Premier 1 MFC: Battling Kinsale earn draw with Ballincollig
Kinsale's Ben Long wins the throw-in in Wednesday's Rebel Óg Premier 1 MFC game against Ballincollig at Jack Barrett Memorial Park. Picture: Dan Linehan
Three unanswered points in the final 10 minutes earned Kinsale a draw at home to Ballincollig in Wednesday night’s Rebel Óg Premier 1 MFC opening-round clash at Jack Barrett Memorial Park.
When Ballincollig sub Joe Miskella pointed for them in the 46th minute, it put the visitors into a 1-9 to 0-9 lead. It was the third time in the second half that Ballincollig had held such an advantage but they were not to score again as the hosts continued to battle.
Their scorer-in-chief Ollie Buckley had his sixth point of the night after taking a quick free to Christian McCarthy Cleary and popping over the return pass, while superb defending from Oscar Ryan and Liam Kirwan ensured that Ballincollig forays came to nought.
Even so, the Mid-Cork outfit still had a two-point advantage as the clock reached the 59th minute but an excellent aerial win by McCarthy Cleary was followed by a threaded pass for Rory O’Brien.
While the ball was too far ahead of him to pick it up, he was able to send a ground shot over the bar. Then the same player won the break from the kickout and fed midfielder Gerard Murphy, who kept his nerve to send over what proved to be the final score of the night.
Backed by the elements, Kinsale started well with points from Ollie Buckley and Cillian Fitzpatrick. Though Ballincollig got off the mark with a Danny Miskella free and a nice score from wing-back Alex Rose, they were afflicted by poor shooting for much of the half – they ended it with eight wides to their hosts’ one while two other efforts were left short into the hands of goalkeeper Seán Byrne, who showed safe hands throughout.
After McCarthy Cleary put Kinsale 0-4 to 0-3 in front, Ballincollig took the lead for the first time Michael Delaney won a break and found Danny Miskella. While he found Aaron Keane a vigilant marker for almost all the game, he was able to play a lovely pass to rampaging midfielder Kevin O’Leary.
When he was fouled Miskella sent the penalty past Byrne and, after Kinsale replied with a Ben Long free, Miskella’s pass created another opening for Brian Cronin, but fired a low effort wide.
A nice Luke O’Mahony point sent Ballincollig in at half-time with a 1-5 to 0-6 advantage and they almost extended that on the restart as O’Mahony flashed a shot across the face of goal. Miskella’s fourth gave them a three-point advantage and it almost became six as centre-back Cian O’Connor was only denied by a superb Byrne save.
With the score 1-8 to 0-8, Byrne did the needful again, denying Cronin, who was well pressured by Keane. Buckley’s free from the right cut the Kinsale deficit to two before Joe Miskella replied for Ballincollig to make it 1-9 to 0-9, but the hosts dug deep to claim a point.
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