Ballinora hurlers outgun Belgooly to move into Junior A semi-final

Ballinora 2-25 Belgooly 2-15

Ballinora qualified for the Co-op Superstores Junior A Hurling Championship semi-final against Cobh after they defeated Belgooly before a good-sized attendance at Minane Bridge.

Favoured by a slight breeze in the opening half, Ballinora were on top, before Belgooly turned the screw with four unanswered points before the interval. The second half was more evenly contested as Belgooly out-goaled Ballinora by two goals to one. Belgooly’s second goal came with the game’s last play as Ryan Long set up Barry Dwyer, to leave ten points between the sides.

Barry Dwyer opened the scoring with a pointed free for Belgooly, within a minute of the throw-in before Alan O’ Shea replied with a point from play for Ballinora.

Ballinora had the Carrigdhoun side on the back foot as persistent fouling was proving to be costly for Belgooly. Mark O’Brien slotted over a point from play for the Muskerry side and Ben Mayer converted four frees, to give Ballinora a lead of 0-6 to 0-1, before Ryan Long responded with Belgooly’s first point from play.

In the tenth minute, Mayer capitalised on a defensive error by Belgooly net-minder Ruairí Dwyer to goal and extend the Mid Cork side’s lead to seven points.

Ballinora tagged on four unanswered points from play, before Barry Dwyer slotted over two frees.

Mayer scored three points, including two from placed balls. Darragh Corkery added a further point, before the Carrigdhoun side began to get to grips with the game. Belgooly tagged on six unanswered points, including one free. Mayer replied with a free for Ballinora to leave his side leading 1-15 to 0-10 at the interval.

Mayer got the opening score of the second half for Ballinora, courtesy of a free, before Barry Dwyer replied with two pointed frees for the Carrigdhoun side. Mayer and Liam Lyons got the second half’s first two scores from play. Barry Dwyer responded with his third free of the second half, before Belgooly found themselves pinned back.

Ballinora tagged on four unanswered points, before Long got Belgooly’s first score from play in the second half. Liam Lyons replied with a point for the Muskerry side.

In the 48th minute, Long set up Barry Dwyer for the Carrigdhoun side’s first goal, which left the scoreline reading 1-23 to 1-14 in Ballinora’s favour.

Darragh Corkery set up Mayer for Ballinora’s second goal, with five minutes remaining.

Scorers for Ballinora: B Mayer 2-14 (0-8  f, 0-2 65), L Lyons 0-5, A O'Shea, T Burns, M O’Brien, D Corkery, J Keohane, J Hegarty 0-1 each.

Belgooly: B Dwyer 2-11 (0-8f); R Long 0-3, C O’Donovan 0-1.

BALLINORA: B Crowley; T Forde, N Lordan, J Byrne; M O’Brien, S Kingston, C O’Flynn; L Lyons, T Burns; D Holmes, D Dineen, S Lyons; B Mayer, D Corkery, A O’Shea.

Subs: J Keohane for O’Shea, J Hegarty for Holmes (both h/t), C Quirke for Dineen (42), B Carbery for S Lyons (49), C O’Donoghue for L Lyons (56),

BELGOOLY: R Dwyer; J O’Sullivan, T O’Donovan, N O’Sullivan; R Reynolds, G O’Riordan, C O’Sullivan; S Kiely, C O’Donovan; E Corkery, E O’Donovan, B Dwyer; R Long, M Kenny, J Dwyer.

Subs: K Fitzgerald for Kenny (h/t), E Lynch for J Dwyer (43), F Walsh for E Corkery (60).

Referee: Willie Wallis (Aghada).