Blackwater off the mark

BLACKWATER 1-16 R’GAROGUE-C’TOWN 0-13

A MUCH-IMPROVED second-half helped Blackwater fashion a rather flattering six-point victory over Rathgarogue-Cushinstown in The Courtyard Ferns Intermediate hurling championship Group B game in Killurin on Sunday.

Blackwater’s superior firepower carried the day, with Diarmuid Murphy’s 48th-minute goal killing off the Rathgarogue-Cushinstown resistance, although the New Ross District side still created sufficient chances to have been much closer at the final whistle.

However, erratic shooting from distance and lack of fire power in front of goal was to prove costly as they remain point-less at the bottom of the table after two games.

The two points, Blackwater’s first brace of the campaign, keep their prospects of reaching the knockout stages very much alive, but their first-half display was full of errors, and it was only a considerable step-up on the resumption that helped them salvage the win.

After playing with the wind in the opening half, Blackwater led by 0-10 to 0-4 at the interval.

This was mainly through the accuracy of Michael Lillis who hit four points, three from frees, while Dean Whelan, James Dooley, Diarmuid Murphy and Denis O’Brien also found the target.

The opposition’s scores came through Brian O’Neill who had the opening point of the game after just 30 seconds, with Tadhg Cody, O’Neill (free) and Eoin Porter adding the remaining points.

Lillis and Daire Bolger exchanged early second-half pointed frees, and Blackwater still led by 0-13 to 0-8 as the game entered the final quarter.

Then came the decisive breakthrough.

A long Lillis free dropped in front of goal, and from the subsequent melee Murphy got his hurley to the ball to flick it to the corner of the net, leaving his side comfortable with a 1-13 to 0-8 lead.

The teams continued to exchange points, but the losers’ real chance of getting back into the game, at a time when they trailed by 1-14 to 0-12 with six minutes remaining, went a begging when substitute Francis O’Brien looked to have the simple task of pulling a ground shot to the net.

Instead he chose to pick the ball, leaving the Blackwater defence time to re-group and smother his effort, and with it went their last chance of taking something from this game.

Blackwater: Peter O’Brien; Ennae Carroll, Lar Leacy, Richard Blake; Brian Dooley, Darren Byrne, Kevin O’Brien; Denis O’Brien (0-1), Michael Lillis (0-7, 4 frees); Dean Whelan (0-3), Denis Carroll, Diarmuid Murphy (1-3); James Dooley (0-2), Paul O’Leary, Dillon Dixon. Subs. - Mossy O’Brien for Carroll, Shane O’Leary for Dixon.

Rathgarogue-Cushinstown: Colin Whelan; Ricky McGrath, Ollie Bolger, Bryan Cody; Eoghan Whelan, Matthew Cody (0-2 frees), Liam O’Shea; Bob Murphy, Peter Aspel; Brian O’Neill (0-2, 1 free), Daniel Martin-Carroll (0-1), Eoin Porter (0-1); Tadhg Cody (0-3), Michael Martin-Carroll, Daire Bolger (0-3, 2 frees). Subs. - Francis O’Brien (0-1) for M. Martin-Carroll, James Devereux for O’Shea, Bernard Furlong for Whelan.

Referee: Dan Crosby (Kilmore).