Premier 1 MFC: Holders Ballincollig blow Nemo away with excellent second-half display

Ballincollig: 3-15 (3-0-15) 

Nemo Rangers: 2-9 (2-1-7) 

Reigning champions Ballincollig powered to an important victory over Nemo Rangers in the Rebel Óg Premier 1 MFC Section 1 Round 2 tie at Ballincollig on Wednesday evening.

It was a vital game for both in a round dubbed ‘moving day’. The respective teams failed to win the first day out albeit the Village did pick up a point.

The holders produced an awesome second-half display here to win by nine points having trailed by two points at the interval.

Cork U20 footballer Danny Miskella spearheaded the attack with also big performances from the likes of his younger brother Joe Miskella, Cian Ahern and Luke O’Mahony.

Nemo now can’t make the top two qualification spots going into the last round of group games. Dara O’Sullivan was outstanding for his team, kicking 0-7 (0-4 f, 1 2pt f).

Ballincollig hit the front when Joe Miskella pointed after two minutes following great vision by Filip Jozefowski.

It was a low scoring opening 30 minutes. Nemo Rangers did bag a goal after nine minutes when Mark O’Keeffe was quickest to react to O’Sullivan’s free, which dropped short.

A minute later though, the Village got their own goal, Brian Cronin’s long delivery into the box was touched into the net by Cian O’Connor.

An O’Sullivan free did draw his side level before the home team put two successive white flags together courtesy of Danny Miskella, 1-3 to 1-1 after 16 minutes.

The Muskerry men wouldn’t score for the remainder of the half. They were forcing the issue too much with seven wides in the first 30 minutes.

Nemo Rangers started their recovery with five minutes to the short whistle, an O’Sullivan free and a Cathal Twohig effort tied up proceedings before an O’Sullivan two-point free gave his team a 1-5 to 1-3 lead at the interval.

That man O’Sullivan pushed Nemo Rangers three points clear on the resumption following an easy free, the holders needed a response.

Danny Miskella landed a hugely important point from a free after 33 minutes, Ballincollig’s first score in 17 minutes.

That was followed by a pair of Ahern white flags, one from a free, to draw the game, 1-6 each after 36 minutes.

The teams traded points, but the momentum was with the Village. An Ahern placed ball was cancelled out by a Daniel Mellerick effort, only Nemo’s third point scorer.

With the game deadlocked and the pressure on, Ballincollig hit three of the next four white flags to lead 1-11 to 1-9 with 12 minutes remaining.

The Muskerry side finished strong with Kevin O’Leary and Brian Cronin lording midfield, the winners scored 2-3 without reply.

The aforementioned Cronin with the two goals from close range after brilliant team moves, 3-14 to 1-9 after 59 minutes.

Nemo Rangers sub Morgan Corkery, son of former Cork footballer Colin Corkery, did net a consolation goal in added time.

Fittingly, it was Danny Miskella, who made his team tick throughout the contest, that got the last score of the game, a fantastic point to cap off a successful evening for Ballincollig.

Ballincollig have the destiny in their own hands now in order to book a knockout spot heading into the final group game in two weeks. They are away to Douglas while Nemo, who are now eliminated, entertain Kinsale.

Scorers for Ballincollig: B Cronin 2-0, D Miskella 0-5 (0-1 f), C Ahern (0-2 f), J Miskella 0-4 each, C O’Connor 1-0, L O’Mahony 0-2.

Nemo Rangers: D O’Sullivan 0-7 (0-4 f, 1 2pt f), M O’Keeffe, M Corkery 1-0 each, C Twohig, D Mellerick 0-1 each. 

BALLINCOLLIG: M Murray; E Donovan, P Rose, D Crowley; J Ryan, C O’Connor, A Rose; K O’Leary, B Cronin; M Delaney, C Ahern, F Jozefowski; D Miskella, L O’Mahony, J Miskella.

Subs: D Murray for F Jozefowski, T Murphy for C Ahern, D Brown for M Delaney, C Ward for J Miskella (all 62).

NEMO RANGERS: C McCarthy-O’Donovan; D Kelleher, J Randles, R Sheehan; J McLaughlin, C Power, A Quinlivan; D Callanan; M Keenan; C Twohig, D Mellerick, L Butler; M O’Keeffe, D O’Sullivan, M Scott.

Subs: L Neenan for M Scott (h-t), O Jordan for M O’Keeffe, J Foley for C Twohig (both 52), M Corkery for L Butler (59).

Referee: Peter Cotter (Gleann na Laoi).