Midleton's winning streak rolls on despite tough Blackrock test

With both outfits light on firepower – notable absentees included Conor Lehane and Robbie Cotter – it was a tight affair.

Tue, 12 May, 2026 - 21:42

Jack McKay

Midleton 2-20 Blackrock 0-21

Midleton's winning run in the RedFM Division 1 Hurling League rolls on, but they were made to work hard for this one in the final quarter.

With both outfits light on firepower – notable absentees included Conor Lehane and Robbie Cotter – it was a tight affair.

The Magpies’ lead peaked at nine in the first half, but had fallen to three by the 41st minute, but Mikey Finn (two frees) and Cormac Walsh stretched the Midleton lead back out to six with nine minutes to go.

Blackrock forged their third goal opportunity of the evening, as Michael O’Halloran and Sean Healy set up Ryan Sweeney, but Saunderson rushed out to intervene, making his third save and preserving the clean sheet.

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O’Halloran slotted over the 65 but again, Midleton were assured in response. Cremin chalked it off and Mikey Finn put a sideline cut between the posts, giving the Magpies an advantage of seven with three minutes to go.

Finn was excellent again at midfield for the hosts, while Tomas Dunlea and Seán O’Sullivan impressed in defence, and it was O’Sullivan who set up Midleton’s second green flag.

He did well to navigate his way through green and gold hooped jerseys before providing a basketball-esque layup for Conor Morley, who crept in at the back post to bat to the net.

That pushed Midleton 2-8 to 0-8 clear after 22 minutes, and though they would stretch that by a further three points, the Rockies had it back to 2-11 to 0-11 at the break.

In the first half, all of Midleton’s attacking eight had scored from play besides Cormac Walsh, but it took him only 11 seconds in the second half to add his name to the scoresheet. They ended the contest with 12 different scorers.

The other Midleton goal – a pulled shot by Cremin – arrived in the 14th minute, which pushed Midleton 1-5 to 0-3 ahead.

Midleton had been in control up to that stage, but points from Ryan Sweeney, Kevin O’Keeffe and PJ Lenihan brought them back to within two points, but they wouldn’t get any closer than that.

Scorers for Midleton: M Finn (0-9, 0-6 f, 0-1 sideline), D Cremin (1-1), C Morley (1-0), C Walsh (0-2), T Dunlea, S O’Sullivan, C Cronin, R O’Regan, E McGrath, C Beausang, P Connaughton, L Dineen (0-1 each).

Scorers for Blackrock: K O’Keeffe (0-5, 0-1 f), M O’Halloran (0-5, 0-2 f, 0-1 65), R Sweeney (0-4, 0-1 f), G Connolly (f), N Cashman, M O’Keeffe, F Coleman (f), D Meaney, PJ Linehan, S Healy (0-1 each).

MIDLETON: B Saunderson; T Dunlea, C Smyth, S Smyth; S O’Sullivan, T O’Leary-Hayes, C Cronin; M Finn, C Walsh; R O’Regan, C Beausang; P Connaughton, D Cremin, C Morley.

Subs: L Dineen for S Smyth (8 inj), P Barrett for Morley (45), E Fraser for Cronin, A Mulcahy for Connaughton (both 53), E McCarthy for Beausang (60).

BLACKROCK: G Connolly; Jamie Ryan, Cathal Cormack, D Cormack; S Murphy, N Cashman, M O’Keeffe; D O’Farrell, K O’Keeffe; F Coleman, Ciaran Cormack, D Meaney; PJ Linehan, M O’Halloran, R Sweeney.

Subs: S Healy for D Cormack (41), O McAdoo for Murphy, I O’Keeffe for Ciaran Cormack (both 55), L O’Sullivan for Sweeney, A Geary for O’Farrell (both 57).

Referee: S Stokes (Tullylease).

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