Effin’s Nickie Quaid in action against Blackrock’s Jimmy Quilty during their Premier IHC game in Knocklong | Dermot Lynch
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AT THE fourth attempt, last year’s runners up Effin picked up a first win of the Lyons of Limerick Premier Intermediate Championship after grinding out a 2-14 to 0-16 victory over sticky Blackrock in Knocklong on Friday evening.

This was far from a classic and the sides can be excused as the stakes were so high for both sides. The victory moves Effin on to four points level with Blackrock with a game in hand with Granagh-Ballingarry to come next Thursday evening.

Adrian Barrett’s Effin side were boosted by the return for a first appearance of the campaign for Jack Quaid who has returned from Australia while Robert Cagney made a first appearance of the campaign following an injury lay off.

Blackrock were also inhibited by influential captain Jimmy Quilty clearly playing through the pain barrier following an injury picked up in the previous round six days previous.

Seán O’Neill had Blackrock off the mark in the first minute but within 60 seconds, Effin hit back emphatically with a sweeping move up field that culminated with Patrick O’Donovan blasting to the net from close range.

Blackrock were level within four minutes courtesy of Seán O’Neill’s second of the game and a Colm O’Keeffe free. Fergal O’Connor and Patrick O’Donovan from a ‘65 edged Effin back in front by two to which Killian Ahearne replied for Blackrock from distance.

Points from Patrick O’Donovan free and Jack Quaid edged Effin three in front and on 15 minutes Blackrock were very unlucky when Paudie Leahy’s goal bound effort rebounded off the foot of an upright to safety.

An O’Donovan point from play was trumped by three in a row for the Kilfinane-Ardpatrick combination from Seán O’Neill, Colm O’Keeffe free and Paudie Leahy.

Fergal O’Connor restored a two points advantage for Effin before the half ended with a double strike for Blackrock from Seán O’Neill and Paudie Leahy free to tie up the scores at 1-6 to 0-9 when the whistle for half time blew.

O’Donovan from a free and Nickie Quaid from distance edged Effin in front after the break and after Shane Lyons from play and O’Donovan free swapped points, Jimmy Quilty fired over to reduce the margin to the minimum.

On 42 minutes, Effin tightened their grip on proceedings after a searing run from Ruairi O’Connor down the left and his shot was well saved by David Moloney only for the ever vigilant Effin team captain Thomas Quaid to put the rebound in the net.

Ruairi O’Connor added a point and now Effin led 2-10 to 0-11 as the game entered the final quarter. Blackrock hit a purple patch early in the final quarter that yielded four points in a row that whittled down the deficit to the minimum, 2-10 to 0-15.

Three in a row from Paudie Leahy and Jimmy Quilty’s second of the game closed the gap to the minimum and the outcome was now on a knife edge.

Jack Quaid with a point steadied the ship for Effin and Patrick O’Donovan from a free extended the gap to three with four minutes of regulation time remaining.

Paudie Leahy from a free kept the scoreboard ticking over for Blackrock before a brace of points for Effin from Cillian O’Riordan and Ewan Dillon sealed a first win for the campaign.

SCOERS – EFFIN: Patrick O’Donovan 1-6; (4f, 1 ‘65;) Thomas Quaid 1-0; Fergal O’Connor and Jack Quaid, 0-2 each; Nickie Quaid, Ruairí O’Connor, Cillian O’Riordan and Ewan Dillon 0-1 each; BLACKROCK: Paudie Leahy 0-6, (4f); Seán O’Neill 0-4; Colm O’Keeffe (2f), and Jimmy Quilty 0-2 each; Killian Aherne and Shane Lyons 0-1 each.

EFFIN: James O’Leary; Robert Cagney, Alan Byrne, Mark Mullins; Brian Clifford, Nickie Quaid, Paul Treacy; Jack Quaid, Fergal O’Connor; Ewan Dillon, Patrick O’Donovan, Ruairi O’Connor; Cillian O’Riordan, Pierse O’Kelly, Thomas Quaid; Sub: Cathal Canning for O’Kelly (49 mins).

BLACKROCK: Dave Moloney; Jack Moloney, Richie McCarthy, Ian O’Brien; Killian Aherne, Callan Ensor, Marty Farrell; Seán Flanagan, Niall Ryan; Conor Gilligan, Colm O’Keeffe, Seán O’Neill; Shane Lyons, Paudie Leahy, Jimmy Quilty; Subs: Shane Philpott for Gilligan (42 mins), Fionn Heffernan for Lyons (47 mins), Aidan Gilligan for J Moloney (60 mins).

Referee: Liam Berkery (Ahane).