Lismire capture Junior C title after tight tussle with Ballinacurra

Lismire 2-9 Ballinacurra 0-13 

LISMIRE have been crowned Bon Secours Hospital Cork Junior C Football Champions for the first time in their history following a hard-fought win over Ballinacurra in the decider at Páirc Uí Rinn on Friday evening. 

Both teams came into this showdown after impressive semi-final wins. Lismire had two points to spare over Gleann na Laoi while Ballinacurra beat Abbey Rovers by seven points.

This decider was hugely entertaining and a throwback to the old days. Both teams went at it hammer and tongs.

Lismire suffered defeat in the final in 2021, a game where they conceded four goals and were full of nerves. It was the opposite on this occasion. 

Ballinacurra will naturally be downhearted, but after a tough few years for them since winning the JBFC in 2018, the Imokilly club have made plenty of progress this year and will hope to improve again in 2024.

Lismire made a bright start to the game, they had a sight of goal after two minutes but Rory Sheahan was stopped in his tracks by excellent Ballinacurra defending. Eamonn Hayes was making things thick for Lismire early on and he was influential in a number of positive periods of play, but the Duhallow team were unable to register any scores. 

Ballinacurra ventured into the Lismire half for the first time after seven minutes of play and raised a white flag, Jake Hegarty with a super effort. The team in green and white kicked their second score exactly 20 seconds later, powerful midfielder James Nagle raising a white flag.

After having the bulk of the possession in the early stages without any reward, Lismire got their first score after nine minutes, Damien Finn with a tasty point following a clever pass by Patrick Buckley. Finn levelled the game three minutes later. Ballinacurra pushed two points clear courtesy of a pair of Hegarty white flags, one coming from a free, 0-4 to 0-2 after 15 minutes.

In a very enjoyable game of football, Lismire nudged ahead after 18 minutes of action, when they put together three points on the trot, a Finn free, Cian O’Sullivan with a great score following great work and pass by Sheahan and wing-back Jeremy Lawlor burst up the pitch to slot over a great point. A Hegarty free levelled up proceedings before there was a lull in scoring with wayward shooting on both teams after what was a frantic opening 22 minutes of play. 

The vocal crowd had to wait nine minutes for the next score and it was worth the wait, a long-range O’Sullivan point for the team in black and amber. The teams went into the dressing rooms level, Nagle with a white flag on the stroke of the half-time whistle, 0-6 apiece at the short whistle.

54 seconds into the new half, Lismire were awarded a penalty, Mark Field’s goal-bound shot was blocked in a crowded penalty area and referee John Horgan adjudged it as a foot block. Finn stepped up and made no mistake. James Furlong pointed for Ballinacurra before Lismire got their second goal, Sheahan with a splendid finish, 2-6 to 0-7 after 35 minutes. A Kelvin Kruschel effort and three Nagle points, two from frees, left just a point between the teams, 2-6 to 0-11 after 45 minutes. 

A Hegarty free levelled the game for a fifth time. The sides traded points before Finn pointed for Lismire after 62 minutes and O’Sullivan raised a white flag in the fourth minute of injury-time, which was the insurance score for the team from Duhallow.

Once the full-time whistle blew, there was unbridled joy from the winning camp. Ballinacurra will have plenty of regrets having had the chances to win the game late on when the teams were level.

Scorers for Lismire: D Finn 1-4 (1-0 pen, 0-1 f), C O’Sullivan 0-4, R Sheahan 1-0, J Lawlor 0-1.

Ballinacurra: J Hegarty 0-6 (0-4 f), J Nagle 0-5 (0-2 f), J Furlong, K Kruschel 0-1 each.

LISMIRE: T Stritch; P Buckley, S McSweeney (c), C Walsh; L Geaney, M McSweeney, J Lawlor; E Hayes, C Sheahan; J Sheahan, P Sheahan, C O’Sullivan; D Finn, M Field, D O’Keeffe.

Subs: J Moynihan for C Walsh (40), D O’Connor for J Lawlor (49), D Kearney for M Field (58).

BALLINACURRA: J Wyre; E Hegarty, T Costigan, J Deady; R Swayne, S O’Connor (c), J Furlong; C Lynch, J Nagle; M Furlong, T O’Leary, S Wiggins; K Kruschel, J Hegarty, P Horan.

Sub: B O’Donoghue for P Horan (42).

Referee: John Horgan (Gleann na Laoi).