Blackrock edge Cloughduv in Cork IHC decider

[team1]Blackrock[/team1][score1]0-15[/score1][team2]Cloughduv[/team2][score2]1-10[/score2][/score]

Blackrock won this Cork IHC final, edging out Cloughduv in a disappointing game in Pairc Ui Rinn.

Blackrock defended the scoreboard end in the first half but Brian Verling (free) opened the scoring early on for Cloughduv. Eoin O’Farrell (65) replied but Sean O’Connor nudged the mid-Cork side one ahead by the 10th minute.

Both sides were trying to find their range early on but O’Farrell pushed Blackrock ahead with four frees by the 18th minute, 0-5 to 0-2, and Cloughduv ‘keeper Jonathan Buckley had to look sharp to save from Liam O’Sullivan’s close-range effort.

Brian Verling added another free on 23 minutes but Colin O’Leary replied for Blackrock; Joe Ryan cracked over a Cloughduv point and the game began to warm up. Brian Verling’s first from play cut the deficit to one.

In injury time Cloughduv won a penalty, but Brian Verling put it wide: their ninth of the half, leaving the score 0-6 to 0-5 at the half.

O’Farrell pointed from the wing to start the second half. Cloughduv’s Donal Corkery thought he had a goal soon afterwards but the whistle had already blown for a Blackrock free.

Verling brought Cloughduv level with two frees and finally nudged his side ahead with yet another free turning into the final quarter - but O’Farrell (free) equalised almost immediately.

Diarmuid Cormack’s long-range point was followed by another two from O’Farrell, pushing Blackrock three ahead, 0-11 to 0-8.

On 48 minutes Donal O’Mahony saved well from Mark Verling but Cloughduv won a second penalty in the ensuing scramble: O’Mahony saved Brian Verling’s shot and Blackrock escaped again.

Mark O’Keeffe made it a four-point game with six minutes left but Verling (free) responded.

O’Farrell restored that four point gap with another free but Blackrock needed another good O’Mahony save from Mark Verling to hold out.

Brian Verling made it a three point game in injury time but late scores by David Cashman and Olan Kelleher made it safe for Blackrock.

Deep in injury time Cloughduv won yet another penalty: Mark Verling took this one and buried it.

Scorers for Blackrock: E. O’Farrell (0-10) (6 frees, 1 65); D. Cormack, M O’Keeffe, C. O’Leary, D. Cashman, O. Kelleher (0-1 each)

Scorers for Cloughduv: B. Verling (0-8) (6 frees); M. Verling (1-0) (pen); S. O’Connor, J. Ryan (0-1 each).

Blackrock: D. O’Mahony, J. Golden, A. Hogan, R. Coleman, C. O’Brien, E. Smith, R. Cantwell, D. Cormack, M. O’Farrell, E. O’Farrell, I. O’Keeffe, M. O’Keeffe, O. Kelleher, C. O’Leary, L. O’Sullivan.

Subs: R. Cotter for O. Kelleher (42); B. Cain for L. O’Sullivan (52); O Kelleher for I. O'Keeffe and D. Cashman for O’Leary (60).

Cloughduv: J. Buckley, D. O’Sullivan, B. Ahern, P. Buckley, J. Moynihan, D. O’Leary, E. Clifford, M. Walsh, L. Kelleher, A. Murphy, S. O’Connor, J. Ryan, D. Corkery, M. Verling (c), B. Verling.

Subs: K. Barry-Murphy for Corkery (42); A. Twomey for D. O’Sullivan (45); G. Ahern for M. Walsh (53); K. Walsh for S. O’Connor (60).

Referee: E. McCarthy (Bandon).