IAFC: Mitchelstown come good late on to defeat Ballinora

Mitchelstown 2-11 Ballinora 0-12 

MITCHELSTOWN left it late to defeat Ballinora and advance to knockout phases for the fourth consecutive season in the Intermediate A FC after their five-point victory in Rathcormac on Saturday.

Ballinora will now have to contend a relegation playoff, with Shane Cahill’s goal at the death sealing the fate of the Muskerry outfit.

Mitchelstown struggled with shooting accuracy, while their opponents couldn’t get to grips with the range on shooting, and it remained a point apiece until Ian Wycherley hit from a close range free to put Ballinora in front after 13 minutes.

The first goal chance of the game fell to Quirke, and though his effort was saved by Luke Hanna he managed to point the follow up to put Ballinora 0-3 to 0-1 ahead after a quarter of an hour.

Mitchelstown took control of proceedings and dominated the last 10 minutes of the first half. Moving the ball quickly despite losing three players to injury, Town were unstoppable, as Shane Cahill pointed twice, while Sean O’Sullivan and wing-back Cormac Hyland also got in on the scoring.

Both teams struggled with their shooting though, as Mitchelstown ended the half with six wides and three shots dropping short, while Ballinora had two wides and three short attempts.

The Town made it 0-7 to 0-4 when Walsh pointed on the restart, but this seemingly kicked Ballinora into gear, as they pointed through frees from Neil Lordan and Liam Lyons.

After Cahill’s free restored Town’s two-point lead, they found the back of the net with an excellent piece of play. Cahill laid it off to Dylan Reidy Price, who picked out Sean Walsh with a brilliant pass.

The midfielder who was now operating in the full-forward line, played a handpass through to Shane Beston, and he took it around Alex McAllen before netting in to the bottom corner with a tidy finish.

His goal superseded a very impressive effort from Cork U20 hurler Shane Kingston, and again the Ballinora midfielder pointed superbly from play to leave just a goal between the sides.

After trading frees, Ballinora suddenly sprung into life as Lordan pointed three excellent frees to level it in added time, but Jimmy Sheehan stepped up for the Avondhu outfit to put them back in front, before Cahill’s goal sealed the win in the 64th minute, after a great piece of play from Walsh and Flynn.

Scorers for Mitchelstown: S Cahill 1-3 (0-2 f), S Beston 1-0, J Sheehan 0-3 (0-1 f), S Walsh 0-2, D Flynn, S O’Sullivan, C Hyland 0-1 each.

Ballinora: N Lordan 0-4 f, M Quirke 0-3, S Kingston 0-2, R Quirke (f), I Wycherley (f), L Lyons (f) 0-1 each.

MITCHELSTOWN: L Hanna; L Finn, D Dineen, K Roche; J O’Sullivan, J Mullins, C Hyland; S Beston, S Walsh; D Flynn, S O’Sullivan, K Fox; C O’Mahony, S Cahill, S Kenneally.

Subs: F Herlihy for Finn (6, inj), D Reidy Price for O’Mahony (16, inj), P Magee for J Mullins (26, inj), J Sheehan for Fox (46), R Donegan for Magee (60+1).

BALLINORA: A McAllen; T Forde, M Lordan, R Barrow; N Davis, N Lordan, J Byrne; S Kingston, J Lordan; L Lyons, M Quirke, T Burns; I Wycherly, D Holmes, R Quirke.

Subs: C O’Flynn for Burns (46), J Keohane for Kingston (46-50, b-s), A Laverty for Barrow (50), J Keohane for Wycherley (58).

Referee: Cathal Ó Murchú (Brian Dillons).