Nemo Rangers grab a late goal to beat Ballinora and reach county hurling final
Jack Horgan flicked the sliotar to the net to give Nemo Rangers a dramatic victory over Ballinora. Picture:: Larry Cummins
NEMO Rangers, in the most dramatic fashion, booked their place in the Co-Op Superstores JAHC final after a thrilling one-point victory over Ballinora at Páirc Uí Rinn.
Nemo are well known for their never-say-die attitude in football and that was key here. They struck with the last puck through Jack Horgan, who got a vital touch to a long-range Billy O’Neill free to spark wild celebrations and set up a showdown with Harbour Rovers, who beat Carraig na bhFear in the other semi-final.
The opening half was a lively and competitive dual. The city champions opened their scoring account with a composed Ronan Dalton point.
Muskerry winners Ballinora got into an early scoring groove though and found the net through Darragh Corkery. Nemo responded with a free through Shane Horgan. Ballinora continued to impress with Alan O’Shea and Cork U20 Shane Kingston both slotting over.
On 18 minutes Nemo Rangers reduced the gap down to two points, when Dalton blasted home from close range. The sides were level by the 25th minute, as Nemo got two points in a row through Colm Kiely and then Artjoms Petrovs.
Shortly afterwards the city side led when Dalton reacted quickest before slotting over the bar. However, Ballinora had the final say in the first half, as Tommy Burns a great score from a tight angle: 1-6 apiece.
Nemo got the opening score of the second half, a well-taken Shane Horgan free but Ballinora levelled again through Kingston.
After the sides traded further scoring blows, Ballinora edged ahead on 42 minutes through another Kingston point from a free. This was followed up by a wonderful long-range score by Neil Lordan.
Nemo responded once again, 1-10 apiece, through a pair of fine Horgan scores and he nudged them in front only after 48 minutes.
Ballinora held firm and a super Kingston point from distance gave them the lead once more.
The impressive Horgan levelled again, however, Kingston scored twice to give Ballinora the momentum in stoppage time. There was a late twist in the tale as Nemo, who a few minutes earlier hit the crossbar, snatched the win through Jack Horgan.
S Horgan 0-8 (0-7 f), R Dalton 1-2, J Horgan 1-0, C Kiely, A Petrovs 0-1 each.
S Kingston 0-7 (0-5 f), D Corkery 1-1, A O’Shea, J Byrne 0-2 each, N Lordan, T Burns 0-1 each.
J Masters; E Dilloughery, P Morgan, B Murphy; B O’Neill, K O’Donovan, J Coogan; P Collins, S Cronin; M Cronin, B Cripps, S Horgan; C Kiely, R Dalton, A Petrovs.
C Horgan for Petrovs (35), A O’Donovan for Dilloughery (39), J Horgan for Cronin (45), G Barrett for Collins, S Joyce for Kiely (both 53).
B Crowley; P Fitton, J Lordan, T Forde; M Lordan, N Lordan, K Greally; J Byrne, S Kingston; D Dineen, C Quirke, T Burns; A O’Shea, D Corkery, K Murphy.
R Barrow for Forde (21), A O’Sullivan for Dineen (42), M Quirke for Murphy (52).
Pa Beausang (Midleton).
App?
