Throwback Thursday: Ballincollig seized their chance in 2014 

EIGHT years ago this week, Ballincollig won the Cork Senior Football Championship for the first time in their history.

The club defeated Carbery Rangers 1-13 to 1-10 at Páirc Uí Chaoimh and that result ended a long quest that began with their first entry into the championship in 1887.

The victory was also a sizeable dividend after years of underage success in the club, starting with an U21 football title in 2009. That followed defeats in the minor football final in 2002 and 2006, but that piece of silverware was finally claimed with a 1-15 to 0-13 extra-time victory over Douglas in 2011. The Collig lost U21 finals in 2010 and '14 as well.

It was clear at that point that something was building at underage level in the satellite town on the fringes of the city limits. Traditionally, the Village had been stronger in hurling. 

The club that produced five-time All-Ireland champion Willie 'Long Poc' Murphy, had landed multiple Intermediate Hurling Championships and reached the senior county final in the 1940s as well as ending Glen Rovers' 10-in-a-row bid. After capturing the U21 hurling county in 1996, Dan Murphy captained Cork to All-Irelands in that grade in '97 and '98.

Ballincollig moved up to senior in 1994 after an intermediate victory following three devastating final losses in 1988, '91 and '93. However, and despite having senior Cork footballers like Podsie O'Mahony, John Miskella and Patrick Kelly, they struggled to make a football breakthrough. 

Their only semi-final appearance was a 1999 defeat to eventual champions UCC. After that, they treaded water and despite only impressive one-off victories they couldn't get past the quarter-final stage from 2006 to 2008. Then in '09 they were sucked into a relegation dogfight. 

They did return to the quarter-finals of the championship in 2010 by beating Carbery Rangers and Castlehaven only to fall short against St Finbarr's.

To say that Ballincollig went quietly into the 2014 campaign is an understatement. 

Michael O’Brien’s side weren't in the conversation as likely winners but a late Ian Coughlan goal was critical in a narrow opening-round victory over the Barrs at rain-swept Páirc Uí Rinn.

Next up was a showdown with Carbery at Cloughduv. The divisional side ended Ballincollig’s championship in 2013 by putting 2-17 past them at the same venue. That made them favourites for the rematch.

The Village exacted sweet revenge by scoring 3-15 with Patrick Kelly in deadly form and this gave them a 10-point victory.

The quarter-finals paired the club with Muskerry and the divisional side were comfortably beaten by eight points at Cloughduv. Miskella was excelling in a roving role from corner-forward with Liam Jennings, Noel Galvin and Stephen O'Donoghue at the heart of a teak-tough defence. 

Ballincollig were building momentum, and all of this was put to the test when they faced Nemo Rangers in the semi-final.

The Cork kingpins were desperate to make up for their defeat to Castlehaven in the 2013 final. Their last title was in 2010, and the four years had felt like an eternity in Turner's Cross. The Collig weren't phased though, Cian Dorgan and John Kelly burying the goals in a deserved 2-10 to 1-9 upset. 

They were through to their first Senior Football Championship final where Carbery Rangers awaited.

It couldn't have started more ominously. Ballincollig’s big day out began with Carbery Rangers going into a six-point lead inside 10 minutes. The gap ended up at 0-9 to 0-2 with 21 minutes on the clock.

Ultra-reliable free-taker Cian Dorgan settled Ballincollig's nerves and with Seán Kiely and Ciarán O'Sullivan getting a grip at midfield and George Durrant having a big impact at wing-forward, the tide turned. Dorgan, Kiely, Niall Allen and Luke Prendergast clipped scores from play as they completely eroded the deficit.

Carbery Rangers started the second half on the ideal note, with a Séamus Hayes goal after Pádraig Hodnett smashed the crossbar and Hayes was there to fist the ball in. Little did the West Cork club know, they would only score one more point in the final.

An excellent goal from a tight angle by John Kelly in the 40th minute levelled things up at Páirc Uí Chaoimh and from there, Ballincollig remained firmly on top, wing-backs JP Murphy and Cian Kiely leading the charge. 

Ian Coughlan came in as he was in every game to make an impact and he split the posts twice, followed by neat Dorgan and Cian Kiely points to move the Village three in front going into injury time.

Carbery Rangers needed a goal and a last-gasp John Rourke shot was blocked down, despite a penalty appeal, referee James Bermingham called for a 45 and when then was missed the final whistle sounded.

Ballincollig won 1-13 to 1-10, and for the first time in their history they were Cork senior football champions. Goalkeeper David Lordan lifted the trophy in front of a huge Ballincollig crowd that swarmed the pitch in the Páirc. Durrant collected the Reardens' Man of the Match with Kelly being selected as the Club Footballer of the Year.

REWARD

Their reward for winning the Andy Scannell Cup was a place in the quarter-finals of the Munster Senior Club Football Championship. The Cork champions dragged Austin Stacks into extra-time, where the Kerry club won by three points.

The loss, while sore at the time, quickly fell away to a winter of celebrations. Ballincollig were county champions and they enjoyed every minute.

They'd return to the county final in 2016, taking out Castlehaven and Nemo Rangers along the way but Carbery Rangers reversed the result.

This year's semi-final loss to Nemo was their first appearance in the last four since.