Rockies win by width of crossbar

Blackrock 1-12 Cloyne 1-10
By Diarmuid O’Flynn
LAST PUCK of this, the most dramatic of the two Cork senior hurling championship semi-finals in Páirc Uí Chaoimh yesterday, and it all came down to the width of the crossbar.

Having just pushed forward to the edge of the square from his wing-back position, Diarmuid O'Sullivan doubled on a dropping ball, made the connection. Blackrock keeper Trevor Barry made the save, then dropped over the ball, protecting it from the in-rushing Cloyne forwards. Referee Ken Healy consulted his umpires, decision was made, penalty.

Earlier in the first-half, into the strong breeze, the titanic O'Sullivan had pointed a free from well inside his own 65; having seen that, few in the 10,000-plus attendance would have bet against a match-winning goal for Cloyne. The penalty was hit just as purely as the earlier free, unstoppable, beyond any human reaction. Unfortunately for O'Sullivan, unfortunately for Cloyne, the shot struck the crossbar, rebounded beyond the 20m line.

Even the most hardened of Blackrock supporters had to have sympathy for Cloyne. On the balance of play, had that ball burst the net as it seemed destined to do, no-one would have quibbled with a Cloyne win, even if it was right at the death. Making their first appearance at this level, the underdogs from East Cork had the champions on the back foot almost from the whistle, looked likely winners for long periods. A draw was surely the least their efforts deserved.

This was never going to be a high-scoring game. Both Blackrock and Cloyne have exceptional defences so that, despite the ideal weather, good sod, scores were always going to be at a premium. Thus it proved.

Corner-forward Brian O'Keeffe opened the scoring for the champions in the third minute, but the next quarter was all Cloyne. Midfielder Ian Quinlan opened their account with a pointed free in the 7th minute, full-forward Conor Cusack, Cloyne's most impressive attacker, scored an opportunist goal after some scrappy goalmouth play, Brian Motherway added a point to leave the challengers ahead, 1-2 to 0-1, after 14 minutes.

Blackrock, too, had their chances in this period, but even though they were shooting towards home, the Blackrock end of the ground, a variety of players were having problems locating the posts. That poor shooting was to remain a problem for them, and they ended the half with 11 wides, notched a further eight in the second-half. No-one was more profligate than the normally deadly Adrian Coughlan, five wides in the first-half, no point. Most uncommon for Coughlan, though he did atone eventually.

With Blackrock not helping their own cause, Cloyne continued to dominate the scoreboard though good defence, especially by Wayne Sherlock and John Browne inside, meant the pickings were slim - 1-5 to 0-2 after 27 minutes, before Blackrock finally began to make their presence felt.

A point from Liam Meaney, put in position by Alan Browne after his switch to centre-forward, a goal from a long Fergal Ryan free (after keeper Donal Óg Cusack's vision had been obscured by the scrum in front, the ball dropping from his hand and over the line), point from impressive midfielder Paul Tierney, and suddenly this game had turned. From a position of control, Cloyne were just the minimum ahead at the break, 1-5 to 1-4.

Half-time they stayed on the pitch, re-grouped, and a point within a minute of the restart steadied the ship. Nevertheless those scores before the break had given Blackrock confidence, and with Coughlan having adjusted his sights, three points on the trot saw them re-take the lead for the first time since the opening minutes. From there to that dramatic finish the game developed into a dour battle, nothing much between two determined sides. It wasn't pretty hurling, but it was competitive, and it was exciting. Three times they were level in the next quarter, veteran midfielder Phillip Cahill doing damage for Cloyne, but in the last five minutes, Blackrock began to edge that extra point in front. It happened in the 26th minute, and it would prove crucial. A long-range free by Coughlan, one of many in that half softly conceded by Cloyne/softly awarded by the referee, put Blackrock 1-11 to 1-9 ahead.

Cahill brought it back with a beauty, Coughlan extended it again with another free (five from placed balls in the second half), and thus was the scene set, O'Sullivan having to go for goal.

Heart-breaking for Cloyne, didn't at all do justice to the magnificent efforts of such as Killian Cronin, the brilliant Maurice Cahill, Diarmuid O'Sullivan, Phillip Cahill, Conor Cusack. Real champions, however, are there to be beaten, they do not beat themselves, and ultimately Blackrock won this on heart.
Got away with it on this day, but they will need more against Newtownshandrum however, in the final.

Scorers Blackrock: A. Coughlan 0-5 (all frees); F. Ryan 1-1 (1-0 free); P. Tierney 0-2; B. O'Keeffe 0-2; B. Hennebry, L. Meaney, 0-1 each.

Cloyne: I. Quinlan 0-4 (all frees); C. Cusack 1-0; P. Cahill, B. Motherway, C. O'Sullivan, L. O'Driscoll, M. Cahill (65), D. O'Sullivan (free), 0-1 each.

BLACKROCK: T. Barry; W. Sherlock (c), N. Keane, J. Browne; C. Connery, A. Cummins, F. Ryan; A. Coughlan, P. Tierney; B. Hennebry, L. Meaney, D. Gosnell; B. O'Keeffe, A. Browne, D. Cashman. Subs: J. Young (Gosnell 25); S. Murphy (Connery 30). Blood sub: Gosnell (Hennebry 48/49).

CLOYNE: Donal Og Cusack; D. Motherway, K. Cronin, E. O'Sullivan; L. O'Driscoll, M. Cahill, D. O'Sullivan; P. Cahill, I. Quinlan; I. McCarthy, C. O'Sullivan, M. Naughton; B. Motherway, C. Cusack, V. Cusack. Subs: J. Lynch (McCarthy 59); blood sub: C. Lemasney (M. Cahill 25/30, O'Driscoll 50/54).

Referee: K. Healy (Ballymartle). Could have done better.