Sars stand firm to survive late Blackrock goal assault

VICTORY CLINCHED: Jack O'Connor of Sarsfields celebrates after his side's victory in the Cork County Premier Senior Club Hurling Championship quarter-final match between Blackrock and Sarsfields. Pic: Eóin Noonan/Sportsfile

Sarsfields 1-15 Blackrock 0-15 

Sars stood firm in the face of late Blackrock goal assaults to move within an hour of a first Cork hurling final appearance since 2015.

After a drab and downright mundane regulation hour, injury-time points from Blackrock subs Mark O’Keeffe and Alan Connolly to bring the Rockies back within two belatedly injected some life and spark into this quarter-final contest.

Blackrock required a goal. They searched hard for one too. A number of their attacks, however, repeatedly broke down in and around the 20-metre line as Sars got a hand in here and a flick there.

The closest to a green flag last year’s beaten county finalists came was a long-range Niall Cashman free in the 63rd minute that went all the way to the net. Referee Ciaran O’Regan, though, had whistled for a free out before the sliotar creased the net.

For Sars, this was a victory of real significance, even if the accompanying performance was nothing outstanding.

Having fallen at the quarter-final and semi-final stage in 2020 and ‘21, this was their first knockout victory in the four years of the new Cork championship format.

Alan Connolly, Blackrock flying through the air after this clash with Sarsfields players Eoghan Murphy and Jack O'Connor. Pic: Dan Linehan

Never relinquishing their two-point interval lead, a three-in-a-row from Jack O’Connor and a pair of Aaron Myers frees - one of which was won by O’Connor - shoved them five in front and gave Johnny Crowley's side enough breathing room when Blackrock came with a late, if futile burst.

Blackrock had trailed by two at the break, 1-7 to 0-8. It was a scoreline they wouldn’t have been at all pleased with. Nine first half wides was an unavoidable stain on their copybook.

This wastefulness reached a frustrating crescendo for the Rockies at the end of the half. Kevin O’Keeffe was wide with a free and from the ensuing restart, which was hit straight to Tadgh Deasy and who promptly offloaded to Shane O’Keeffe, the latter drilled to the right of the City End posts.

If it was their short-passing game that had malfunctioned in the final round group defeat to Midleton, it was their radar that was way out of sorts here.

For Sars, Jack O’Connor and Aaron Myers carried their running threat. It was the former who delivered the game’s opening goal on 13 minutes. He also chipped in with two first half points. Myers, meanwhile, threw over three frees.

Crowley’s charges had only two first half wides, their efficiency and economy with possession in stark contrast to the swollen wides tally at the far end.

Blackrock finished with 13 wides. Their season is finished because of it.

Scorers for Sarsfields: A Myers (0-7, 0-6 frees, 0-1 ‘65); J O’Connor (1-3); D Kearney (0-2); K Murphy, C McCarthy, L Hackett (0-1 each).

Scorers for Blackrock: K O’Keeffe (0-2 frees, 0-1 ‘65), F Coleman (0-4 each); R Cotter (0-3); T Deasy, M O’Halloran, M O’Keeffe, A Connolly (0-1 each).

Sarsfields: D McCarthy; C MCarthy, C Leahy, P Leopold; B Murphy, E Murphy, L Elliott; K Murphy, D Kearney; J O’Connor, J Sweeney, C McCarthy; A Myers, C Darcy, D Hogan.

Subs: S O’Regan for Hogan (43); L Hackett for Darcy (50); C O’Sullivan for Kearney (57); B Nodwell for Sweeney (66).

Blackrock: G Connolly; C O’Brien, J Cashman, A O’Callaghan; Cathal Cormack, Ciaran Cormack, N Cashman; K O’Keeffe, D Meaney; S O’Keeffe, T Deasy, M O’Halloran; F Coleman, R Cotter, P Linehan.

Subs: A Connolly for Deasy (41); M O’Keeffe for S O’Keeffe (47); O McAdoo for Linehan (51); T Deasy for O’Halloran (57); G Norberg for O’Brien (58).

Referee: C O’Regan