by Noel Horgan
The Corkman
Thursday, 12th September 2002

If Alan Browne fails to regain a semblance of his old form then Blackrock will suffer in final.

Blackrock will be making their fourth appearance in the permanent tsb county senior hurling championship final in five years when they take on Newtownshandrum at Pairc Ui Chaoimh next Sunday.

Beaten by Imokilly in the '98 showpiece, the Rockies bounced back the following year to lift the title for the first time since 1985.

They didn't exactly enjoy a smooth passage to the decider four years ago when they almost came a cropper in their opening test against Avondhu, who led by eleven points at one stage in the first-half.

A tremendous second-half comeback, however, saw Blackrock eventually finish with seven points to spare, but they were given another huge scare by St Finbar's in the semi-final.

Seven points adrift with about five minutes of normal time remaining, Blackrock, who had failed to produce anything close to their best form up to that point, hauled themselves back from the brink again, with a Fergal Ryan goal deep in stoppage time earning them a dramatic reprieve.

It was indeed a remarkable Houdini-act by the Rockies, who improved beyond all recognition to fashion a merited five-point win in the replay.

And they really scaled the heights in the final to dish out a 3-17 to 0-8 drubbing to a highly-rated UCC.

That performance was enough to convince most observers that Blackrock wouldn't be easily foiled when they set out to complete a first two-in-a-row for the tradition-filled city club since 1979, a year that saw current coach Timmy Murphy skipper the team to victory over the Barrs in the final.

But Blackrock were caught on the hop by a moderate Midleton side in the third round in 2000, and, no doubt, that painful experience had the effect of strengthening their resolve to go all the way last year.

In any event, Blackrock returned to the top table in fairly convincing fashion, finishing 4-8 to 2-7 to the good against Imokilly in the 2001 final which was highlighted by a tour-de-force at full-forward from Alan Browne, who bagged all but a goal of his side's tally.

That gave Blackrock their 31st title, and it allowed them to move six ahead of their nearest rivals on the Roll of Honour, Glen Rovers and St. Finbarr's.

Rated as fairly warm favourites to retain their crown at the start of the season, Blackrock have safely negotiated all the obstacles up to now, trouncing Douglas in their initial outing, withstanding a vibrant challenge from the Barrs after that, and scoring another big win over Muskerry before booking a place in the final by virtue of a hard-earned victory over Sarsfields.

And the general consensus is that they will come up trumps again in next Sunday's eagerly-awaited showdown with a Newtownshandrum side that, having replaced the Rockies as champions in 2000, bowed out very tamely to Imokilly at the semi-final stage last year.

But Newtown's form this year suggests that they have put the disappointment of that dismal display against Imokilly well behind them, and they certainly looked a class-act when demolishing Avondhu's ambitions in the semi-final two weeks ago.

The return of Mike Morrissey, prevented from lining out in any of their championship games last year due to injury, has been a huge boost to the team, as he has provided the strength and leadership on the '40 that was sadly lacking in 2001.

As a result, Newtown have been getting the very best out of such richly-talented and pacey forwards as the O'Connor twins, Ben and Jerry O'Connor and John Paul King.

By contrast, the Blackrock attack hasn't been functioning with any great consistency in the current campaign, as can be gauged from the fact that the champions have been relying heavily on midfielder Adrian Coughlan, who is enjoying a great season, for scores.

Nobody would dispute that Alan Browne, Liam Meaney, Brian O'Keeffe and Barry Hennebry have all paid their way at different stages during Blackrock's progress to the final.

But one feels it will take a more sustained impact from the Rockies' attack as a unit if a match-winning score is to be put on the board against a Newtownshandrum defence that - anchored by Pat Mulcahy, who had arguably been the most outstanding player in the championship so far, from centre-back - hasn't conceded more than 13 points to any opposition this summer.

Not surprisingly, the Blackrock rearguard, parading players of the calibre of Wayne Sherlock, Fergal Ryan, John Browne and Alan Cummins has been even more unyielding.

And, most likely, the key factor in determining the outcome of this final will be the extent of the headway made by the O'Connors, Morrissey and King up front for Newtown.

My guess is that there won't be a whole lot in it at the finish, but I'm giving Newtown a tentative vote to upset the odds, providing Alan Browne doesn't recapture the form that was instrumental in paving the way for Blackrock's victory in last year's decider.

The curtain-raiser at Pairc Ui Chaoimh on Sunday is the intermediate hurling semi-final involving Newcestown and Carrigtwohill, and the latter, fresh from a good win over the Barrs in a replay last weekend, might be able to shade the issue in this one.