PIHC: Watergrasshill secure another draw by clawing back Ballinhassig
Watergrasshill's Sean Desmond in action against Éire Óg last season. Picture: Howard Crowdy
WATERGRASSHILL came back from the dead for the second week in a row to draw with Ballinhassig in the Co-Op Superstores PIHC encounter at Riverstown on Saturday evening.
Ballinhassig led at the halftime break 0-12 to 0-11 and were up by four points entering the final five minutes, but three frees from Shane O’Regan made it a one-point game.
They grabbed a draw deep into additional time through the stick of Cork panellist Daire O'Leary.
Ballinhassig raced into a two-point lead in the opening minute from the stick of Brian Lynch. The Hill responded with three points in a row by Micheal O’Driscoll, James Gowen and Brendan Lehane to lead 0-3 to 0-2 after nine minutes.
Ballinhassig regained the lead again 0-7 to-0-4 when Donnacha O’Donovan pointed two long-range placed balls midway through the first half.
O’Regan reduced the deficit for the Hill with a free from just inside the halfway line to trail 0-8 to 0-6.
Ballinhassig then scored four points in a row from Lynch and Fintan O'Leary with Brendan Lehane responding and they forged 0-12 to 0-7 in front with five minutes to the interval.
Watergrasshill finished the half with three more frees from O’Regan and a superb point from play by Colin Cronin to trail by the minimum going in at the break.
Ballinhassig increased their lead, 0-13 to 0-11, with a point from play from Fintan O’Leary in the opening minute from the restart.
The Hill responded with two quick points to level the game.
The favourites, who impressed in a victory over Castlemartyr last weekend, scored four points in a row by Lynch and move 0-17 to 0-13 clear and seemed to destined to secure the result.
Just like last week against Kilworth, Watergrasshill had other ideas and got their reward when O’Leary levelled late on.
B Lynch 0-8 (0-6 f), D O’Donovan 0-3 f, R Lombard, C Desmond, F O’Leary 0-2 each, Darragh O’Sullivan 0-1.
S O’Reagan 0-6 f, C Cronin, B Lehane, J Gowen 0-2 each, D O'Leary 0-2 (0-1 f), L Foley, S Desmond, M O’Driscoll, A Foley (f) 0-1 each.
P Collins; E Lombard, D O’Donovan, P O’Leary; M Collins, S McCarthy, M Sheehan; Darragh O'Sullivan, C Grainger; R Lombard, C Desmond, G Collins; A O’Sullivan, B Lynch, F O’Leary.
Diarmuid O’Sullivan for Grainger, C Tyers for G Collins both (43), E Finn for F O’Leary (59).
A Foley; P Cronin, A Ricken, D Roche; M O’Driscoll, D O’Leary, D McCarthy; R Murray, S O’Regan; L Foley, B Lehane, J Gowen; C Cronin, S Desmond, C O’Leary.
G Kelly-Lynch for C Cronin (60).
Pat Lyons (Bishopstown)
App?
