Effin book place in Limerick Premier Intermediate Hurling Championship final for the first time after victory over Blackrock

EFFIN have booked their place in the Lyons of Limerick Premier Intermediate Hurling Championship final for the very first time after a 4-14 to 1-13 victory over Blackrock in Kilmallock on Saturday evening.

After falling short in the last three semi-finals, Effin finally went one step further and will now face Garryspillane in the Premier Intermediate decider on October 19. They will now be hoping to return to the senior ranks for the first since 2015. 

Effin were without Limerick senior hurler Patrick O'Donovan, who missed out through injury, but they showed real resilience. County men Nickie Quaid and Fergal O’Connor, along with Frankie Herr and Thomas Quaid, were among the standout performers in Effin’s Premier Intermediate Championship semi-final victory over Blackrock. 

Paudie Leahy and Marty Farrell caught the eye for Jimmy Quilty Snr’s side, but in the end Blackrock had no answer to their opponents purple patch

Blackrock led 0-10 to 1-5 at half-time, but the 2023 county finalists failed to make the breeze count, as Effin outscored them 3-9 to 1-3 in the second half.

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The Rockies dominated most of the opening period with the aid of a strong breeze leading 0-7 to 0-2 after the first quarter. Jimmy Quilty and two points each from Paudie Leahy, Colm O'Keefe and Marty Farrell had the Kilfinane side in front by five points. 

Effin were struggling to win primary possession and efforts through Cillian O'Riordan and Nickie Quaid kept last year's county semi-finalists in touch. Fergal O’Connor played the sliotar across to Frankie Herr, who calmly drilled his shot past Blackrock goalkeeper David Moloney, a score that put Effin in a strong position with the breeze to come in the second half.

Paudie Leahy and Nickie Quaid traded scores on the stroke of half time as Blackrock went in 0-10 to 1-5 ahead at the interval.

Effin, however, produced a superb second-half surge, striking three goals in a 19-minute spell through Frankie Herr, Pierse O'Kelly and Ruairi O'Connor.

On 30 minutes, O'Kelly sent a long delivery into the square and Herr pulled first-time on the sliotar from close range to find the net. Nine minutes later, the sides were level at 2-7 to 0-13.

Fergal O'Connor then restored Effin’s lead before their third goal arrived. Ewan Dillon played a clever pass to O'Kelly, who finished superbly from a tight angle. In a blistering nine-minute burst, Effin hit 1-4, with the experienced Thomas Quaid making an instant impact off the bench landing three frees and a 65 and during that period Ruairi O'Connor raised the victors fourth green flag of the evening.

Blackrock moved former Limerick hurler Richie McCarthy to the edge of the square, but Effin’s defence stood tall. Although Blackrock’s Paudie Leahy netted from a 21-metre free late on, further points from Fergal O'Connor and Thomas Quaid sealed a comfortable ten-point victory for Effin. 

SCORERS

BLACKROCK: Paudie Leahy (1-4, 1-2 frees), Colm O'Keefe (0-4, 0-4 frees), Marty Farrell (0-2, 0-1 free), Jimmy Quilty 0-2 and Ciaran Considine 0-1 

EFFIN: Frankie Herr (2-1, 0-1 free), Fergal O'Connor 0-3, Thomas Quaid (0-5, 0-4 frees, 0-1 65),Pierse O' Kelly and Ruairi O'Connor 1-0 each Nickie Quaid (0-2, 0-2 frees), Cillian O'Riordan, Conor Kearney and Ewan Dillon 0-1 each.

EFFIN: Ryan O’Neill, Robert Cagney, Alan Byrne, Mark Mullins, Aaron Moffatt, Nickie Quaid, Sean Canning; Fergal O’Connor, Cilian O’Riordan; Brian Clifford, Ruairi O'Connor, Ewan Dillon; Pierse O'Kelly, Conor Kearney, Frankie Herr.

SUBS:Thomas Quaid for Herr (42 minutes), Enda Kelly for Ruairi O’Connor (49 minutes), Clive Doherty for Clifford (49 minutes), Mike Rea for Canning (57 minutes)

BLACKROCK: David Moloney; Simon Hennessy, Richie McCarthy, Shane Lyons, Marty Farrell, Killian Ahern, Ian O'Brien, Jimmy Quilty, Aidan Gilligan; Sean O'Neill, Calum Ensor, Ciaran Considine; Paudie Leahy, Colm O'Keefe, Conor Gilligan. 

Subs: Shane Philpot for Conor Gilligan (42 minutes); Liam Walsh for O’Brien (45 minutes, injury); Ruairi O’Shuaghnessy for Aidan Gilligan (47 minutes); Barry O'Shaughnessy for Considine (58 minutes). 

REFEREE: Kieran Guina (Feohanagh-Castlemahon)