Late Rockies goals sees Eire Og crash out of IFC

Blackrock 3-13 Eire Og 0-13

THREE Blackrock goals in four minutes midway through the second half were the nails in Eire Óg’s IFC coffin as Mid Cork side were dumped out of the competition by last year’s IFC county finalists at Ballincollig on Saturday last.

Eire Og had slightly the better of the first half exchanges but it was a different situation in the second half as the powerful figure of the Blackrock full forward, Colin O’Leary, posed huge problems for the Eire Og defence while the former’s defenders began to perform with great confidence.

Blackrock went on the attack from the throw in and a Mark O’Keeffe point in the first minute had them ahead. Eoin O’Shea, who displayed pinpoint accuracy from frees in the first period, equalised from a placed ball following three minutes of action. Blackrock then produced a period of superior play when a Martin O’Farrell point and two Eoin O’Farrell pointed frees enhanced their prospects of victory. Daniel Goulding got a point back for Eire Og and he was very much centre stage in ensuring his side had the better of the remaining first half exchanges. Goulding was listed to play at full forward, but he essentially operated around the left half forward position where he was reading situations effectively, gaining possession and winning frees. Eire Og’s scoreboard situation consequently improved and they managed to lead 0-5 to 0-4 at the end of the first quarter.

They moved further ahead subsequently as Eoin O’Shea was on target from a free and John Cooper scored a long-range point from play, but Blackrock managed to stay in touch. Eoin O’Farrell and Olan Kelleher both converted frees but Eoin O’Shea continued to send the sliotar between the uprights. He converted another free in the twenty-second minute, was on target from play a minute later and he punished two more Blackrock fouls when he bisected the posts in the 25th and 30th minutes. Blackrock’s only reply was another Eoin O’Farrell point from a free, so Eire Og were hopeful at the short whistle, leading 0-11 to 0-7.

Blackrock really produced top form when the action resumed however as they set about reducing the arrears. Ian O’Keeffe scored their eighth point in the thirty-third minute. O’Farrell was again on target from a free, so two points now separated the sides and the same player confidently sent the sliotar over the bar from play in the 39th minute. The minimum now separated the sides and Blackrock clearly had the initiative. The second member of the O’Farrell clan on the team, Martin, equalised in the forty-first minute and then their potent full forward, Colin O’Leary, burst on to the scene. He had possession and was moving inside Eire Og’s last line of defence with a major seeming inevitable, but he was grounded. The resultant penalty was promptly dispatched to the net by the taker, Olan Kelleher, so Blackrock were now in the driver’s seat.

Eire Og’s efforts at launching an attack in response were repulsed by a Blackrock defence who were now performing with supreme confidence and they had Eire Og on the back foot when a long ball was delivered goalwards. O’Leary again made his presence felt when he forced the sliotar beyond the advancing Eire Og cul baire and substitute Billy Cain followed up tapping the ball into the net. O’Leary himself was the scorer of the third goal being quickest to react when an attempted save by Eire Og’s number one was rebounding outfield and Colin was in the right position to send the sliotar over the goal line with his hand. There was no way back for Eire Og following same. Olan Kelleher scored a point in the forty-ninth minute to further increase Blackrock’s lead and Eire Og’s only additional scores before the end were another pointed free by Eoin O’Shea and a Kevin Hallissey minor from play. It was certainly not their day when an effort for a goal from a penalty by Declan Desmond was wide of the upright.

Blackrock face Aghabullogue in the semi-final and will be fancied to overcome that hurdle and qualify for the county final for the second year in succession. BLACKROCK: D O’Mahony, J Golden, A Hogan, R Coleman, R Cantwell, E Smith, C O’Brien, D Cormack, M O’Farrell 0-2, M O’Keeffe 0-1, I O’Keeffe 0-2, E O’Farrell 0-6 (4f), O Kelleher 1-2 (1-0 pen, 0-1f), C O’Leary 1-0, L O’Sullivan. Subs: B Cain 1-0 for L O’Sullivan 39th, P Kennedy for O.Kelleher (55).

EIRE OG: D Desmond, J Kelleher, C McGoldrick, J Mullins, M Brady, M Kelleher, D Herlihy, John Cooper 0-1, B Corcoran 0-1, E Kelleher, K Hallissey 0-1, E O’Shea 0-8 (6f), Joe Cooper 0-1, D Goulding 0-1, C O’Callaghan. Subs: B Hurley for Joe Cooper (44), D Kirwan for E Kelleher (inj, 50)