Ballinora hurlers blast past Clonakilty into JAHC last four
Mike Lordan, Ballinora, winning this high ball from Clonakilty players David Lowney and Chris Kenneally during their Co-Op Superstores JAHC quarter-final at Páirc Ui Chaoimh. Picture: Dan Linehan
BALLINORA will face Nemo Rangers in the 2023 Co-Op Superstores Cork JAHC semi-finals following a comprehensive defeat of Clonakilty at Páirc Uí Chaoimh on Sunday afternoon.
The Muskerry side utilised a strong wind to build a commanding eleven-point interval lead and never looked back. Although they worked hard throughout, Clonakilty could not match their opponents' scoring prowess on a day James Byrne, Tommy Burns and Shane Kingston stood out for the victors.
Ballinora began as favourties having captured a third consecutive Muskerry JAHC title following a 0-15 to 1-9 win over Dripsey. Their opponents qualified for this year’s county quarter-finals by lifting the West Cork junior A trophy.
Ballinora, wearing Muskerry divisional jerseys, began with the aid of a strong wind and hit the front via Tommy Burns and James Byrne efforts.
A second Byrne point made it 0-3 to 0-0 as Clonakilty, wearing Clonakilty Community College jerseys, struggled to find their feet.
Shane Kingston’s converted free and the impressive James Byrne’s third point completed a commanding Ballinora start inside the opening 10 minutes.
The leaders lost centre-forward Darragh Holmes to injury but continued to dominate in every sector of the pitch. Capitalising on a turnover, Ballinora struck an 11th-minute goal by working the ball to Alan O’Shea who fired low into the net.
Additional Shane Kingston and Neil Lordan scores piled on the misery for a Clonakilty team unable to get anything going in the final third.
Mike Lordan’s point meant Ballinora’s half-back line had all scored before the 20th minute.
Brian White notched Clonakilty’s first point of the afternoon but Ballinora’s response was instant. Neil Lordan took his personal tally to 0-3 and Alan O’Shea added another to answer a converted Eoin Ryan free.
Clon’s Ryan (two frees) and Mark White also raised white flags but Ballinora changed ends 1-13 to 0-5 ahead after additional Alan O’Shea (two), Conor Quirke and Darragh Corkery efforts.
Two converted Shane Kingston frees and a Tommy Burns point got Ballinora’s second half off to a positive start. Things would have been better for the Muskerry side had Clonakilty goalkeeper Shane Collins not produced a string of excellent stops either side of the break.
Eoin Ryan (free) and Shane Kingston exchanged points before David Lowney took the West Cork club’s total to seven. Then, Clonakilty enjoyed their best spell but could only add a point via Chris Kenneally after numerous misses to trail 1-17 to 0-8 heading into the closing quarter.
Tommy Burns’ third and James Byrne’s fourth scores ended a rare dry spell for the eventual winners prior to substitute Andrew O’Sullivan splitting the posts.
David Lowney created space to squeeze over a Clonakilty score but their opponents kept pushing forward with Conor Quirke and Jamie Byrne white flags making it 1-22 to 0-9.
Goalkeepers Shane Collins and Barry Crowley were called upon to pull off superb saves during a fractious closing period in which both teams emptied their benches.
Mark White fired over an injury-time score, as did Ballinora’s Jack Twohig, before the West Cork side’s Ciarán Crowley completed the scoring.
A O’Shea 1-2, S Kingston (0-3 f), J Byrne 0-5 each, N Lordan, T Burns 0-3 each, C Quirke 0-2, M Lordan, A O’Sullivan, J Twohig 0-1 each.
E Ryan 0-4 f, M White 0-3, D Lowney 0-2, B White, C Kenneally 0-1 each.
B Crowley; P Fitton, J Lordan, T Forde; M Lordan, S Kingston, N Lordan; J Byrne, T Burns; D Dineen, D Holmes, K Greally; A O’Shea, D Corkery, K Murphy.
C Quirke for D Holmes (9, inj), A O’Sullvian for K Murphy (46), R Barrowe for M Lordan (53), J Twohig for A O’Shea (53), C O’Flynn for S Kingston (56).
S Collins; A Cullinane, T Clancy, D O’Sullivan; J O’Mahony, D Lowney (joint-captain), T McCarthy; N Barrett, L O’Donovan; E Ryan, B White, C Kenneally; A Murphy, M White, C O’Donovan.
C Crowley for L O’Donovan (20), D O’Regan for A Cullinane (30), F McCarthy for A Murphy (ht), F Murphy for C O’Donovan (ht), K Calnan for N Barrett (57).
Eoin Coleman (Youghal).
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