Cotter ensures Rockies don't fade out against the Barrs

Blackrock’s two championship defeats last summer, to Midleton and Sars respectively, had their roots in third-quarter fade-outs.

Fri, 02 Aug, 2024 - 22:47

Eoghan Cormican, Pairc Ui Rinn

Cork Premier SHC: Blackrock 3-15 St Finbarr’s 2-17

Robbie Cotter made sure the Blackrock commentary did not centre on yet another third-quarter drop off. Robbie Cotter made sure the Rockies campaign threw in on a positive and winning note.

Blackrock’s two championship defeats last summer, to Midleton and Sars respectively, had their roots in third-quarter fade-outs. It wasn’t so much another third-quarter drop off that threatened to undo their opening championship bout of 2024, rather a sharp drop off in efficiency in the minutes after the restart.

Blackrock turned around 2-7 to 0-10 in front. They’d hit only two first-half wides, compared to their opponents’ seven. But in the six minutes after half-time, they were guilty of leaving behind 2-3. And with Brian Hayes goaling 25 seconds after half-time, the drop off in scoring efficiency was not going unpunished.

Shane O’Keeffe’s blocked goal shot arrived after back-to-back wides and was followed by a Kevin O’Keeffe wide. The latter O’Keeffe was then dispossessed by Jamie Burns at the vital moment as he closed in on a third Rockies goal. Ethan Twomey tied proceedings in the ensuing play on 36 minutes and one wondered if Blackrock were going to succumb to a familiar script.

To their credit, Jamie Harrington’s charges did not further drift. David O'Farrell, Alan Connolly (free), and sub Fionn Coleman struck three-in-a-row to move them 2-11 to 1-11 in front.

Alan Connolly, Blackrock, is chased by Ciaran Doolan, St. Finbarr's. Picture: Jim Coughlan.

And even when the Barrs countered with an unanswered 1-2 - the well-worked goal dispatched by Sam Cunningham - Blackrock found another three-in-a-row through Cotter and a pair of Connolly placed balls to reclaim the lead, 2-14 to 2-13, on 51 minutes.

Ben Cunningham’s free to level proceedings for a sixth time thereafter was incredibly close to being a Barrs penalty as Gavin Connolly’s goal-denying foul on Cunningham took place just outside the large parallelogram.

There was to be a fifth and final goal in this entertaining if not particularly high-quality Group B heavyweight opener. Cotter, who beat Shane Hurley in the opening half but was denied a second on 50 minutes after Hurley produced a stunning save, struck on 57 minutes when found unmarked by Alan Connolly.

A pair of Cunningham frees brought his total for the evening into double digits and the Barrs were within one, but the clock beat them. It’s a reversal of the 2022 county final that is most unlikely to hamper the Barrs’ long-term ambitions in this championship. They’ll be expected to collect the necessary points off Newcestown and Fr O’Neill’s to go through along with their opening round conquerors.

If Blackrock’s third quarter finishing was an issue, then the Barrs' first half wastefulness was a definite problem that needs improving.

It was a first half of Blackrock fashioning green flags out of half chances and the Barrs squandering flags across a whole host of should-have-been-taken chances. Their early collection of seven wides were rued and further rued when Blackrock conjured and clinically took two goals that didn’t appear on.

The first arrived on eight minutes. David O’Farrell offloaded to Kevin O’Keeffe who offloaded to Cotter. Most others might have settled for a white flag. Not Cotter.

Their second arrived eight minutes further on. Alan Connolly’s first competitive goal since Cork’s thumping of Tipp way back in mid-May. In the five minutes that followed, Kevin O’Keeffe and Connolly (0-2) combined for a three-point burst to position them 2-6 to 0-4 clear.

They wobbled and were wayward for a spell thereafter. They did not, though, let it define or ruin their evening.

Scorers for Blackrock: R Cotter (2-2); A Connolly (1-5, 0-2 frees, 0-2 65s); N Cashman (0-2); A O’Callaghan, K O’Keeffe, D Meaney, F Coleman, D O’Farrell, P Lenihan (0-1 each).

Scorers for St Finbarr's: B Cunningham (0-10, 0-9 frees); B Hayes (1-1); E Twomey (0-2); C Crowley, P Buggy, J Cahalane, W Buckley (0-1 each).

Blackrock: G Connolly; S Murphy, J Cashman, O McAdoo; Cathal Cormack, A O’Callaghan, N Cashman; D O’Farrell, D Meaney; P Lenihan, S O’Keeffe, K O’Keeffe; Ciaran Cormack, A Connolly, R Cotter.

Subs: F Coleman for S O’Keeffe (36); R Sweeney for D O’Farrell (51); J Golden for S Murphy (56).

St Finbarr’s: S Hurley; C Walsh, D Cahalane, E Keane; C Crowley, J Burns, E Finn; E Twomey, C Doolan; P Buggy, W Buckley, B Cunningham; S Cunningham, B Hayes, J Cahalane.

Subs: J Wigginton Barrett for Finn (38); C O’Connor for Twomey (41-44)

Referee: C McAllister.