PSFC: Ballincollig roar from behind to beat Valley Rovers and qualify
Ballincollig's Darren Murphy scores a point past Valley Rovers' Johnny Kiely, during their Premier SFC clash, at Kilmurry. Picture: David Keane.
Ballincollig 4-14 Valley Rovers 2-10
BALLINCOLLIG dramatically defeated Valley Rovers to qualify for the knock-out stages in an entertaining Bons Secours Hospital Cork Premier SFC game at a blustery Kilmurry.
This final Group B game had many permutations prior to kick-off, with Mallow sitting top on four points, Valley Rovers in second on two points, Douglas and Ballincollig on a point apiece in third and fourth respectively.
Both of these teams were aware prior to throw-in what they needed to do. A Valley Rovers win or a draw and they were though to the knock-out stages regardless of other results.
Whereas for Ballincollig, it was a small bit more complicated. In the end, Ballincollig went through, helped by Mallow coming from nine points down to only lose by one against Douglas, and Valleys bowed out of the championship. They'll now face Carbery in the quarter-finals and the winners of Nemo Rangers and Carbery Rangers if they progress to the last four.
The Village had a strong wind in the first half but went behind as the experienced Fiachra Lynch pointed.
Collig’s response was empathetic, scoring 1-2 without reply in five minutes as Darren Murphy finished well to the net. In the build-up, Darragh O’Mahony could have netted, but Tomás O’Brien the full-back blocked his effort.
Valleys responded with two points, courtesy of Billy Crowley and Lynch: 1-2 to 0-3 after 17 minutes. Liam O’Connell kicked a great score for the Collig but Valleys replied 2-1 in three minutes.
Eoin O’Reilly was the first goalscorer following a pass from Kevin Canty. The second was a beauty from Adam Walsh-Murphy into the top corner.
The Village raised two white flags, before Valleys extended their three-point advantage through Adam Kennealy, 2-5 to 1-5 after 28 minutes.
It was tit for tat in the opening 12 minutes, until the Village broke the cycle of score-for-score to draw level: 2-8 to 1-11 after 45 minutes. The final quarter was magical from the winners, their fitness levels were sublime as they carved open what had been a stubborn Valleys defence.
They scored 2-3 without reply, Sean Kiely and a fisted Rob Noonan effort delivering the goals. Cian Dorgan finished as their top-scorer with 0-7, six from frees.
Valleys tacked on two points but their race was run, and Ballincollig were in dreamland when Sean Kiely grabbed his second goal in injury time and sent them through.
C Dorgan 0-7 (0-6 f), S Kiely 2-0, D Murphy 1-2, R Noonan 1-0, C Kiely 0-2, S Dore, L O’Connell, H Aherne 0-1 each.
F Lynch 0-5 (0-3 f), A Walsh-Murphy 1-0, E O’Reilly 1-0, E Delaney 0-2, B Crowley 0-2 (0-1 f), A Kenneally 0-1.
C Walsh; N Galvin, G O’Donoghue, S Dore; L Fahy, L Jennings, S Murphy; C Kiely, S Kiely; J O’Connor, L O’Connell, D O’Mahony; H Aherne, C Dorgan, D Murphy.
P O’Neill for S Dore (h-t), D Dorgan for J O’Connor (h-t), R Noonan for D O’Mahony (47).
E O’Sullivan; C O’Keeffe, T O’Brien, D Muckian; J Kiely, J O’Driscoll, A Walsh-Murphy; D Murphy, K Canty; R O’Sullivan, W Hurley, A Kenneally; E O’Reilly, B Crowley, F Lynch.
E Delaney for R O’Sullivan (23, inj), C McCarthy for A Kenneally (50), J Cottrell for F Lynch (56).
Conor Lane (Banteer).
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