Blackrock's second string come through against junior champs Ballygiblin

It was a thoroughly entertaining quarter-final tie in Riverstown

Blackrock's Ryan Sweeney wins the ball from Ballygiblin's Darragh Flynn during the Co-Op Superstores Cork IAHC quarter final at Riverstown Picture; Eddie O'Hare

Cork IAHC quarter-final: Blackrock 1-20 Ballygiblin 0-18 

With one eye on their Premier SHC quarter-final on Sunday, this was a highly impressive win for Blackrock’s intermediate aide as they advanced to an IAHC semi-final with a see-saw victory over Ballygiblin side in Riverstown on Saturday.

The Rockies were up against primed and well-supported Ballygiblin side but still mahaged to stave off a second-half fightback and get over the line by by five points in what was a fierce contest.

Credit to Ballygiblin, too, who played a huge part in a thoroughly entertaining quarter-final tie. The Rockies had their noses in front throughout but could never shake off the All-Ireland junior club champions.

They enjoyed a 0-11 to 0-7 half-time lead with Eoin O’Farrell and Ryan Sweeney impressing. O’Farrell was a key component in a side that managed double figures in the first half, five of those scored by the midfielder, all from inch-perfect frees and 65s.

Ballygiblin certainly came out the brighter of the two sides in the second half. Shane Beston, Patrick Malloy and Joseph O Sullivan scored the opening three scores to narrow Blackrock’s lead to one.

If Eoin O’Farrell was the talisman for the Rockies then Joseph O’Sullivan was his match in every way for Ballygiblin. Equally as deadly from frees, the midfielder scored 0-12 on the day, 10 from frees/65s. His pinpoint accurate free from distance on 51 minutes leveled the game for the first time.

One of O’Farrell's few scores from play proved to be controversial as the half-forward’s strike from a tight angle was given by the umpires despite protests from the Ballygiblin fans and players that it had missed the posts.

Regardless, two scores from star man Joseph O’Sullivan made it all square soon after — 0-17 apiece with five minutes left on the clock and there was a sense that the initiative lay with the surging Ballygiblin men. But Blackrock weren’t having it.

Points down the home stretch from substitutes Lee O'Sullivan and Fionn Coleman gave them sight of the semi-final and Tom Grainger sealed the deal with a 59th-minute goal when he was the only free Rockies man in the small square ready to pounce and put the contest to bed.

Scorers for Blackrock: E O’Farrell (0-9, 5f, 1 65), T Grainger 1-0, R Sweeney (0-3, 1f), I O’Keefe (0-2), R Laide, D O Farrell, John O’Sullivan, S Healy, F Coleman, L O’Sullivan (0-1 each).

Scorers for Ballygiblin: J O’Sullivan (0-12, 9f, 1 65), S Beston (0-3), P Malloy, K Duggan, D Barry (0-1 each).

BLACKROCK: R Browne; J Golden, G Norberg, J Ryan; R Laide, L O’Donovan, E Cantwell; S Healy, D O’Farrell; I O’Keefe, E O’Farrell, R Sweeney; J O’Sullivan, F Coleman, E Smith.

Subs: T Grainger for C Coakley (47), L O Sullivan for L O Donovan (53), F Coleman for S Healy (58).

BALLYGIBLIN: J Finn; B Coffey, F Herlihy, S O’Doherty; K Roche, R Donegan, A O’Brien; P Malloy, J O’Sullivan; S Beston, D Flynn, D Sheehan; K Duggan, S O’Sullivan, D Barry.

Subs: J Lewis for A O’Brien (26), E Flynn for D Sheehan (47), DR Price for P Malloy (51).

Referee: B Sweeney.