Newly promoted Dungourney stun Ballincollig in PIHC
Ballincollig's Sean O'Neill tussles for possession with Dungourney's Conor Padden. Picture: Howard Crowdy
DUNGOURNEY overcame the odds once again in a thrilling dog fight in Cobh on Saturday evening, where they eventually edged out Ballincollig by a single point.
The newly promoted side played with incredible intensity for the entirety of the game and were just that bit more clinical in the always windy Páirc Uí Chonaill.
Cian Dorgan opened the scoring for Ballincollig with a free, but it was quickly cancelled out by an excellent long ranger from Cormac Griffin.
The Village responded instantly, with a third-minute goal from Cian O’Driscoll. The corner-forward picked up the ball and went straight for goal, with his powerful shot finding the roof of the net.
Cork U20 star Jack Leahy responded with two excellent long-range frees inside his own 65, before teeing up Ryan Denny, whose subsequent point levelled the game.
Cormac Griffin then split the posts brilliantly for Dungourney before Jack Leahy pointed once more from a free.
Ballincollig struggled badly with placed balls throughout the game, while another incredible long-distance free from Leahy put Dungourney three points clear after 22 minutes of play.
The Village battled back, and Brian Keating capitalised on a slip from Dylan Healy, as he darted around the corner-back before passing to James Dwyer, who smashed it home from close range to level it.
The teams traded scores twice more before the interval, meaning the sides were level at the break.
Ballincollig struggled in the first 30 minutes, hitting seven wides in total with five of those from frees, compared to just three overall from their East Cork opponents.
Returning at the break, Ballincollig needed to move up a gear, but Leahy’s marksmanship continued to be a thorn in their side, and he pointed twice more.
A superb long-range score from wing-back David O’Sullivan gave Ballincollig a much-needed boost, and they improved from there.
James Dwyer pointed twice as Brian Keating split the posts once to put the Village two ahead, but Dungourney remained undeterred.
The ball was dropped in from a free just outside the Ballincollig square, and with both teams scrambling, it was John Ahern who pulled on the sliotar, driving it into the bottom corner to give Dungourney a one-point lead with 14 minutes to go.
O’Sullivan pointed again from distance to level it, and it remained a gritty stalemate for almost six minutes, as neither side could split the posts.
Eventually, Leahy pointed once more from range, his 10th on the night, to put Dungourney narrowly ahead.
Substitute Stephen Wills pulled up with a big score to level it in the 59th minute, but not even the pressure of an additional time free with the score level could phase Leahy, who sent over yet another free to give Dungourney the lead.
Ballincollig desperately tried to equalise, but Dungourney held firm, picking up a special win in their first Premier Intermediate game.
J Dywer 1-2, C O’Driscoll 1-0, B Keating, D O’Sullivan 0-2 (0-1 f) each, S O'Neill 0-2, C Dorgan (f), S Wills 0-1 each.
J Leahy 0-11 f, John Ahern 1-0, C Griffin 0-2, R Denny 0-1.
J Linehan; R O’Donovan, C Moore, F Denny; D O’Sullivan, C O’Leary, C O’Sullivan; J Dwyer, B Coleman; T O’Connell, C Dalton, B Keating; S O’Neill, C Dorgan, C O’Driscoll.
S Wills for Dorgan (46), D Bowen for O’Connell (50)
P Flynn; D Healy, M McGrath, C Padden; M Leahy, N Motherway, J McCarthy; S Hegarty, R Denny; James Ahern, B Forbes, John Ahern; J Leahy, N McGrath, C Griffin.
C Flynn for James Ahern (51), S Geaney for N McGrath (59),
Aidan Hyland (Kilworth).
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