Ballinora are history-makers after late Kevin Werner goal seals IAFC title after an epic with Ilen Rovers
Ballinora’s Neil, Mike and James Lordan lift the trophy after beating Ilen Rovers. Picture: Chani Anderson.
A last-gasp goal from Kevin Werner sealed county glory for Ballinora after an absolute belter with Ilen Rovers.
For the first time in their history, they have been crowned McCarthy Insurance Group IAFC winners after a game for the ages after extra-time at SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh on Sunday afternoon.
Both sides couldn’t be separated the first time out a fortnight ago and in this replay, there was nothing in it either after 60 minutes.
In saying that, in normal time, it looked like Ballinora would prevail having led by eight points at one stage, but a stirring comeback from Ilen Rovers ensured there would be another 20 minutes.
A Micheál Sheehy two-pointer right at the death in normal time kept the West Cork team alive. He was outstanding with three orange flags in total.
They looked to have won it when leading by two points, but they were reduced to 14 players late on in extra-time after a Jack Collins black card.
Ballinora struck right at the death when Werner goaled to spark wild celebrations.
It’s the club’s first county football title since winning the Junior A back in 1997.
It took until six minutes for the first score and it was worth the wait. Patient play resulted in Daragh Holmes kicking a point for Ballinora followed by his teammate Ivan Quirke raising a white flag.
Ilen Rovers, after a frustrating period, did get a score after 10 minutes through a Barry Collins point, which could have very easily ended up in the back of the net.
The Quirke brothers, Michael and Ivan, pointed as Ballinora pushed three points clear, which was a fair reflection of how well they were doing at this juncture, 0-4 to 0-1 after 15 minutes.
The Muskerry men were gaining an upper hand in midfield with James Lordan and Holmes doing brilliantly around the middle.
A Shane Kingston two-pointer and Michael Quirke and Mark O’Brien efforts gave their team a seven-point lead.
Ilen Rovers were struggling to get any flow into their game albeit they were coming up against a resolute Ballinora defence. Adrian O’Driscoll’s goal opportunity went across the face of goal and wide before the experienced Dan MacEoin registered his side’s first score in 15 minutes with a relatively straightforward point from a free, 0-8 to 0-2 after 25 minutes.
A Neil Lordan two-point free extended Ballinora’s advantage as the team in green and red led 0-10 to 0-2 at the interval.
Ilen Rovers made three changes at the break and one of the subs made an impact straight away, substitute Alan Holland’s high ball into the square resulted in Aaron O’Sullivan finishing to the net from close range after he was quickest to react to the dropping ball a minute into the second 30 minutes.
A youthful Ballinora side showed maturity as they just took the sting out of the game with a period of possession.
Points from Kingston and Danny Dineen were settling scores for the Mid-Cork outfit, 0-12 to 1-2 after 38 minutes.
The teams traded white flags until a Sheehy two-pointer from a free kept Ilen Rovers in touch, 0-13 to 1-5.
Ballinora did kick two of the next three points before a sweet MacEoin goal, a piledriver from close range after 50 minutes, brought Ilen Rovers to within three points, 0-15 to 2-6.
A second Barry Collins point left two points between the sides before the same player was denied a goal by a brilliant save by Ballinora goalkeeper Alex McAllen.
The contest was on a knife-edge as the game went into added time and another Sheehy orange flag, this time from play, meant there would be extra-time.
Seán Connolly put Ilen Rovers ahead for the first time a minute into extra-time. There was a lull in the scoring before that man Sheehy scored another incredible two-pointer, this time from a free.
The sides swapped points as Ilen Rovers led 2-13 to 0-16. A Werner effort left Ballinora two points adrift at the quick break.
MacEoin pushed Ilen three points clear before Jack Collins got a black card after a foul on Liam Lyons.
A pair of Werner points, one from a free, left Ballinora one point adrift with two minutes to go before the latter's last-gasp goal sealed county glory for the Muskerry team.
K Werner 1-4 (0-2 f), S Kingston 0-4 (1 2pt, 0-1 45), M Quirke 0-3, N Lordan (1 2pt f), I Quirke 0-2 each, M O’Brien, D Dineen, L Lyons, D Holmes 0-1 each.
M Sheehy 0-6 (2 2pt f, 1 2pt), D MacEoin 1-3 (0-1 f), A O’Sullivan 1-0, B Collins 0-2, S Connolly, D O’Driscoll, A Holland 0-1 each.
A McAllen; A Laverty, N Lordan, C O’Flynn; D Dineen, S Kingston (j-c), J Byrne; I Quirke, J Lordan (j-c); M O’Brien, D Holmes, L Lyons; M Quirke, R Quirke, K Werner.
M Lordan for D Holmes (41), I Wycherley for D Dineen (44), T Burns for L Lyons (50), J Keohane for K Werner (53), L Lyons for J Byrne, K Werner for J Keohane (both 60), A O’Sullivan for J Lordan (73).
D O’Sullivan (c); D Coakley, J Collins, C O’Dwyer; A O’Sullivan, J Hickey, C O’Driscoll; D Hegarty, P O’Driscoll; B Collins, S Connolly, A O’Driscoll; D MacEoin, M Sheehy, S Minihane.
A Holland for A O’Driscoll, K O’Driscoll for D Hegarty, S Carey for D Coakley (all h-t), D O’Driscoll for A O’Sullivan (47), A O’Driscoll for C O’Driscoll, D Hegarty for S Connolly (both 70), C Harrington for M Sheehy (77, inj).
Brian Coniry (Crosshaven).
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