Senior Hurling Championship Q/F

Sun Sept. 17th 2023. 

Blackrock 0 - 15 V Sarsfields 1 – 15 @ P.Ui Chaoimh.

 Report:  Roger Ryan

Click here for Photos by George Hatchell

Considering the heavy defeat we suffered against Sarsfields in the Senior Hurling League Final earlier this year, our Senior Hurlers showed a distinct improvement in form against the same opposition in the quarter-final of the Senior Championship at Pairc Ui Chaoimh on Sunday last and matched them in every way except on the scoreboard. Our boys really stuck to the task on hand and contained the vaunted Sars attack. Too many wides and the number of frees which we conceded certainly contributed to our narrow defeat. The first half turned out to be a very competitive affair and we were well placed at half time, being just 2 points in arrears, Rockies 0 – 8, Sars 1 – 7. Sars were first to settle and opened their account with a point. This was equalled by our first point from Robbie Cotter and a second point for Sars was again followed by a point from Fionn Coleman who was making his debut on the Senior team. Sars then added 2 points on the trot to forge ahead by 2, 0 – 4 to 0 – 02, but Kevin O'Keeffe with a pointed free, reduced their lead to the minimum. In the 13th minute Sars struck for a goal to go ahead by 4 points, 0 – 3 to 1 – 4. Thereafter we were chasing the game and it was to prove the deciding score in the end. Fionn Coleman with his second point reduced the deficit to 3 points 0 – 4 to 1 – 4, but Sars then added the next 2 points on the trot to push ahead by 5, 0 – 4 to 1 – 6. Robbie Cotter, Michael O'Halloran and Kevin O'Keeffe scored 1 point each to bring us within 2 points again, 0 – 7 to 1 – 6. With half-time looming, a Sars point was matched by a point from Kevin O'Keeffe to leave , us trailing by just 2 points as the Ref. Blew for half time with board reading Blackrock 0 – 8, Sarsfields 1 – 7. A total of 9 wides in this half certainly didn't help our cause. Scorers in this half were: Kevin O'Keeffe 0 – 3, Robbie Cotter 0 – 2, Fionn Coleman 0 – 2, Michael O'Halloran 0 – 1.

Sars upped their lead to 3 points with the opening score of the second half but Tadhg Deasy pegged it back to 2 again with a point for us. We were now 10 minutes into the second half and Alan Connolly was sprung from the bench. A Sars point was again matched by Fionn Coleman to leave the score at 0 – 10 to 1 – 9, but Sars with the next 2 points went ahead by 4, 0 – 10 to 1 – 11. On the 45th minute Mark O'Keeffe entered the fray followed by Ollie Mc Adoo. A point for Sars pushed them ahead by 5, 0 – 10 to 1 – 12 before Robbie Cotter scored a point to reduce it to 4 points, 0 – 11 to 1 – 12. 2 Sars points sandwiched by a point from Fionn Coleman left to score at 0 – 12 to 1 – 14 . Kevin then scored a point from a 65 to bring it back to 0 – 13 to 1 – 14 and Mark O'Keeffe in the 60th minute had a point followed by a point from Alan Connolly brought us within 2 points as we entered additional time. A goal by Robbie Cotter which would put us 1 point ahead, was disallowed by the Ref for a square infringement. In a last ditch effort, Sars converted a 65 to make victory safe at 0 15 to 1 – 15. And so the curtain came down on the Senior Championship for another year.

Scorers: Kevin O'Keeffe 0 – 4 (2f & 1,65), Fionn Coleman 0 – 4, Robbie Cotter 0 – 3, Michael O'Halloran, Tadhg Deasy, Mark O'Keeffe and Alan Connolly 0 – 1 each.

Team: Gavin Connolly, John Cashman, Alan O'Callaghan, Conor O'Brien, Cathal Cormack, Ciarán Cormack, Niall Cashman, Kevin O'Keeffe, Daniel Meaney, Shane O'Keeffe, Tadhg Deasy, Michael O'Halloran, P.J.Linehan, Fionn Coleman, Robbie Cotter. Subs Used: Alan Connolly, Ollie Mc Adoo, Gary Norberg, Mark O'Keeffe.

Referee: Ciarán O Regan, Ballyhea.