Premier SFC: Clonakilty kick late free to knock out Ballincollig
Clonakilty's Liam Halligan is tackled by Ballincollig's Patrick Kelly during the Bon Secours Cork SFC at Newcestown. Picture: Eddie O'Hare
Clonakilty 1-10 Ballincollig 0-12
CLONAKILTY needed a late Dara O’Shea free to claim victory over 14-man Ballincollig in Round 2 of the Bon Secours Cork Premier SFC at Newcestown.
In doing so, they secured their second set of points in Group C and along with St Finbarr’s are through to the knockout stages. Ballincollig, meanwhile, miss out after suffering two one-point defeats.
When Darren Murphy kicked his fourth point for Ballincollig three minutes from the end of regular time, the teams were locked 1-9 to 0-12. In a tense final few minutes that had seen JP Murphy receive a second yellow card in the 59th minute, O’Shea held his nerve to register his sixth point after sub Sean McEvoy was pulled down.
Clonakilty included Cork seniors Liam O’Donovan and Maurice Shanley in their line out, both back from injury, however Shanley didn’t last having to leave the field after just 15 minutes.
Murphy, one of Ballincollig’s best attackers, got the scoreboard moving in the fifth minute for Ballincollig but Clonakilty drew level two minutes later. The west Cork side raided forward again and when Conor Daly drew a foul, O’Shea converted.
An attack for Ballincollig yielded a JP Murphy point and there was one from a free from Dara Dorgan after he was fouled himself. Underlining the nip-and-tuck nature of proceedings, O’Shea levelled matters with a huge effort, and at the first water break, it was 0-3 apiece.
Ballincollig edged ahead through Luke Fahy but they received a setback when Sean White landed the only goal of the game in the 26th minute after he was set up by Jack O’Mahony. Clonakilty bossed the rest of the half, adding points from McEvoy and O’Mahony: 1-6 to 0-5.
With the wind picking up in Ballincollig’s favour, they got off to a great start when Murphy split the posts. Clonakilty were fast to reply with Ben Ridgeway finding the range. The next three points fell Ballincollig’s way, two marvellous efforts from distance from Murphy and Luke Fahy.
O’Shea kicked a mighty point from the sideline but sub Sean Kiely hit back for Ballincollig. There was very little between them, heading into the fourth quarter, Clonakilty clinging to a one-point advantage, 1-8 to 0-10.
JP Murphy’s second yellow was a blow to Ballincollig, he got his marching orders after a foul on Clonakilty goalkeeper Mark White. The number one roamed outfield for most of the game, and he made his presence felt.
Dorgan kicked a lengthy free but Mark White reached high to fetch and cleared. Cian Dorgan, however, tied the game with six minutes remaining. It was helter-skelter, both sides chasing the win.
Liam O’Donovan kicked a fine individual score for the lead once more for Clonakilty, but Murphy found his form again to achieve parity, 0-12 to 1-9.
Even though Ballincollig were down a man, they tried hard to get their noses in front. But it was O’Shea who kicked Clonakilty to the win.
App?
