Battling Dripsey edge Rockies
The mid-Cork side had David O’Sullivan to thank for helping them chisel out a deserved three-point win over Blackrock’s second string as his goal in injury-time settled a nerve shredder of a game.
Though the quality from both sides was poor, their appetite for it could never be questioned and though Dripsey just about deserved to win, they sure made hard work of it. When sub Denis Moran put Blackrock ahead with two minutes to play, it looked like a shock was on the cards.
But Dripsey had some cool operators on the night, including Diarmuid O’Riordan and Mark O’Sullivan but in David O’Sullivan they had the games top scorer and outstanding player.
Three exquisite opening half points were followed by an equally impressive fourth to put them a point up with 10 minutes to play, before his goal at the death was expertly tucked away when a lesser mortal might have plumped for the point on offer.
Scorers for Dripsey: D O’Sullivan 1-4, D O’Riordan 0-7 (0-3f), S Murray 1-0, M O’Sullivan, J Carey, B O’Regan (0-1) each.
Scorers for Blackrock: B Cashman 0-6 (0-5f, 0-1 65’), E Hegarty 1-3, D Gosnell, C Bonus, S Murphy, F Ryan, D Moran (0-1) each.
DRIPSEY: A Buckley; S Murray, T Ahearne, R Daly; P O’Riordan, J Carey, A Murray; S Burke, C Hayes; D O’Riordan, M O’Sullivan, J Buckley; D O’Sullivan, D Buckley, B O’Regan.
Subs: D Buckley for J Buckley (45), S Manley for B O’Regan (53).
BLACKROCK: G Ahern; A Hogan, F Ryan, J Heylin; A Murphy, S Murphy, A O’Driscoll; M Drummond, D O’Farrell; E Buckley, B O’Sullivan, S Murphy; D Gosnell, J Young, B Cashman.
Subs: E Hegarty for B O’Sullivan (24), C Bonus for M Drummond (h/t), E O’Mara for D Gosnell (48), D O’Keeffe for J Heylin (50), D Moran for B Cashman (50).
Referee: Cathal McAllister (Aghada).