Brian Roche the difference as Bride Rovers gain revenge on Blarney in Cork SAHC
REVENGE: Alan McEvoy, Blarney holding onto conor Barry, Bride Rovers in their Co-Op Superstores Senior 'A' HC match at Páirc Uà Rinn. Picture Dan Linehan
Bride Rovers recorded a deserved win over Blarney in Group 3 of the Co-op Superstores Cork SAHC in Pairc UÃ Rinn on Sunday afternoon.
Blarney had gotten the better of Rovers in the semi-final of this competition the past two seasons, but this day belonged to the Rathcormac/Bartlemy outfit.
In Brian Roche they had the game’s best player as he hit 0-7 from play, his twin brother, Eoin, was excellent in defence alongside Cillian Tobin while Adam Walsh’s performance against the wind in the first have gave them the platform they needed.
Mark Coleman, operating at centre-forward, gave Blarney the lead with an early free. He then made that start even better when he broke on to a Paul Hallissey puckout before finishing smartly past Cian Hogan for the game's opening goal.
The following ten minutes were pedestrian enough, Adam Walsh, David Barry, Shane O’Connor and Conor Barry pointed for Rovers, Coleman and Alan McEvoy clipped a couple of scores for Blarney, and they led by 1-3 to 0-4 at the end of the opening quarter.
Walsh had showed his potential for destruction when assisting David Barry’s point after a mighty fetch, and in the second quarter Bride Rovers hit him early and often, with Cillian Tobin freed up to supply the missiles.
He hit 0-4 off play, went close to a major and Blarney just could not handle him. His menace freed up Brian Roche for a couple of points while Conor Barry and Louie Roche also found their range as Bride Rovers looked far the more convincing team.
Eoin Roche was curtailing the influence of Shane Barrett, and all Blarney could muster were points from Cathal McCarthy, Jerry Murphy and a Coleman free to leave them trailing by 0-13 to 1-6 as they turned to play into the breeze in the second half.
Points from Walsh and McCarthy sandwiched a Walsh free on the resumption before Bride Rovers struck for a crucial score. Another Tobin delivery landed around the D, and this time Conleith Ryan broke on to it before slipping it past Hallissey for an excellent goal.
That put six between them, and that was still the margin when the game entered the final quarter with McCarthy, McEvoy and Eoghan Kirby on target for Blarney, while Brian Roche had two and Walsh one for Rovers to make it 1-17 to 1-11.
Three points from Coleman then outdid two from the outstanding Roche before a Denis McSweeney point left four between them with seven to play.
That man Brian Roche was on hand again for Bride Rovers though, as his seventh of the day brought the margin to five before a monstrous free from ‘keeper Cian Hogan made it a six-point game again with five to play. From there, the game petered out to its inevitable conclusion.
Shane O’Connor put a cherry on top of a great day for the Rovers with his second of the day, as his side will go into their next game against Courcey Rovers with two points on the board, while Blarney will seek improvement before their clash with Watergrasshill who also had a win in their opening game.
A Walsh (0-8, 0-4 f), B Roche (0-7), C Ryan (1-0), C Barry and S O’Connor (0-2 each), D Barry, L Roche, C Hogan (free) (0-1 each.
M Coleman (1-7, 0-5 f), C McCarthy (0-3), A McEvoy (0-2), E Kirby, D McSweeney, J Murphy (0-1 each).
C Hogan; D Cashman, E Roche, J Peters; C Hazelwood, C Tobin, S O’Connor; C O’Sullivan, D Barry; C Ryan, B Roche, K Kearney; C Barry, A Walsh, L Roche.
K Cotter for Peters (blood, 44-45), R O’Connell for Kearney (48).
P Hallissey; D Murphy, D Quill, S Crowley; S Mullane, P Crowley, A McEvoy; O Hegarty, S Mulcahy; D McSweeney, M Coleman (c), E Kirby; C McCarthy, S Barrett, J Murphy.
C Power for Quill (inj, 8), C Barrett for Murphy (46), W Crowley for Kirby (48), D Manlon for Mulcahy (60).
Ciaran O’Regan (Ballyhea).
A collection of the latest sports news, reports and analysis from Cork.
CONNECT WITH US TODAY
Be the first to know the latest news and updates
