Conor Sexton goal caps off Ballincollig comeback to upset Midleton

Ballincollig 1-20 Midleton 1-17 

CONOR Sexton’s match-winning goal at the death gave Ballincollig a shock win over Midleton in the RedFM Hurling League Division 2.

The Village overturned a seven-point deficit to win and move up to second in the table.

Ballincollig started strongly, outscoring Midleton six points to two in the first 10, as Pete Kelly raised the white flag four times from play. The best of the scores came from Barry Coleman, who split the posts out wide from the halfway line.

The Magpies grew into the contest and punished Ballincollig from all areas. Paul Connaughton scored a fantastic point from a tight angle, and four minutes later got the opening goal.

Connaughton turned his man and hit it low, bouncing the sliotar past James Linehan. Aaron Mulcahy and Connaughton scored 1-4 between them, as Ross O’Regan, Paul Haughney and Alex Quirke also raised white flags, putting the visitors six ahead after 22 minutes.

Ballincollig finally got one back after over 16 minutes scoreless, as Sean Walsh raised the white flag. Cian Dorgan’s free was followed up by a fantastic long-range score from Jordan Murray before a Mulcahy free closed out the half.

The hosts were lucky to only trail by four, and that deficit increased to seven after the first 10 minutes of the second period, as Ross O’Regan’s superb effort from distance capped off a strong restart for the visitors.

A gallant turnaround in the final 20 minutes of the match from Ballincollig began with four scores from Dorgan, though the Village were still three behind with just 10 remaining.

The hosts edged closer through Coleman and Walsh, but Connaughton kept Midleton two points in front with three minutes to go. Dorgan then closed the gap to one from a free, but Ballincollig’s substitutes made the difference in added time.

Steven Wills levelled it with a minute to go. Both teams scrambled, trying to find the winning score. But the fresh legs of Conor Sexton sealed it, as he received the sliotar in space and smashed it into the top corner in added time.

Scorers for Ballincollig: C Dorgan 0-6 (0-4 f, 0-1 65), P Kelly 0-5, S Walsh, B Coleman 0-3 each, C Sexton 1-0, J Murray, C Dalton, S Wills 0-1 each.

Midleton: A Mulcahy 0-8 (0-6 f), P Connaughton 1-3, G O’Carroll, R O’Regan 0-2 each, P Haughney, A Quirke 0-1 each.

BALLINCOLLIG: J Linehan; R O’Donovan, J Murray, C Moore; D O’Sullivan, C O’Leary, B Dore; C Dalton, B Coleman; P Kelly, C Dorgan, S O’Neill; S Walsh, P Cooney, F Denny.

Subs: C Sexton for Moore (33, inj), S Wills for Murray (43), A Wills for Cooney (45).

MIDLETON: B Rossiter; D Scanlon, L Dineen, S Smyth; C Murphy, S O’Leary-Hayes, E Moloney; P Haughney, R Hartnett; G O’Carroll, R O’Regan, A Quirke; P Connaughton, P White, A Mulcahy.

Subs: A Daly for Hartnett (38), C Crowley for Daly (52, inj).

Referee: Shane Scanlon (Newcestown).