Midleton straight into semi-final as Blackrock into quarter-finals

In the absence of their injured top-scorer, several of Micheál Keohane’s Midleton charges stepped forward to point the Magpies to top spot in their group and the top group seeding overall.

Sun, 03 Sep, 2023 - 18:14

Eoghan Cormican, Carrigtwohill

Cork Premier SHC

Midleton 0-23 Blackrock 0-18

Midleton, minus their leading marksman Conor Lehane, will bypass the quarter-finals of the Cork Premier SHC after securing the top group seeding following victory over Blackrock.

In the absence of their injured top-scorer, several of Micheál Keohane’s Midleton charges stepped forward to point the Magpies to top spot in their group and the top group seeding overall.

Midfielder Paul Haughney top-scored from play with four white flags, with Cormac Beausang, deputising on the frees for Lehane, finishing with double that figure.

Patrick White, David Cremin, Paul Connaughton, and Luke O’Farrell also made notable contributions in the opposition half of the field.

Their defence can't go without mention either, seeing as they held last year's county finalists to just four second-half points.

For Blackrock, this first defeat of the championship means they will be involved in the quarter-finals.

The Rockies, who had Alan Connolly making his first start of the championship, led 0-14 to 0-12 at the end of a first half that was level on five occasions. But they failed to add to their advantage during the opening 10 minutes of the second period, during which time the men from East Cork reeled off six-in-a-row through Haughney (0-2), Beausang (0-3 frees), and Connaughton to establish an 0-18 to 0-14 lead.

It was a lead they never relinquished over the course of the final 20 minutes, the closest Blackrock getting was two points early in the final quarter.

This was an afternoon where Blackrock’s short-passing game repeatedly malfunctioned in the middle third, both through their own unforced errors and through the pressure applied and turnovers won by those wearing black and white.

Indeed, an instruction came from the Blackrock line in the final quarter to start pumping more direct ball into their inside line. Goals were now required and while sub Tadgh Deasy made a nuisance of himself close to goal, he was unable to raise a green flag.

The game’s outstanding goal chance actually came at the far end, 'keeper Gavin Connolly getting down smartly to repel a Mikey Finn drive.

Midleton hit seven wides in the closing stages, a level of wastefulness they were not punished for but that will need cleaning up during the four weeks they now have to themselves ahead of a county semi-final date at the beginning of next month.

Scorers for Midleton: C Beausang (0-8, 0-7 frees); P Haughney (0-4); D Cremin P White (0-3 each); P Connaughton (0-2); E Moloney, T O’Connell (0-1 free), L O’Farrell (0-1 each).

Scorers for Blackrock: K O’Keeffe (0-7, 0-4 frees); A Connolly (0-3, 0-2 frees); N Cashman, M O’Halloran (0-2 each); Cathal Cormack, S O’Keeffe, P Lenihan, T Deasy (0-1 each).

MIDLETON: B Saunderson; C Smyth, L Dineen, S Smyth; E Moloney, T O’Connell, S O’Leary Hayes; S O’Sullivan, P Haughney; D Cremin, P White, C Beausang; P Connaughton, L O’Farrell, M Finn.

BLACKROCK: G Connolly; O McAdoo, A O’Callaghan, C O’Brien; Cathal Cormack, J Cashman, N Cashman; Ciaran Cormack, K O’Keeffe; S O’Keeffe, A Connolly, D Meaney; M O’Halloran, R Cotter, P Lenihan.

Subs: T Deasy for Lenihan (41)

Referee: S Stokes (Tullylease).