Muskerry Junior A Hurling: Ballinora retain their title by seeing off Grenagh
Celebrations for Ballinora after they retainted the Muskerry hurling title by beating Grenagh.
Ballinora 0-16 Grenagh 0-11
BALLINORA are the MJK Oils Muskerry JAHC winners for the second consecutive season following a narrow win over Grenagh in the final at Ovens.
It’s Ballinora’s eighth time claiming the trophy and while it was a close game, it was a deserved win for them, as they had a better-balanced team.
Ballinora’s experience told in the last 10 minutes, with the game on a knife edge, Ballinora scored four of the six points during that time to see off a dogged Grenagh team.
The teams exchanged points early on, but Ballinora got on top around the middle and led 0-5 to 0-1 after the first quarter, with Liam Lyons landing some sublime efforts. Seán Joyce, who had a fine game for Grenagh, led his team for the hour and he converted a placed ball to reduce the deficit.
Shane Kingston and Alan O’Shea raised white flags for Ballinora, but the team in yellow and blue hit four of the last five points to remain firmly in contention at half-time, Joyce was key in helping Grenagh come right back into the contest, 0-8 to 0-6 at the break.
On the resumption, Grenagh, who last won the Muskerry championship in 2013, which was followed by county success a month later, reduced the lead down to a point, 0-9 to 0-8, but by the third quarter, the team in green and red opened up a three-point gap, 0-12 to 0-9.
Lyons and Neil Lordan played key roles for the winners. The teams exchanged points, before Ballinora tacked on three points from two Lyons frees and a Kingston effort.
Joyce converted a free late on for the team in blue and yellow, and despite some very good goal chances late on, nothing came to fruition for Grenagh, as Ballinora held on for a five point win.
The aim now for Ballinora is to try and break the glass ceiling in the county championship, having failed to ignite in the last couple of outings in 2016 and 2021.
Ballinora will meet either Nemo Rangers or Erin’s Own second string in the county semi-final.
L Lyons 0-8 (0-7 f), S Kingston 0-3, N Lordan 0-2, K Murphy, A O’Shea, J Byrne 0-1 each.
S Joyce 0-8 (0-7 f), S Cronin 0-2, L Walsh 0-1.
B Crowley; K O’Regan, J Lordan, R Barrow; M Lordan, P Cronin, D Corkery; J Byrne, N Lordan; B Murphy, D Holmes, L Lyons; A O’Shea, S Kingston, K Murphy.
T Burns for K O’Regan (45), J Keohane for K Murphy (50).
J Walsh; M McSweeney, K Cummins, A Kiely; P McSweeney, P Barry-Murphy, L Walsh; T Twomey, K O’Neill; U Duggan, D Kenny, S Joyce; D Coleman, S Cronin, C Buckley.
D O’Shea for D Kenny (47), M White for D Coleman (55).
Jim McEvoy (Blarney).
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