Premier SFC: Ballincollig's bench comes good in late fightback against Duhallow
Ballincollig's Peter O'Neill shoots past Duhallow's Colin Walsh during Sunday's McCarthy Insurance Group Premier SFC quarter-final at Páirc Uí Rinn. Picture: Eddie O'Hare
Ballincollig may not seek quantity in terms of squad depth, but there’s no doubting the quality.
While the Mid-Cork side opted to tog just eight subs for Sunday’s McCarthy Insurance Group Premier SFC quarter-final against Duhallow, the four players introduced combined for six points, including the vital three to level and then overtake their opponents.
A trio of Duhallow points – two for sub David O’Connor, both set up by Séamus Hickey, and one Luke Murphy free – put them 2-11 to 1-12 ahead with ten minutes remaining. However, with eight of their players having lined out at club level already over the weekend, they tired and were not to score again.
Ballincollig did not immediately eat into the lead, though they did almost snaffle a goal when Dara Dorgan’s free dropped dangerously in the goalmouth. Another effort was blocked by Duhallow’s Darragh Cashman, who was excellent throughout, but Ballincollig didn’t yield.
Dorgan cut the deficit to a point in the first minute of injury time, then they were level as Seán Kiely was the provider for another replacement, Seán O’Neill.
Duhallow might have seized the victory with a late breakaway but the effort from Donncha O’Connor – playing his 90th championship game for the division – tailed just wide.
While a black card for Ballincollig’s Peter O’Neill for an infringement during that move looked set to reduce them to 14 for the first period of the looming extra time, instead it proved to be almost meaningless – Kiely found Dorgan and he passed on to Tadhg O’Connell, who fisted over the winner.
There was time for one last Duhallow attack but Liam O’Connell’s vital challenge on Luke Murphy ensured it came to nothing.
Ballincollig had begun brightly with points from Seán Kiely and then Darragh O’Mahony, but the concession of a fifth-minute goal meant they didn’t lead again for the rest of the half.
There was an element of fortune to it from a Duhallow point of view as Conor O’Callaghan’s point attempt hit the post and bounced down – against that, Luke Murphy’s sense of anticipation was rewarded as he had the easy task of netting from close range.
Better was to come for the divisional side after Ballincollig captain Luke Fahy levelled. A quick and incisive move saw Gerry O’Sullivan find centre-back Kevin Cremin and he in turn played in midfielder Adrian Carroll, who applied the final touch – 2-0 to 0-3, eight minutes on the clock.
Amid a strangely subdued atmosphere, the rest of the half was fairly even, with the goals allowing Duhallow a cushion. Carroll was strong at midfield while their defensive unit proved difficult for Ballincollig to break down.
The lead was six points at one stage but a purple patch for the mid-Cork side coming up to half-time saw them close to within three, the best point scored by O’Mahony after a great Seán Dore aerial win and nice build-up play from Harry Ahearne.
Jack Curtin made the lead four again and at the other end, Carroll got in a great block when O’Leary was presented with a glimpse of goal.
Trailing by 2-6 to 0-8 at half-time, Ballincollig got on top in the third quarter. David O’Leary, brought on for injured corner-back Shane Murphy in a move which necessitated a reshuffle in the first half, had an early point and, while that was answered by Donncha O’Connor, Ballincollig were soon ahead.
They had a penalty when O’Mahony was fouled and converted from the spot himself; then Liam O’Connell levelled and Luke Fahy’s delivery led to O’Leary palming over. Donncha O’Connor levelled and O’Leary put Ballincollig back ahead – while Duhallow replied with three on the trot to take back the initiative, it was Ballincollig’s day.
D O’Mahony 1-2 (1-0 penalty), D O’Leary 0-3, P O’Neill, L O’Connell 0-2 each, L Fahy, S Kiely, B O’Connell, T O’Connell, D Dorgan, S O’Neill 0-1 each.
L Murphy 1-3 (0-1 f), Donncha O’Connor 0-4 (1 2pt, 0-2 f), A Carroll 1-0, David O’Connor 0-2, J Curtin, C O’Callaghan 0-1 each.
J Gibbons; S Murphy, L Jennings, JP Murphy; D Desmond, F Down, L Fahy; S Dore, P O’Neill; B O’Connell, L O’Connell, S Kiely; H Ahearne, D O’Mahony, C Dorgan.
D O’Leary for S Murphy (13, injured), S O’Neill for C Dorgan (36), D Dorgan for Ahearne (51), T O’Connell for O’Mahony (57).
F O’Connor (Cullen); D Cashman (Millstreet), S Meehan (Kiskeam), K Crowley (Millstreet); G O’Sullivan (Boherbue), K Cremin (Boherbue), C Curtin (Rockchapel); S Hickey (Rockchapel), A Carroll (Kiskeam); D Buckley (Boherbue), L Moynihan (Boherbue), C O’Callaghan (Dromtariffe); D O’Connor (Ballydesmond), L Murphy (Cullen), J Curtin (Rockchapel).
C Walsh (Cullen) for Hickey (3-4, 26-28), D O’Connor (Boherbue) for Curtin (51), S O’Sullivan (Kiskeam) for G O’Sullivan (58), Walsh for Carroll (60+2).
A Long (Argideen Rangers).
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