many indiscretions of the Sars backline who found it very difficult to cope with the strong running of Robbie Cotter, Fionn Coleman and Ryan Sweeney.

Scorers: Kevin O'Keeffe 0 – 14(0 – 11f), Robbie Cotter 1 – 01, Lee O'Sullivan 0 – 02, Fionn Coleman 0 – 02, P.J.Linehan 0 – 02, Shane O'Keeffe 0 – 01, Cathal Cormack 0 – 01, David O'Farrell 0 – 01, Ryan Sweeney 0 – 01.

Team: Ross Browne, Joe Golden, Gary Norberg, Ollie Mc Adoo, Cathal Cormack, Lee O'Sullivan, Niall Cashman, David O'Farrell, Daniel Meaney, Kevin O'Keeffe, Shane O'Keeffe, P.J Linehan, Robbie Cotter, Fionn Coleman, Ryan Sweeney.

Subs Used: Ian O'Keeffe, Eoin O'Farrell.

Referee: Simon Stokes.