O’Connell earns Midleton deserved replay

A DRAW was about right in the keenly contested Evening Echo SHC third-round clash at Páirc Uí Chaoímh yesterday, where Mickey O’Connell’s injury time pointed free earned Midleton a second bite of the cherry.

Two evenly matched sides were level seven times over the 60 odd minutes and it would have been hard on either of them had they lost. Blackrock, in particular, would have been particularly aggrieved as they created a couple of gilt edged goal chances which they failed to convert that on another day could have been costly.

Now in the twilight of a great career Fergal Ryan rolled back the years with a majestic display at corner-back for the Rockies. Next to him John Browne was equally good at full back, while the evergreen Frank Barry made one wonder save which kept his side in the game at a time when Midleton made their push for home.

Blackrock’s problems were in attack. They did create the chances, but wasted many, shooting 13 wides in total and only Alan Browne and to a lesser extent Brian O’Keeffe, had the ability to trouble the Midleton defence.

The youthful Magpies will take tremendous heart from this performance. Defensively they did very well with Ger Manley solid between the posts. Alan Cahill did very well on Alan Browne, while Peter Smith was unbeatable at corner back.

However, they were almost totally dependant on Mickey O’Connell for scores and he was ably assisted by the outstanding Dara Cott who took to a forward roll and later at midfield like a duck to water.

Forced to make a number of late changes due to injury, Midleton nevertheless made the better start and led 0-3 to 0-1 after five minutes, O’Connell scoring two of those points. The Rockies recovered well and with Adrian Coughlan and David Cashman on top at midfield they rifled over five points without reply. Coughlan showed marvellous accuracy from a variety of distances and they were full value for their 0-6 to 0-3 lead at the end of the opening quarter.

Surprisingly the scoring rate dried up after the early flurry of points, but the keenness of the exchanges kept the small crowd entertained. Helped by the pace of Dara Cott, Midleton exposed the Rockies defence with a goal out of nothing, Joe Keane stroking the ball home. It was a huge fillip for the Magpies and it took a magnificent save by keeper Frank Barry to deny Dara Cott a goal. Midleton were in full flow and they finished the half with another Mickey O’Connell point to go in at the break 1-7 to 0-8 in front.

Midleton threw down the gauntlet to the Rockies early in the second-half when Cott took off on another great solo run before scoring and as the city side continued to waste chances the signs looked ominous

Fortunately Adrian Coughlan’s accuracy from frees kept them in touch and they lost a glorious chance of a goal when Liam Meaney put Colin O’Leary through, but he blazed the sliothar across the face of the Midleton goal.

Only some magnificent defending by Fergal Ryan and John Browne prevented Blackrock from falling further behind and, taking inspiration from the two former inter-county stars, they began to exert enormous pressure on the Midleton defence.

As the tension mounted Sean Hennessy gave Midleton some breathing space with a point, their first score for 17 minutes, but the Rockies were back on level terms thanks to Coughlan’s superb free taking before Brian O’Keeffe looked to have given his side the victory with a point in the 60th minute.

However a spirited Midleton side were not going to be denied and it was fitting that Mickey O’Connell should have the final say when he pointed a 50 metre free to earn his side a deserved second bite of the cherry.

Scorers: Midleton: M. O’Connell 0-7 (0-4 frees); J. Keane 1-0; D. Cott 0-2; K. Ryan, S. Hennessy 0-1 each. Blackrock: A. Coughlan 0-7 (frees); B. O’Keeffe 0-3; A. Browne, 0-2; D. Cashman, J. Young 0-1 each.

MIDLETON: G. Manley; P. Smith, A. Cahill, A. Kearney; P. Barry, A. Ryan, S. Hennessy; K. Ryan, D. Hogan; A. Cott, A. Cotter, M. O’Connell; C. Hurley, D. Ryan, J. Keane.

Subs: K. Mulcahy for Hurley; O. Cotter for A. Cotter.

BLACKROCK: F. Barry; TJ Coughlan, J. Browne, F. Ryan; W. Sherlock, C. Murphy, S. Murphy; D. Cashman, A. Coughlan; J. Young, L. Meaney, C. O’Leary; B. O’Keeffe, A. Browne, B. Hennebry.

Sub: D. Gosnell for Hennebry.

Referee: D. Copps (Ballyhea).

* Prior to the game a minute’s silence was observed in memory of former Blackrock and Cork hurler Brian Toblin who died on Saturday night.