U-21 Hurling Championship Q/F
Sun. Oct. 27th 2024

Blackrock 4 – 13 V 0 – 15 Na Piarsaigh @ Ballinlough @ 12.30pm.

Report:  Roger ryan

Our U/21 Hurlers scored a well-merited victory over Na Piarsaigh in the Quarter-Final of the U/21 Championship at Ballinlough on Sunday. In a high-scoring game we emerged victors by 10 points on a score of Rockies 4 – 13, Na Piarsaigh 0 – 15.

The first half was evenly contested with both sides enjoying periods of dominance and ended with The Rockies ahead by 2 points , 2 – 06 to 0 – 10. Neither team could claim to have an advantage of any wind and after our opening point by Ryan Sweeney was equalled by Na Piarsaigh, Ryan Sweeney crashed home our first goal to put us ahead by 3 points 1 – 01 to 0 – 01. Na Piarsaigh responded strongly and with 3 unanswered points were soon back on level terms, 1 – 01 to 0 – 04, with about 10 minutes on the clock. Eoin Coughlan pushed us ahead by 1 point and Na Piarsaigh equalised again with a similar score. Vaughan Ryan and Jack O'Sullivan stretched our lead with a point each but Na Piarsaigh struck back with 2 of their own to again reach parity on a score of Rockies 1 – 14, Na Piarsaigh 0 – 07. Mikey O'Connell, operating at full-forward made himself available in total isolation for a perfect pass which he gleefully accepted and crashed into the back of the net for our second goal. Peter Linehan, and Vaughan Ryan then added a point each to give us a nice lead of 5 points (2 – 06 to 0 – 07) with half-time approaching. Na Piarsaigh were far from finished however and struck back to end the half with 3 points and reduce our lead to 2 points--- 2 – 06 to 0 – 10.

Darragh Browne had been introduced in this half for the injured Connor Coakley and the second half line-up showed two changes with Jack O'Farrell and Brian Lynch joining the squad. Ryan Sweeeney had the opening point in this half also and Eoin De Burca put us 4 points ahead before Mikey O'Connell repeated his first half feat with another goal to push us 7 points ahead. A Na Piarsaigh point was answered by a point from Lee O'Sullivan and another point by Na Piarsaigh was also answered by one from Ryan Sweeney to leave the score at Rockies 3 – 10, Na Piarsaigh 0 – 013. Alex Geary entered the fray at this point and Jack O'Farrell sent the ball sailing between the posts to push our lead to 7 points. Na Piarsaigh with 2 points on the trot had our lead back to 5 points---3 – 11 to 0 – 15 but Ryan Sweeney added a point and Mikey O'Connell scored his hat-trick of goals to extend our lead to 9 points as we enterd the final quarter, 4 – 12 to 0 – 15. It was fitting that Ryan Sweeney should round off the scoring with a final point to leave us worthy winners by 10 points.

The semi-final V St.Finbarrs is fixed for Sunday next @ 12.30 in Ballinlough.

Scorers: Mikey O'Connell: 3 – 00, Ryan Sweeney 0 – 05, Eoin De Burca 1 – 01, Vaughan Ryan 0 – 02, Eoin Coughlan 0 – 01, Jack O'Sullivan 0 – 01, Peter Linehan 0 – 01, Lee O' Sullivan 0 – 01, Jack O'Farrell 0 – 01.

Team: Ross Browne, Tom Harrington, Connor Coakley, James Ryan, Luke O'Donovan, Sean Healy, Lee O'Sullivan, Jack O'Sullivan, Ryan Sweeney, Peter Linehan, Vaughan Ryan, Eoin De Burca, Fionn O'Keeffe, Mikey O'Connell, Eoin Coughlan.

Subs Used: Darragh Browne, Jack O'Farrell, Brian Lynch, Alex Geary.

Referee: Mark Maher, St.Finbarrs.