Effin hurlers edge past Blackrock in seven goal thriller in Limerick Premier IHC

EFFIN got their Lyons of Limerick Premier Intermediate Hurling Championship campaign up and running with a hard earned 3-20 to 4-15 win over Blackrock in Fitzgerald Park in Kilmallock on Friday evening.

Both sides came into the game with mixed fortunes - Blackrock having a win over Bruff in the opening round, and losing out to Croagh-Kilfinny in Round 2, while Effin lost out to Croagh-Kilfinny in Round 1 and drew with Glenroe in Round 2.

Effin were the early pacesetters and raced into a 0-9 to 0-5 lead in the opening quarter. Ewan Dillon, Sean Canning and scorer in chief, Patrick O’Donovan were on target for Effin, while Jimmy Quilty and Paudie Leahy were the Blackrock scorers.

Both sides exchanged points, Patrick O’Donovan, from two frees, Jimmy Quilty from a free while Colm O’Keeffe registered two from play before Patrick O’Donovan broke through the Blackrock rearguard to score the first  goal of the game after 22 minutes of play.

Jimmy Quilty and Ruairi O’Connor exchanged points before Paudie Leahy scored his opening goal for Blackrock. 

READ MORE: Garryspillane edge top of the table clash with Croagh-Kifinny in Limerick Premier IHC

Patrick O’Donovan pointed a free for Effin and they had a chance to increase their lead but the effort from Tommy Quaid went just wide of the upright  as the referee sounded the  half time whistle with the scoreboard reading Efffin 1-13, Blackrock 1-9 

On the resumption of play, Patrick O’Donovan added a pointed free, which Paudie Leahy replied with a similar score from play followed by a pointed free from Jimmy Quilty before Patrick O’Donovan scored his second goal after he had seen a free go wide.

Pierse O’Kelly scored a point from outfield to give Effin a 2-15 to 1-11 advantage midway into the second half.

Blackrock hit back with a goal from Callan Ensor and points  from Killian Ahern and Colm O’Keeffe free to reduce the deficit  to two points before Ruairi O’Connor pointed for Effin. 

At this stage Blackrock increased  the intensity, Colm O’Keeffe reduced the deficit with a point from play, after 47 minutes of play and they kept up the pressure and were awarded a penalty which Paudie Leahy dispatched to the net to put Blackrock into a one point lead.

However this was short lived as Patrick O’Donovan replied with his third goal immediately to restore a two point lead.

The goal scoring spree was to continue as Paudie Leahy scored his third goal to restore a one point lead. 

Effin replied with points from play from Fergal O’Connor and Patrick O’Donovan  before Shane Philpot scored the equalising point for Blackrock.

With time running out, Effin scored two late frees pointed by Patrick O’Donovan to give his side a well merited victory. 

SCORERS: EFFIN: Patrick O’Donovan  3-11, (0-8frees), Ruairi O’Connor 0-4, Ewan Dillon  0-2, Sean Canning, Pierse O’Kelly and Fergal O’Connor 0-1 each. BLACKROCK: Paudie Leahy 3-2 (1-0 pen), Jimmy Quilty 0-7 (4frees), Colm O'Keeffe 0-4 (1free), Callan Ensor 1-0, Killian Aherne and Shane Philpot 0-1 each. 

EFFIN: Ryan O’Neill, Robert Cagney, Alan Byrne, Mark Mullins. Clive Doherty, Nickie Quaid, Fergal O’Connor, Cilian O’Riordan  Sean Canning, Brian Clifford, Patrick O’Donovan, Ewan Dillon, Ruairi O’Connor, Pierse O’Kelly, Tommy Quaid. SUBS: Aaron Moffett for Clive Doherty (h-t), Frankie Herr for Tommy Quaid (50mins), Enda Kelly for Alan Byrne, inj  (50mins), Conor Kearney  for Brian Clifford (55 mins).

BLACKROCK: David Moloney; Nigel Hosford, Richie McCarthy, Shane Lyons, Marty Farrell, Killian Ahern, Ian O'Brien, Jimmy Quilty, Aidan Gilligan, Ciaran Considine, Paudie Leahy, Seán O'Neill; Callan Ensor, Colm O'Keeffe, Seán O’Dwyer. SUBS: Ruairi O’Shaughnessy for Ciaran Considine (h-t), Shane Philpott for Sean O’Dwyer (40mins), Liam Walsh for Nigel Hosford (56mins), Barry O’Shaughnessy for Aidan Gilligan (57mins).

REFEREE: David Deady (Bruree).