IAFC: Neil Lordan's late two-point free gives Ballinora a replay as Ilen Rovers are denied

Ilen Rovers 2-9

Ballinora 0-15

Neil Lordan’s two-point free deep in injury time gave Ballinora a draw against Ilen Rovers in Sunday’s McCarthy Insurance Group IAFC final at SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh.

It was the final dramatic act of a game that had more than a few: Ilen looked to have made a decisive burst as they kicked three points with the end in sight but even that was interspersed with goal chances for Ballinora. 

First, Michael Quirke’s great run created an opening for Kevin Werner but Ciarán O’Dwyer made a heroic goal-line block; as the game moved into injury time, the superb Shane Kingston set up Mark O’Brien, whose shot was kept out by Damien O’Sullivan.

Ballinora sub Iain Wycherley slotted over in the 61st minute to leave them two behind, 2-9 to 0-13 and they might have even had what would have been a second penalty when Quirke looked to have been fouled. Nothing was forthcoming there but, when Ilen broke the three-up rule in the third and final minute of added time, they were afforded a chance.

With the allotted time up, an effort from outside the arc was the only option for Cork player Lordan, who had kicked such a free early in the second half but also put one wide in the closing stages. This time, he made no mistake, necessitating a second meeting. 

Both will welcome such an opportunity, knowing there is space in which to mine improvement: for Ilen, it will be about trying to rediscover the form that put them in control in the first half while Ballinora can point to an 11-3 wides count in their ‘favour’.

In those early stages, Ilen enjoyed a near-monopoly on possession, with Dermot Hegarty and Peadar O’Driscoll giving them a strong platform.

With some early Ballinora wides betraying signs of nerves, Ilen had moved into a 0-2 to 0-1 lead when goalkeeper Damien O’Sullivan’s arrowed kickout was won by Hegarty. The ball was worked through the hands of Denis O’Driscoll, Seán Minihane and Dan Mac Eoin to give Adrian O’Drsicoll a sight of goal - he slotted coolly past Alex McAllen.

Seán Connolly pointed and then set up Joseph Hickey for another, with Micheál Sheehy involved in both, and Ilen held a 1-4 to 0-2 advantage with the clock not yet having reached 13 minutes.

However, Ballinora settled, aided by the composure of Mark O’Brien as he brought his tally to three points before James Lordan broke an Ilen kickout and Liam Lyons scampered away before curling a shot over.

They were within two points as Kingston cleared the crossbar - unlucky to be just inside the arc - and then he added another on 28 to cut the deficit to a point. Unfortunately, their momentum was halted as a quick Ilen free gave MacEoin the chance of a two-point effort: it dropped just short enough that it dropped into the net for a 2-4 to 0-6 advantage.

Ballinora did have the last score of the half, Michael Quirke on target after exchanging passes with Mark O’Brien, and soon after the restart Neil Lordan’s orange flag brought a roar from the green and red faithful.

When James Keohane’s pass allowed Michael Quirke to slalom through the Ilen cover, his progress could only be halted illegally, just inside the large rectangle - yielding a penalty and a black card for Peadar O’Driscoll.

Quirke’s penalty was not badly struck but O’Sullivan did magnificently as he dived full-length to push the ball around the post. Even so, Kingston’s 45 tied matters and then he and Michael Quirke set up the latter’s twin brother Ivan for their first lead score.

They couldn’t push the man advantage any further than that, though, and by the time of O’Driscoll’s return, Ilen had levelled as Sheehy fisted over when Mac Eoin’s free looped in towards the goalmouth.

Adrian O’Driscoll had them in front again and while Kingston did kick a fourth to level, Ilen’s subs made a difference - Conor O’Driscoll gave them security around the middle and Kevin O’Driscoll and Alan Holland had points, either side of a Mac Eoin free.

That put them three ahead, but Ballinora were able to wipe out the deficit.

Scorers for Ilen Rovers: D Mac Eoin 1-2 (0-2 f), A O’Driscoll 1-1, M Sheehy 0-2, J Hickey, S Connolly, A Holland, K O’Driscoll 0-1 each.

Ballinora: S Kingston, N Lordan (2 2ptf) 0-4 each, M O’Brien 0-3, M Quirke, I Wycherley, L Lyons, I Quirke 0-1 each.

ILEN ROVERS: D O’Sullivan; D Coakley, J Collins, C O’Dwyer; A O’Sullivan, J Hickey, D O’Driscoll; D Hegarty, P O’Driscoll; B Collins, S Connolly, A O’Driscoll; D Mac Eoin, M Sheehy, S Minihane.

Subs: S Carey for D O’Driscoll (half-time), C O’Driscoll for A O’Sullivan (38), K O’Driscoll for Minihane (44), A Holland for A O’Driscoll (57), C Harrington for Connolly (60+4).

BALLINORA: A McAllen; A Laverty, N Lordan, C O’Flynn; D Dineen, S Kingston, J Byrne; I Quirke, J Lordan; M O’Brien, D Holmes, L Lyons; M Quirke, J Keohane, K Werner.

Subs: M Lordan for Holmes (50), T Burns for I Quirke (51), A O’Sullivan for Keohane, I Wycherley for Lyons (both 54).

Referee: J Kelleher (St John’s).