Blarney win 'nothing handsome' but club take another step on redemption road

Luke Sheehan of Na Piarsaigh holds onto possession while being challenged by Blarney's Shane Barrett. Picture: Howard Crowdy

Cork SAHC quarter-finals: Blarney 1-21 Na Piarsaigh 0-19

Another step on redemption road. Another step closer to where they want to be.

When you’ve lost the last two county finals as Blarney have, quarter-finals no longer hold attraction. They are about getting in and getting out unscathed.

After losing their opening game of the championship to recent rivals Bride Rovers, Blarney hit the blitzkrieg button and pummeled all on their path. 

Clearly conscious of the need to swell their score difference, in the event of a three-way tie on four points, they ran up winning margins of 21 and 19 points over Watergrasshill and Courcey Rovers respectively.

Saturday evening didn’t demand another statement or winning margin of eye-watering size. Blarney, as it proved, weren’t in the mood for either. Na Piarsaigh refused to allow either.

Strangely enough, the beaten Senior A finalists of the past two seasons were more proficient playing into the breeze than they were playing with it. Na Piarsaigh came within two before the break and within five in the third quarter. There were times where momentum sat in their corner. Times where they had Blarney unsettled and a touch uneasy. Overall control, though, never departed the red corner.

The red corner took the lead in the 54th second and led uncontested from the fourth minute to the final whistle. That’s the bottom line.

Castlelyons are next and a crack at reaching a third consecutive final.

Craig Hanafin of Na Piarsaigh and Blarney's Stephen Mullane tussle for a high ball. Picture: Howard Crowdy

“Quarter-finals can be difficult, you can slip up in them. Whatever way it was going to be, winning the game was our aim and we came out with the result,” said Blarney boss Michael Barrett.

“You have to credit Na Piarsaigh. They stayed with us. They made it difficult. We were able to keep tagging on the points. We were up seven at half-time, they came back to five, but after that we were able to drive on again. We kept it at five right through the second half.

“Quarter-finals are just about winning. There is nothing handsome, it is not a classic. It is just about getting a result and that is it.” Blarney unleashed a blistering opening. Six shots, six points. Five of the starting six forwards - Cian Barrett, Cathal McCarthy, Denis McSweeney, Shane Barrett, and Shane Mulcahy - made early entries onto the scoresheet. When they click, their movement and finishing is irresistible.

A superb Shane Barrett effort from the stand sideline, after the Cork No.11 had taken a nasty slap, pushed their lead out to five. Their lead was again five when Na Piarsaigh asserted themselves for the first time in this quarter-final early in the second quarter. They did so through the growing influence of Cian Hogan, Padraig Guest, Patrick Rourke, and Ross O’Sullivan.

After three successive point attempts short, O’Sullivan (free), Guest (65), and Luke Sheehan struck three-in-a-row to leave separation of only two - 0-9 to 0-7 - on 25 minutes.

Considering the strength of the breeze they had yet to enjoy, the northsiders were in the perfect position. It was a position they couldn’t hold. Optimism for what the second half might hold given their close proximity to the favourites was mercilessly punctured.

Shane Mulcahy provided the final pass to the inside-the-cover Cian Barrett for a 29th minute goal. Mulcahy followed with his second white flag. Factor in the Mark Coleman free before the green flag and, all of a sudden, a three-point lead was seven-strong. 1-12 to 0-8.

The northsiders were afforded the opportunity in first half stoppages to repair some of the damage. Ross O’Sullivan would have batted a certain goal but for a last-ditch hauling down of the corner-forward. O’Sullivan himself stepped over the resultant penalty. His shot whizzed right and wide.

Their challenge never properly recovered. Their challenge finished with 14 men, captain Keith Buckley dismissed in second-half stoppages. Blarney roll on.

Scorers for Blarney: C Barrett (1-4); M Coleman (0-5 frees); S Barrett, S Mulcahy (0-3 each); E Kirby, C McCarthy (0-2 each); D McSweeney, C Hegarty (0-1 each).

Scorers for Na Piarsaigh: P Guest (0-6, 0-3 frees, 0-1 ‘65); R O’Sullivan (0-3, 0-1 free); K Moynihan, D Coffey, P Rourke, Evan Sheehan (0-2 each); L Sheehan, O Galvin (0-1 each).

BLARNEY: P Hallissey; D Murphy, S Crowley, S Mullane; C Power, P Crowley, A McEvoy; O Hegarty, M Coleman; D McSweeney, S Barrett, E Kirby; S Mulcahy, C Barrett, C McCarthy.

Subs: C Hegarty for McSweeney (52); J Murphy for Hegarty (58).

NA PIARSAIGH: J Lonergan; K Buckley, Eoin Sheehan, C Meaney; K Moynihan, C Buckley, G Healy; C Hogan, P Murphy; L Sheehan, P Guest, P Rourke; C Hanifin, DJ Coffey, R O’Sullivan.

Subs: O Galvin for L Sheehan (40); Evan Sheehan for Hanifin (50); G Joyce for Hogan (57).

Referee: C McAllister.