Ballinhassig hurlers close to promotion after big win over Aghabullogue

Aghabullogue 0-6 Ballinhassig 1-14 

SIX wins from six games for Ballinhassig following victory over Aghabullogue in the RedFM Division 4 Hurling League at Coachford on Sunday morning. 

The Carrigdhoun side are closing in on promotion with three games remaining. Aghabullogue have slipped into the relegation zone following this defeat.

The contest was a slow burner but once the premier intermediate team got going they never looked like being reeled in. 20-year-old Brian Lynch put in another impressive performance with the forward finishing up with seven points, three from frees. 

Evan Cullinane, also 20, was influential slotting over three sweet points and showing a huge work ethic. Ballinhassig’s defence did well throughout with Kevin Maguire and Michael Collins commanding at full-back and centre-back respectively.

Aghabullogue, despite playing a grade below Ballinhassig, were very competitive for the hour, but they just lacked that cutting edge up front with star forward Shane Tarrant out injured. 

A low-scoring first half won’t live long in the memory bank. The sides traded points before James Foley pointed for the Muskerry team, 0-2 to 0-1 after eight minutes. 

The sparse crowd had to wait 18 minutes for the next score when Charlie Grainger raised a white flag for the Blues.  The winners scored 1-2 without reply in the final two minutes of the first half and the evergreen Fintan O’Leary billowed the back of the net. 

The goal was a sucker punch for Aghabullogue having defended valiantly up to that and the green flag certainly ignited Ballinhassig, 1-4 to 0-2 at the interval.

The winners dominated the second half. The Blues scored three of the first four points of the new half, 1-7 to 0-3 with 15 minutes remaining. 

The home did get two of the next three points, subs Mark O’Flynn (free) and Odhran O’Connell with the scores but Ballinhassig scored six of the last seven points. 

The last score of the game which was in the fourth minute of injury-time from Richie Lombard was the pick of the scores following a neat team move. Promotion is within touching distance for the Blues.

Scorers for Aghabullogue: M O’Flynn 0-3 f, J Foley, J Corkery, O O’Connell 0-1 each.

Ballinhassig: B Lynch 0-7 (0-3 f), F O’Leary 1-0, E Cullinane 0-3, G Kirby 0-2, R Lombard, C Grainger 0-1 each.

AGHABULLOGUE: F Foley; D Quinlan, C Timmons, T Long; P O’Sullivan, N Barry-Murphy, D Thompson; P Ring, M Dennehy; B Dineen, J Corkery, C Furey; J Buckley, P Twomey, J Foley.

Subs: M O’Flynn for K Furey, O O’Connell for J Buckley (both 41).

BALLINHASSIG: Matthew Collins; E Lombard, K Maguire, S McCarthy; D O’Donovan, Michael Collins, C Desmond; M Sheehan, E Finn; R Lombard, E Cullinane, S O’Neill; C Grainger, B Lynch, F O’Leary.

Sub: G Kirby for S O’Neill (h-t).

Referee: Diarmuid Kirwan (Éire Óg).