Murphy scrambles in the Blackwater winner
HANGING ONTO a one-point lead at the time, a scrambled Tomás Murphy goal eight minutes from the end handed Blackwater a deserved four-point victory over Adamstown in this highly-entertaining The Courtyard Ferns Intermediate hurling championship Group B game played in bitterly cold Hollymount before a sparse attendance on Saturday.
It seemed as if this game was about to go right down to the wire when Blackwater eventually got the breakthrough they had been threatening for so long in a wind-assisted second-half.
Adamstown had dug deep on the resumption after a lack-lustre opening 30 minutes, no doubt with the words of former Waterford star John Mullane ringing in their ears, with their effort looking capable of fashioning out a positive result.
But with eight minutes remaining, Blackwater saw a Seán Purcell effort saved by ‘keeper Michael Curtis, but full-forward Tomás Murphy, somehow managed to get a touch despite falling to the ground in his effort to reach the ball, with his effort from close in nestling in the back of the net.
That goal gave his side a fourpoint advantage which they managed to hold to the final whistle despite coming under intense Adamstown pressure in the closing minutes.
Blackwater, who needed an opening round victory, having lost out at the initial hurdle over recent seasons, got off to a promising start with a Shane O’Leary point inside the opening 30 seconds.
Playing with great energy and composure, they were restricting their opponents to outfield efforts which nevertheless resulted in points from Michael Furlong and Colum Feeney.
Dean Wright pointed three successive frees, while Feeney had a point in between, but Blackwater must have been happy with their opening quarter as they led by 0-4 to 0-3, despite playing into the strong wind.
Tony French, one of his side’s most dangerous forwards, responded with three successive points, two from frees, but a neat Seán Purcell effort kept his team in contention.
French was somewhat erratic with his free-taking, although it was an extremely difficult task given the prevailing wind, but he finished the half with two pointed frees to leave his side leading by 0-8 to 0-6 at the interval.
Wing-forward Seán Purcell, who had impressed from the start, commenced the second-half with a fine point to leave the minimum separating the sides, but Seán Barden restored his side’s twopoint advantage two minutes later.
French (free) and Shane O’Leary went on to exchange points before a Richard Blake 40th-minute effort had the sides level (0-10 each).
With Adamstown showing real endeavour into the wind, it took Blackwater until the 47th minute to move in front through a Seán Purcell point. Then came Murphy’s goal eight minutes from the end to give his side a 1-11 to 0-10 lead.
The intensity of the play increased in the closing stages but the sides could only exchange points through free-takers French and Dean Wright free. That left the seasiders with a four-point cushion to take into additional time, and they managed to hold firm with some comfort.
Blackwater: Peter O’Brien; Féidhlim Roche, Eoin O’Neill, Kevin O’Brien; Richard Blake (0-1), Darren Byrne, Ben Redmond; Diarmuid Murphy, Michael Lillis; Dean Wright (0-5 frees), Paul O’Leary, Seán Purcell (0-3); Shane O’Leary (0-2), Tomás Murphy (1-1), Conor Sutton. Sub. - Kevin Corrigan for Purcell, inj.
Adamstown: Michael Curtis; John Whelan, P.J. Carroll, Johnny Connors; Brendan Furlong, Shane O’Gorman, Páraic Wickham; Lorcan French, Harry Cosgrave; Seánie O’Neill, Michael Furlong (0-1), Colum Feeney (0-2); Seán Barden (0-1), Tony French (0-7, 6 frees), Tomás French. Subs. - James Delaney for Tomás French, Barry Power for Feeney, James Breen for Delaney.
Referee: Brendan Holohan (Rathgarogue-Cushinstown).