Junior A hurling roundup: Ballinora win over Mathúnas sets up brotherly battle
Alan O'Shea of Ballinora (right), pictured in action against Clonakilty's Thomas Clancy last year, scored a goal in the Co-op SuperStores Cork JAHC quarter-final win over Diarmuid Ó Mathúnas. Picture: Dan Linehan
A fraternal sideline clash awaits in the semi-finals of the Co-op SuperStores Cork JAHC after Ballinora safely saw their way past Diarmuid Ó Mathúnas on Sunday.
The Muskerry side were 2-18 to 0-12 winners against the Carbery champions in Ovens, with the goals coming from Alan O’Shea and Shane Kingston. In addition, Ballinora also benefited from the return from injury of Darragh Holmes – he came on a sub for his first match since being injured in last year’s county quarter-final win over Clonakilty and was involved in setting up the goal for former Cork U20 hurler Kingston.
Tom Kingston’s side are the only divisional champions from last year who have made it to the county stage this year and this win matches the 2023 achievement of reaching the last four, when they lost narrowly to the eventual champions Nemo Rangers.
Their opponents next Sunday will be Tracton, who received a quarter-final bye. Tracton are of course Kingston’s home club and the Carrigdhoun champions – relegated from Premier JHC last year – are coached by his brother, the former Cork manager Kieran.
This won’t be the first time that the Kingstons will have been in opposition while involved in team management, however. Tom has been the manager of the UCC Fitzgibbon Cup team since 2017 and he went up against his brother’s Cork side the season-opening Canon O’Brien Cup in the seasons where Kieran led the Rebels.
On the other side of the semi-final draw, Killavullen will face Killeagh after they came through quarter-final ties against Dromtariffe and Whitechurch respectively.
Killavullen, the north Cork champions for the first time, were 1-20 to 1-14 winners in Kilbrin.
While Thomas Howard’s first-half goal helped Dromtariffe to lead by 1-9 to 0-7 at half-time, Killavullen’s response was excellent. After Jamie Magner converted a 65 on the restart, Mike O’Connor’s goal left a point in it and they pushed on well from there, with Colm O’Mahony and Eddie Cotter among the scores.
Killeagh needed extra time before getting the better of Whitechurch in Carrigtwohill on a scoreline of 0-28 to 1-24.
Daniel Walsh weighed in heavily on the scoreboard for the East Cork club’s second team, competing in the county JAHC for the first time since 1995. He had 17 points, 12 of them frees, while Seán Meade and Daniel Landers also contributed, with one of Landers’ points – an over-the-shoulder effort from the sideline – of the highest order. Cillian Egan got 13 of the Whitechurch points while Seán Keane scored 1-3.
In the quarter-finals of the JBHC, there were wins for Aghabullogue, Fr O’Neills and St Finbarr’s, with that trio now advancing to next weekend’s semi-finals along with Carbery representatives Kilbrittain.
Ballinora 2-18 Diarmuid Ó Mathúnas 0-12, Killavullen 1-20 Dromtariffe 1-14, Killeagh 0-28 Whitechurch 1-24 (aet).
Aghabullogue 7-11 Newmarket 1-9, Fr O’Neills 4-19 Valley Rovers 0-7, St Finbarr’s 4-9 Kilworth 3-11.
Ballinora v Tracton, Killeagh v Killavullen.
Aghabullogue v Kilbrittain, Fr O’Neills v St Finbarr’s.
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