RedFM Hurling League: Sarsfields come good in closing stages against Blackrock
Donal English of Sarsfields brings the ball out defence as Blackrock's Fionn Colman looks to block his path during Thursday's RedFM Hurling League Division 1 game at Church Road. Picture: Dan Linehan
A trio of injury-time points finally sent Sarsfields free of 14-man Blackrock in Thursday's RedFM Hurling League Division 1 game at Church Road.
Victory means the Riverstown side - winners of the last two editions of the competition - will go into the final round of fixtures top of the table and favourites to reach another final while their opponents may need help from elsewhere if they are to finish in the top two.
Having led by 0-9 to 0-8 at half-time, Sars had buttressed their lead with quick-fire points from Killian Murphy and Cathal McCarthy on the restart when they were dealt a manpower advantage as Blackrock lost John Cashman to a red card after he halted a surging Jack O'Connor run with a heavy-duty challenge.
While Colm McCarthy extended the Sars advantage to four points, 0-12 to 0-8, with the resultant free, Blackrock responded well. With full-forward Fionn Coleman relocated to midfield as they adjusted tactically, they had good points from Kevin O'Keeffe, Robbie Cotter and Tadgh Deasy before goalkeeper Gavin Connolly levelled from a long-range free.
They were in front as Michael O'Halloran fired over his third and then a turnover led to Dave O'Farrell placing Coleman for their sixth straight point and a 0-14 to 0-12 lead.
With the extra man, Sars were not going to allow themselves to be outplayed indefinitely and they might even have worked a goal, with sub Barry O'Flynn unlucky not to play in Ben Nodwell. O'Connor brought his influence to bear with some lovely points, one the result of a good Cian Darcy run, while Bryan Murphy sent over a couple from distance.
Down the stretch it was score for score, with O'Connor's sixth putting Sars back in front at 0-20 to 0-19 and, after Connolly's third free for Sars, O'Connor set up his Cork colleague Cathal McCarthy for his fourth.
Robbie Cotter tied the game again but it was Blackrock's last score as Sars powered on, through Colm McCarthy (free), O'Connor and young sub Seán King.
While Colm McCarthy had opened the scoring, it was the Rockies who took control for much of the rest of the opening quarter.
With Niall Cashman prominent at midfield, Cotter was on song in the inside line, landing five points between the seventh and 13th minutes. Three of those were from play and the fifth, set up by Kevin O’Keeffe’s nice , made it 0-6 to 0-1.
Colm McCarthy’s response for Sars was answered by Daniel Meaney’s good effort on the quarter-hour but they were not to score again until the final minute of normal time in the first half.
Donal English came to the fore in the Sars defence as they set about eating into the deficit, while his fellow corner-back Conor O'Sullivan set up points for O'Connor and Colm McCarthy. The latter tied the game at 0-7 each before O'Halloran ended Blackrock's drought but Daniel Hogan and Colm McCarthy ensured Sars went in with the lead.
They would still be in front at the end.
R Cotter 0-7 (0-3 f), G Connolly (0-3 f), M O'Halloran 0-3 each, Ciarán Cormack, T Deasy 0-2 each, D O'Farrell, K O'Keeffe, D Meaney, F Coleman 0-1 each.
J O'Connor 0-7, Colm McCarthy 0-6 (0-4 f), Cathal McCarthy 0-4, D Hogan, B Murphy 0-2, B Nodwell, K Murphy, S King 0-1 each.
G Connolly; Cathal Cormack, O McAdoo, S Murphy; P Linehan, J Cashman, T Deasy; D O’Farrell, N Cashman; R Sweeney, K O’Keeffe, D Meaney; M O’Halloran, F Coleman, R Cotter.
Ciaran Cormack for O'Keeffe (41), J O'Sullivan for Sweeney (49).
D McCarthy; D English, C Roche, C O’Sullivan; B Murphy, C Leahy, K Murphy; C Darcy, Cathal McCarthy; L Elliott, S O’Regan, J O’Connor; Colm McCarthy, B Nodwell, D Hogan.
B O'Flynn for O'Regan (46), S McNamara for Nodwell (49), S King for Elliott (57).
S Stokes (Tullylease).
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