Ballincollig back on track in PIHC after beating Kilworth
A free won by Ballincollig is contested by Kilworth players during the first half. Picture by Noel Sweeney
Ballincollig got back to winning ways with an impressive victory over Kilworth at Rathcormac.
Two first-half goals from Cian O’Driscoll and Adam Wills set the tone but the Village had eight different scorers in an impressive team performance.
Free-taker Stephen Wills had an outstanding game while two monster long-range points from the returning David O’Sullivan were a real boost for the winners. Ballincollig will be pleased with the manner of the victory after suffering a defeat in the opening round against Ballinhassig.
Aided by the breeze, Ballincollig started brightly with Mark Oldham clipping over an excellent point in the opening play. Stephen Wills added a second and the aforementioned Oldham added two further points for an electric opening quarter from the corner-forward.
Former Cork U20 winner Tadgh O’Connell, who hurled a load of ball, found Cian O’Driscoll who broke inside the cover for a superb goal. Kilworth eventually settled and three points on the bounce from Michael Sheehan, Eoin Carey and a placed effort from Liam Óg Hegarty left five between them, 1-4 to 0-3 after 12 minutes.
Ballincollig’s goalkeeper James Linehan made a superb point-blank save from Jamie Sheehan which was important during a good period of play from Kilworth. It lifted his colleagues and further points from Brian Keating, Stephen Wills (free) and an excellent individual goal from Adam Wills put real daylight between the sides.
The victors piled on the pressure and points from O’Driscoll, O’Sullivan (2), Keating and Theo Morgan effectively ended this game as a contest, 2-14 to 0-6 at halftime.
On resumption, there was no let-up from Ballincollig, who added points from Stephen Wills and Theo Dorgan. With scoring difference potentially crucial, Kilworth kept the scoreboard ticking over with points from Liam Whelan and Liam Óg Hegarty, who finished the game with an impressive total of 1-7.
Ballincollig remained in control though with Tadgh O’Connell, Stephen Wills and Cian O’Driscoll landing terrific points from play. Kilworth added a few placed efforts in the closing quarter and Liam Óg Hegarty blasted home a penalty, the final score of a disappointing game.
After defeating Castlemartyr in impressive fashion in the opening round Kilworth just never got going on this occasion.
Scorers for Ballincollig: S Wills 0-9 (0-7 f), C O’Driscoll 1-2, M Oldham 0-4, A Wills 1-1, B Keating, T Morgan, D O’Sullivan 0-2 each, T O’Connell 0-1.
Kilworth: L Óg Hegarty 1-7 (1-0 pen, 0-7 f), J Sheehan, M Sheehan, E Carey 0-2 each, N McNamara, L Whelan 0-1 each.
J Linehan; F Denny, J Murray, B Dore; D O’Leary, D O’Sullivan, B Coleman; T O’Connell; T Morgan; B Keating, S Wills, C Dorgan; A Wills, C O’Driscoll, M Oldham.
D O’Mahony for C Dorgan (40), S O’Neill for M Oldham (50), P Morris for A Wills (54), C Dalton For T Morgan (55), P Kelly for B Coleman (56).
K Heggeveit; L Carey, K Lane, A O’Hara; S Óg Kenneally, D Twomey, M Gowen; L Whelan, L Coffey; E Carey, B Sheehan, J Sheehan; L Óg Hegarty, N McNamara, M Sheehan.
R Jordan for M Sheehan (35), C Donellan for S Óg Kenneally (45).
M Maher (St Finbarr's)
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