Garryspillane make it four from four with convicing win over Blackrock in Limerick Premier IHC

“WE MADE hard work of this one, no fluency at all in our game until we got the second goal, but then we were able to move on.”

Mixing relief with satisfaction, manager Aaron Considine saluted the efforts of his Garryspillane premier intermediate hurlers as they got over their early difficulties to take a giant step towards qualifying for the semi-finals of the county championship with three rounds to spare on the back of a slightly-flattering 4-15 to 0-12 point win over Blackrock on Saturday evening.

As would be expected from any clash of the ash between South Limerick neighbours, it took some time for both sides to get into their stride and, in an opening half where passion outweighed finesse, it became a matter retaining focus long enough to open up the path to the post.

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Giving as good as they got, Blackrock recovered from Garryspillane's blitzkrieg start to bring the gap back to just a point coming up to half-time but, once the unbeaten championship favourites stole a march with their second goal early in the second period, the price of their 17 wides, 10 of them before the break, came back to haunt them.

Garryspillane's all-out offensive from the throw-in got an early reward when Colin Ryan caught high at the edge of the square and blasted on the turn into David Moloney's net and they looked to be on their way to superiority when Hugh Flanagan sent the puckout back over the bar.

However, when the Rockies found their grip on midfield, a staccato burst of attacks saw Colm O'Keeffe, Jimmy Quilty and Killian all find the target and they might have taken the lead had their next few attempts not gone wide.

Making the most of their opponents' wastefulness, scores from Ryan Tobin and Flanagan, from a free, restored most of the Bouncers' advantage and the game passed into the second quarter as Quilty's free was met by Calum Sheehan, Callan Ensor,  by a huge Dylan O'Shea pointed free and Flanagan by Seán O'Neill.

John English score and Flanagan's pointed free stretched Garryspillane's advantage to five as the Blackrock wides tally continued to mount.

Coming up to the break, the Kilfinane club finally found added direction to their shots, shaving the margin back to the minimum as O'Keeffe pointed from a free and from play, was followed by Paudie Leahy and then added another from a sharp angle out right.

Flanagan then replied with an added time free to leave the Knocklong club leading 1-9 to 0-10 at the break.

The second half started very untidily as both sides rushed into shots before enough space opened up until a run of wides at both ends was ended by Ryan splitting the posts.

Bryan Heavey then blocked the clearance from the quick puckout to tap into the empty net. Facing a deficit that had now stretched to seven, the Rockies tried to strike back but, as they struggle to find their range, they had to settle for a free each from Quilty and O'Keeffe as the clock moved into the final quarter.

After Flanagan answered responded with a pointed free, the Ardpatrick club started going for the goal, but Shane Lyons' effort after rounding his marker was stopped on the line as was next shot off Quilty opening the defence was blocked by a sharp Adam Sheehan save.

By this stage, however, the Bouncers were finding a new lease of energy from emrtying the bench and in a quickfire run-up to the final whistle, Flanagan sent over from distance.

O'Shea then converted a monumental free, before Flanagan collected on the burst off Donovan to rattle in his first and his team's third goal.

Flanagan then added a second goal as he batted over the advancing Moloney into the empty net before referee John O'Halloran ended the Rockies' misery as Donovan picked off the game's final score.

SCORERS: GARRYSPILLANE: Hugh Flanagan 2-6 (0-4 frees), Colin Ryan 1-1, Bryan Heavey 1-0, Dylan O'Shea, Michael Donovan 0-2 each, Ryan Tobin, Calum Sheehan, Shane Philpot, John English 0-1 each; BLACKROCK: Colm O'Keeffe 0-5 (1 free), Jimmy Quilty 0-3 (2 frees), Killian Ahern, Callan Ensor, Seán O'Neill, Paudie Leahy 0-1 each.

GARRYSPILLANE: Adam Sheehan; James O'Sullivan, Roibeard Donovan, Ciarán Sheehan; Robert Sampson, Dylan O'Shea, Eoin O'Mahony; Jamie Morrissey, Declan Heavey; John English, Bryan Heavey, Ryan Tobin; Hugh Flanagan, Colin Ryan, Calum Sheehan. SUBS: Josh Dineen for Roibeard Donovan (half-time), Michael Donovan for John English (40 minutes), Cian Ryan for Declan Heavey (44 minutes), Shane Ryan for Callum Sheehan (45 minutes), Rossa Stapleton for Jamie Morrissey (50 minutes).

BLACKROCK: David Moloney; Nigel Hosford, Richie McCarthy, Shane Lyons; Killian Ahern, Aidan Gilligan, Ian O'Brien; Jimmy Quilty, Marty Farrell; Shane Philpot, Paudie Leahy, Seán O'Neill; Callan Ensor, Colm O'Keeffe, Ruairí O'Shaughnessy. SUBS: Liam Walsh for Ian O'Brien (injured, 4 minutes), Seán Dwyer for Ruairí O'Shaughnessy (45 minutes), Barry O'Shaughnessy for Callan Ensor (52 minutes).

REFEREE: John O'Halloran (Bruree).