Premier SFC: Cian Dorgan inspires Ballincollig to victory over Carrigaline
Harry Ahearne, Ballincollig kicks a point from play against Carrigaline. Picture: Larry Cummins
IN a high-stakes encounter, it was Ballincollig who kept their composure to defeat Carrigaline in the Bon Secours Hospital Premier SFC at Páirc Uí Rinn on Saturday afternoon.
Both teams suffered opening round defeats so both were acutely aware of the ramifications of another loss. Ballincollig have kept their hopes of reaching the knockout stages for a second successive season alive. Carrigaline are now in danger of slipping into the relegation play-off final.
It was always going to be a slow burner given the pressure involved with no room for error. Carrigaline did start slightly better but it was Ballincollig who kicked the first score after four minutes. Rob Noonan set up Cian Dorgan for a white flag. A minute later, Carrigaline drew parity through a close-range Brian Coakley free.
The Carrigdhoun side nudged ahead courtesy of an excellent Niall Coakley effort from an acute angle. In a tit-for-tat first half, Harry Ahearne landed a long-range effort for the Muskerry side. The sides exchanged points, 0-3 apiece after 14 minutes. Carrigaline had their noses in front when Kevin O’Reilly raised a white flag from distance.
Ahearne was having a big impact on the game and the young Ballincollig man got his second point after 16 minutes but it could have very easily been a goal. A well-worked Carrigaline move resulted in Eanna Desmond popping the ball over the bar. The team in blue and yellow then created an excellent goal-scoring chance, but Callum Barrett’s well-struck effort hit the crossbar.
The Village nudged ahead through two quick points, 0-6 to 0-5 after 23 minutes. A crucial score arrived after 27 minutes, Noonan once again playing his part in a Ballincollig score, as he set up the impressive Dorgan and the latter placed the ball into the back of the net. Carrig finished the half with a Brian Coakley free, their first score in 12 minutes, to leave a goal between the sides at half-time, 1-6 to 0-6.
On the resumption, the teams exchanged points before Liam O’Connell split the posts to give the Collig a four-point advantage four minutes into the new half. Carrig were still firmly in this, and O’Reilly had an unbelievable chance of a goal following a pass by Brian Coakley, but the corner-forward somehow missed the target. The Muskerry outfit pushed five points clear when Dorgan converted a free only for O’Reilly to go down the other end of the pitch and clip over a point, 1-9 to 0-8 after 40 minutes.
O’Reilly was having a major influence in the second half as he kicked two points, one from a free, to leave just two points between the teams entering the final quarter. The team in green and white kicked two of the next three points as Podsie O’Mahony’s team led 1-11 to 0-11 after 49 minutes.
A Desmond point left just two points between the sides as the game was in the melting pot heading down the home stretch. Darragh O’Mahony pointed to push his team a goal in front after 56 minutes before Cian Kiely put the game to bed with an excellent goal following a pass from sub Seán O’Neill.
Carrigaline battled right to the end but it was the Collig who prevailed by six points.
Ballincollig take on their near neighbours Éire Óg in the final group-stage match on Sunday, September 10 in Coachford at 4pm. At the same time in Ballygarvan, Carrigaline face a daunting task against reigning champions Nemo Rangers.
C Dorgan 1-4 (0-1 f), C Kiely 1-1, H Ahearne 0-3, D O’Mahony 0-2, R Noonan, L O’Connell 0-1 each.
K O’Reilly 0-4 (0-3 f), B Coakley (f), E Desmond 0-3 each, J McCarthy, N Coakley 0-1 each.
J Gibbons; C Moore, F Down, J O’Connor; N Galvin, L Jennings, C Kiely; S Dore, H Ahearne; M Oldham, D O’Mahony, P O’Neill; R Noonan, L O’Connell, C Dorgan.
S O’Donoghue for F Down (17, inj), D Murphy for N Galvin (24), S O’Neill for M Oldham (44), T O’Connell for R Noonan (55).
C Dungan; N Quirke, I Sheerin, C O’Herlihy; D King, C Barry, J McCarthy; Kieran Kavanagh, Kevin Kavanagh; C Barrett, N Coakley, E Desmond; B Coakley, O Barry, K O’Reilly.
N O’Keeffe for O Barry (42), E Ryle for C Barrett, P Mellett for Kieran Kavanagh (both 48), J Kelly for E Desmond, K McCarthy for D King (both 54).
James Bermingham (Bride Rovers).
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