Liam O'Connell's return crucial for Ballincollig but may miss St Finbarr's showdown

The knockout stages of the Premier Senior Football Championship await Ballincollig, after they secured a 2-8 to 0-7 victory and the local bragging rights against neighbours Éire Óg on Sunday afternoon.

One of the big stories to emerge from the contest in Kilmurry on Sunday afternoon was the introduction of Liam O’Connell, the Cork U20 back during the off-season break from Aussie Rules and St Kilda.

Ballincollig selector Brian Cotter said they only get clearance to use him this week.

“Liam is contracted to St Kilda in the AFL and he had a good year with their reserve side. He came home with the intention of just doing a bit of R&R really.

“But look I think he may have got a little bit of the bug when he came back and came down to watch us training. We only got clearance for him during the week.

It is probably unlikely we will have him again for the championship. 

"But the importance of this game, to be fair to St Kilda they gave him the go-ahead for 30 minutes. We used him today and look it will be someone else the next day." 

In the victory over their neighbours from Ovens, Frank Down and Luke Fahy was superb coming up from the half-back line, while the 1-4 scored by Cian Dorgan also proved decisive.

Ballincollig's victory means Éire Óg will be playing in the relegation playoff against Carbery Rangers.

A knockout contest for the Village now awaits against St Finbarr’s, as they will battle for the right to face Castlehaven in the semi-finals.

Cotter said: “A local derby was always going to be tough. The lads knew they had a job to do and look they came out on top. Couldn’t have asked for more, we got the goals at the right times and fellas put the shoulder to the wheel."

STEP UP

Two group stage wins for Ballincollig ensured their progress into the knockout stages, having also beaten Newcestown after a poor first day out against Nemo.

The Muskerry side will be eager to be primed for the challenge posed by the 2021 champions St Finbarr’s in the coming weeks.

As the business end of the Cork PSFC looms on the horizon, Ballincollig are among the contending pack, even if the 'big three' remain the favourites.

“We knew we had work to do coming into the championship. You always want to avoid relegation firstly and second look to kick on and get out of the group, which we have now done and championship proper. So it is all ahead of us.

We can rest easy and enjoy it for 24 hours and see after that. Anyone that gets out of the group is out there on merit. So we will think about the Barrs on Monday.” 

Ballincollig won their first senior football crown a decade ago in 2014. 

They were underdogs that season and they certainly will be up against it in two weeks when they face the Barrs. They were beaten by champions Castlehaven last season at the quarter-final stage.