End of the Leinster road for gallant Blacks and Whites

A disappointing second half display proved critical as Blacks and Whites fell short in their bid to reach the Leinster Junior Hurling Championship Final.

Despite holding a two point half-time lead over Dublin side Commercials, the Kilkenny champions failed to spark in the second period and they were made pay for a number of missed opportunities as a result.

Blacks and Whites restricted the visitors to just two scores in the opening half but crucially both efforts found the net via Diarmaid O’Dulaing and Gearoid Keogh.

Blacks and Whites were much the better side in the first 30 minutes and there was a thought that they would kick on upon the resumption and while Commercials did get level originally, Blacks and Whites points in response from Ryan Murphy and Aaron Foley maintained their advantage.

Incredibly though, the hosts failed to score again over the following 25 minutes or so with Commercials scoring five points on the trot to settle the result in their favour.

Blacks and Whites made a lightning like start to the game as they opened up a three point lead after only five minutes.

Ryan Murphy, Seanan Doyle and Aidan O’Dowd all found the target in that early spell but the lead was soon washed out.

In a Commercials move that saw Diarmaid O’Dulaing fire a shot off the post, Jack O’Keeffe looked poised to finish to an empty net until he was fouled by the Blacks and Whites goalkeeper Keelin O’Grady.

A penalty was duly awarded with O’Dulaing shooting the sliotar to the bottom corner.

Blacks and Whites replied with points from Jamie Byrne and Ryan Murphy but the Skeough based side were soon rocked again when Commercials scored their second goal.

The Dublin outfit retook the lead when Adam Drewett broke onto a loose ball and after breaking a few defensive challenges, the corner forward laid the ball off to Gearoid Keogh who shot past Keelin O’Grady.

Again Blacks and Whites came back with points from Jamie Byrne, Sam Byrne and Ryan Murphy giving the Kilkenny Junior champions an 0-8 to 2-0 lead at the break.

The sides swapped two points apiece in the opening ten minutes of the second half and it was from this point on that Commercials took control.

Two missed Ryan Murphy frees seemed to drain the confidence from Eddie Scally’s side and when O’Dulaing and sub Jamie Flanagan levelled the game for Commercials, they looked to have all the momentum.

Blacks and Whites struggled to even gain possession at this juncture and Commercials took the lead when Jamie O’Keeffe scored a superb effort from distance.

O’Dulaing then rounded off a fine individual with the last two points of the game as Commercials sealed a Leinster final berth against Horsewood of Wexford.

Teams and Scorers

Commercials- Diarmaid O’Dulaing (1-4, 0-2f), Gearoid Keogh (1-0), Jack O’Keeffe (0-2), Jamie Flanagan (0-1)

Blacks and Whites- Ryan Murphy (0-4, 0-4f), Jamie Byrne (0-2), Aidan O’Dowd, Aaron Foley, Sam Byrne, Seanan Doyle (0-1 each)

Commercials- Shane Clohessy; Eanna O’Nuallain, Ciaran Dunne, Cormac Cullinane; Callum Morris, Michael O’Keeffe, David Dungan; Adam McCabe, Cillian Crookes; Jack O’Keeffe, Gearoid Keogh, Rhys Butler; Adam Drewett, Kyle Butler, Diarmaid O’Dulaing.

Subs- Jamie Flanagan for Drewett 40 mins, Gavin Dillon for Cullinane 46 mins, Conor Cleary for Dungan 48 mins, Michael O’Leary for Butler 57 mins.

Blacks and Whites- Keelin O’Grady; Joe Kelly, Michael “Crow” Moloney, Tommy Joyce; Ian Foley, Aidan O’Dowd, Niall Kennedy; Paul Murphy, Martin Kelly; Aaron Foley, John “Nipper” Lennon, Jamie Byrne; Sam Byrne, Ryan Murphy, Seanan Doyle.

Subs- Jason Byrne for S.Byrne 40 mins, Edward Murphy for A.Foley 46 mins, Michael “Mo” Moloney for Lennon 56 mins, Daire Murphy for I.Foley 59 mins, Emmet Foley for Murphy 60 mins.

Referee- Eamonn Furlong (Wexford)