Mid Cork champions Aghinagh in final after battling past Inniscarra

Aghinagh 1-13 Inniscarra 1-11 (after extra time)

A LAST-GASP goal in extra-time from sub Adam O’Leary broke Inniscarra’s hearts and fired champions Aghinagh back to the Ross Oil Muskerry JAFC final following a gripping semi-final at Ballincollig.

It looked like Inniscarra had done enough on numerous occasions to shake off the holders, but Aghinagh showed fighting spirit in abundance.

The first half was low on quality, with scores at a premium. The sides were level at 0-2 apiece after the first quarter, Aghinagh hitting five wides in that time, but it was the Inniscarra men that went in at half-time ahead, Mark McLoughlin and Sean O’Donoughue with the white flags in the second quarter, 0-4 to 0-2 at half-time.

Aghinagh started the second half with more purpose, using the ball well. The winners kicked three of the next four points to level the game. Liam Twohig’s free from a near impossible angle the highlight.

Inniscarra looked to have been in a decent position heading down the home straight, Dan O’Connell, McLoughlin, and O’Donoughue points pushed them three clear with seven minutes remaining.

Aghinagh’s spirit and attitude sent the game to extra-time with three consecutive white flags, Twohig’s beauty of a point securing the draw.

Aghinagh had the upper hand in the first half of extra-time, leading 0-10 to 0-9. Inniscarra started well in the second period and looked to have done enough when sub Shay Dineen slotted the ball into the net to lead 1-11 0-11 with five minutes remaining.

The Rusheen side finished with a flourish, Twohig (2) reduced the deficit to a point and O’Leary’s goal sparked wild celebrations from the big Aghinagh crowd. They face Kilmurry in the final on Sunday.

Scorers for Aghinagh: L Twohig 0-6 (0-3 f), A O’Leary 1-0, M McCarthy 0-2, D Ambrose 0-2, G O’Sullivan 0-2, A Twomey 0-1.

Inniscarra: S Dineen 1-1, S O’Donoghue 0-3, M McLoughlin 0-3, M O’Connell 0-1, D O’Connell 0-1, L O’Connor 0-1, A O’Raw 0-1.

AGHINAGH: J McCarthy; D O’Riordan, D O’Callaghan, J Lynch; D Corkery, D Barry, D Ambrose; G O’Sullivan (C), E Coughlan; M McCarthy, L Twohig, A Twomey; S Kelleher, TJ Buckley, T Morgan.

Subs: L O’Leary for J Lynch (h-t), W Coakley for S Kelleher (38), A O’Leary for E Coughlan (45), S Corkery for T Morgan (61).

INNISCARRA: D Kelleher; L Ryan, J O’Callaghan, C Griffin; A O’Raw, D Coughlan, C O’Leary; S Sheehan, T Murphy; M McLoughlin, S O’Donoghue, L Collins (C); L O’Connor, D O’Connell, D O’Keeffe.

Subs: J Hayes for C O’Leary (h-t), S Dineen for D O’Keeffe (36), M Nagle for T Murphy (44), M O’Connell for L Collins (49).

Referee: Ted Hayes (Éire Óg)