Meelin finish on top to better Blackrock

MEELIN enjoyed the safety of a nine point victory over a game Blackrock in a highly entertaining County IHC round 4 contest at Mourneabbey last Sunday.

Perhaps, a little flattering the winning margin given Meelin trailed at the three-quarter staged yet the victors emerged the more focused and hungrier side, and when the game was in the melting pot it was Meelin who held the greater reserves to strike for key scores.

After handing over the initiative and the lead to Blackrock after the break, Meelin availed of an outing eight days previously against Grenagh to lift their game to a higher plane and steadily take the wind out of the sails from a second string Blackrock side by outscoring them 2-6 to 1-1 during the closing quarter with the Rockies goal surfacing in injury time.

Key substitute Jason O’Callaghan made a telling difference, his 47th goal turned the contest where ultimately, the slicker movement of their attack coupled with resolute defending proved the difference between two well matched sides.

Little wonder, O’Callaghan forced to miss the start owing to illness expressed delight with his side’s display.

“I went down with a virus overnight, disappointingly that ruled me out but coach Ronan Dwane explained I had a role to play if the game was in the balance with a quarter to go.

“The management lived up to their word, the game was up for grabs, I was just delighted to enter the fray early in the second half and fortunately, the ball broke kindly to goal that gave us the fillip to push on,” said O’Callaghan.

Little separated the sides early on, the teams trading points before Blackrock’s play gained confidence from the input of Richard Laide, Conor Kilcoyne and Colin O’Leary. And points to Roy Power and Olan Kelleher helped the Rockies enjoy a promising 0-8 to 0-4 lead midway through the opening half.

Meelin threw off their anxities, Blackrock thankful to brilliant saves by custodian Gavin Connolly to deny James Forrest and T J Brosnan. Indeed Meelin had now grabbed the reins of control, turning the screw, a run of points to D J O’Sullivan, John Forrest and Brosnan edged the Duhallow side ahead 0-11 to 0-9 at the break.

On the restart, Blackrock set about reducing the deficit, Meelin thankful to custodian Stephen Martin O’Sullivan on a class save from Alan Nolan. Though Meelin gained their only score in the third quarter from D J O’Sullivan, a quartet of pointed frees from John O’Sullivan pushed the Rockies ahead 0-13 to 0-12.

Meelin rallied, upping the pace of their game considerably, driven on by Brendan O’Sullivan, Jerry Forrest, Liam and Kevin Collins. Substitute O’Callaghan had entered the fray and netted a key goal in the 47th minute after Connolly partly blocked Denis Riordan’s effort.

Follow up points to the O’Sullivan brothers, Brendan and D J stretched Meelin’s position. Now Meelin enjoyed a definite edge on a sequence of points prior to O’Callaghan turning provider for Brosnan to raise a green flag. The flow continued towards the Rockies posts, ‘keeper O’Sullivan and O’Callaghan finding the range.

Blackrock were operating second fiddle yet they grabbed a consolation late goal from substitute Donal Cremin.

However, it was Meelin who sampled joy at the full time whistle on securing a ticket to the quarter final stage and a meeting against Aghada or St Finbarrs.