Monster free rescues Douglas in dramatic draw with Ballincollig

Ballincollig 1-13 

Douglas 0-16 

A monster free from Andrew Cotter in the seventh minute of injury-time rescued Douglas in an exciting Bon Secours PSFC tie at Pairc Ui Rinn on Sunday.

The marksman somehow found the energy in sapping heat to land a 60-yard effort in the final act from a difficult angle on the right to keep his side in the hunt for qualification.

It had seemed a Darren Murphy-inspired Ballincollig looked poised for the points, when he put his team two points clear with his sixth score from play mid-way through the six added on for stoppages.

But, substitute Andy O’Connell gave Douglas hope a minute later before Cotter emerged their hero of the hour.

There was little between the pair all through, the Village one up at the interval and a goal ahead after the third quarter.

But, Douglas, in a show of what was to come, replied with four points on the spin in six important minutes as Sean Powter and Alan O’Hare got on the mark.

Then it was Ballincollig’s turn, three without reply from substitute Jordan O’Connor, Murphy with a beauty, and Cian Dorgan, back after injury.

In the first-half, Ballincollig led by 1-5 to 0-7 at the break, the sides having been level on three occasions.

Douglas began smartly, scoring the opening three points in as many minutes from a Cotter free, Daragh Kelly and Niall Hartnett with Ballincollig struggling to get the ball up front.

But, the first time they managed to piece together a semblance of an attack, it yielded a well-taken goal from Liam O’Connell after eight minutes following good approach play by Darragh O’Mahony, who then tacked on a point almost immediately to hand his side the lead for the first time.

Douglas experienced great difficultly in penetrating Ballincollig’s well-structured defence, regularly taking the ball into contact and losing possession accordingly.

A second Cotter free tied it, 1-1 to 0-4 after 12 minutes, only for Ballincollig to edge two points clear with a pair of well-take scores by Murphy in seven minutes.

A Luke Fahy burst from deep create the opportunity for Murphy to make it 1-3 to 0-4, but Douglas reduced the deficit with an O’Hare point moments later.

Yet, Ballincollig’s response typified their approach, a direct ball from O’Connell found the returning Dorgan, who found the target with a superb score.

Then, a couple of James Holland frees had them level again in injury-time though O’Mahony ensured Ballincollig went in at the break a point clear with a score almost immediately.

It was tit-for-tat all through the second-half before that dramatic climax.

Scorers for Ballincollig: D Murphy 0-6, C Dorgan 0-4, 1f, L O’Connell 1-0, D O’Mahony 0-2, J O’Connor 0-1.

Scorers for Douglas: A Cotter 0-7, 6f, J Holland 0-2f, A O’Hare, N Hartnett 0-2 each, D Kelly, S Powter, A O’Connell 0-1 each.

BALLINCOLLIG: C Walsh; S O’Neill, N Galvin, G O’Donoghue; S Murphy, L Jennings, C Kiely; S Kiely, P O’Neill; L Fahy, D O’Mahony, L O’Connell; D Murphy, C Dorgan, H Ahearne.

Subs: J O’Connor for P O’Neill, half-time, R Noonan for O’Connell injured 36 (temp), S Dore for S O’Neill 54, Noonan for O’Mahony 57.

DOUGLAS: B Boyle; K Hayes-Curtin, D Harte, L McGrath; B Lynch, S Wilson, S Powter; N Hartnett, K Shanahan; J Holland, D Kelly, S Aherne; A O’Hare, T Sheehy, A Cotter.

Subs: A Cantwell for Aherne half-time, J Harte for Wilson injured 36 (temp), D McCarthy for Sheehy 37, Wilson for Holland 40, A O’Connell for D Harte 47, J Cunningham for Shanahan 59.

Referee: J Regan (Lough Rovers).