Mungret St. Pauls 2-12 Blackrock 3-18
There was a strong wind in Kilmallock on Saturday 21 September when the Limerick Motor Centre sponsored Premier Intermediate Hurlers played in the Semi Final against Blackrock. Mungret St. Pauls had the breeze behind them in the first half and were slow out of the blocks in the first few minutes but then they stormed into the game and started to dominate possession, a lack of concentration from Mungret St. Pauls near the closing stages of the first half saw Blackrock punish them. It was Blackrock that took off in the second half not letting Mungret St. Pauls get anything past them which won the game for Blackrock and knocking Mungret St .Pauls out of the championship.
Blackrock opened the scoring with 2 points before there was a cracking goal for Mungret St. Pauls accompanied by 5 points in a row after Blackrocks one point. Mungret St. Pauls started to dominate in midfield and took charge of the game for 10 minutes leaving Blackrock missing scores. A close free for Mungret St. Pauls was struck off the crossbar back out to play and a shot straight to the back of the net to grab their second goal. Another free sent over the bar for Mungret St. Pauls before a free for Blackrock got them back into the running after 15 minutes of no score. A reply from Mungret St. Pauls brought the lead to 9 points, there was a gap on scoring but it was Mungret St. Pauls that broke the gap with another free pointed. It was into the closing few minutes of the first half that Blackrock put Mungret St. Pauls under pressure when they struck their first goal and a point from a free closed in the gap to 6 points by the half time whistle where the score was Mungret St. Pauls 2-8 Blackrock 1-5.
In the second half Mungret St. Pauls had a lot of work to do as they played Blackrock and the breeze. It was Blackrock that reopened the score with 2 points. A close free for Mungret St. Pauls went over easy but a quick puck out for Blackrock got one hand to it and over the bar. Blackrock were hitting Mungret St. Pauls hard as they had tighten their marking which Mungret St. Pauls were not able to shake off as Blackrock pointed another from free followed up by another from play. Mungret St. Pauls held onto their 3 point lead with a pointed free. The ball was seen in front of the Mungret St. Pauls goal, a bit of a tussle and the ball was shot past into the back of the net to level the game with only 10 minutes gone in the second half, another free and point from play saw Blackrock take a lead. A much needed point went to the wrong side of the posts for Mungret St. Pauls who seemed to have lost their shape and Blackrock had no issues in taking advantage. Another quick puck out from Blackrock was sent straight over the bar, Mungret St. Pauls were widing all their chances. Blackrock took another great score straight from puck out. There was a hard mistake by Mungret St. Pauls as the ball was sent toward to goals a loose grasp on the ball saw a goal for Blackrock, this transformed the score line as Blackrock kept punishing Mungret St. Pauls with another 2 points. Another free for Blackrock pointed while Mungret St. Pauls still struggled to get the ball on target and were starting to grasp at straws as they were going for goals which were being denied. Mungret St. Pauls saw another point with the puck out for Blackrock going straight over the opposite crossbar after a quick puck out. Mungret St. Pauls managed one more point before the game was finished. It seemed to be the Blackrock experienced players that overpowered the younger Mungret St. Pauls players in the second half.
This was the same place Mungret St. Pauls bowed out last year
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