Ballincollig survive Nemo Rangers goal-blitz to retain U15 football title

Ballincollig 2-18 (2-1-16) 

Nemo Rangers 3-8 (3-0-8)

Ballincollig were crowned Rebel Óg Premier 1 U15 Football champions as they defeated Nemo Rangers in the decider on the 4G Pitch at Bishopstown.

It was a game in which goals were significant, with Nemo raising three green flags and Ballincollig only sealing their win with a second goal late on.

Nemo Rangers could have scored more goals in the opening half, had it not been for spectacular saves by Ballincollig net-mender Riain O’Sullivan.

Ballincollig were also denied a goal-scoring opportunity as Nemo Rangers goalkeeper Robert Horgan pulled of a point-blank save, five minutes after the interval.

Nemo Rangers opened the scoring in the second minute when Maximilian Dietze set up Darragh Harrington for the game’s opening goal. Ballincollig promptly seized the initiative with four unanswered points from play. Harrington levelled matters with a point for Nemo Rangers.

In the 13th minute, Liam O’Brien got the game’s only two-pointer, as he converted a free from outside the Nemo Rangers’ 40-metre arc.

Faolán O’Leary and Shay O’Brien each added points for Ballincollig, midway through the opening half.

Entering the second quarter, Matthew O’Leary set up Harrington for Nemo Rangers’ second goal, to leave the minimum between the sides.

Cuan Connaughton tagged on a point for Ballincollig, before Cian O’Flaherty replied with a pointed free for Nemo Rangers.

Approaching the break, Nemo Rangers found themselves pinned back as Ballincollig scored three unanswered points from play. Shay O’Brien also chipped in with a pointed free, two minutes into stoppage time at the end of the first half. This left the half-time scoreline reading 0-13 to 2-2 in favour of Ballincollig.

In the opening minute of the second half, Harrington set up Cian Fitzpatrick for Nemo Rangers’ third goal, to cut the deficit to two points. Killian Healy reduced the margin to the minimum with a point from play.

Ollie Power then set up Connaughton for Ballincollig’s first goal to make it 1-13 to 3-3 in their favour and regain control.

Both sides traded four points apiece in the final quarter and O’Flaherty converted his second free for Nemo Rangers.

Deep into stoppage time, Max Fleury set up Jack O’Sullivan for Ballincollig’s second goal to secure the victory. This was followed by a point by Faolán O’Leary, before the final whistle was greeted with jubilant scenes by the Ballincollig supporters.

Scorers for Ballincollig: C Connaughton 1-2, L O’Brien 0-5 (1 2pt f), S O’Brien 0-5 (0-1 f), F O’Leary 0-4, J O’Sullivan 1-0, E Stack, A Jozefowski 0-1 each.

Nemo Rangers: D Harrington 2-1, C O’Flaherty 0-4 (0-2 f), C Fitzpatrick 1-0, K Healy 0-2, M O’Leary 0-1.

BALLINCOLLIG: R O’Sullivan; R Ó Conaill, J Archibald, C Murphy; C Hannigan, J O’Sullivan, M Fleury; E Stack, A Jozefowski; A Hennessy, S O’Brien, F O’Leary; W Twomey, L O’Brien, C Connaughton.

Subs: C Daly for C Murphy (34, inj), O Power for Twomey (47).

NEMO: R Horgan; R Hayes, L Murphy, J McCarthy; R Cripps, S McGauran, R Pisorski; M Dietze, C Fitzpatrick; A Murphy, M O’Leary, C Morgan; J Nolan, C O’Flaherty, D Harrington.

Subs: K Healy for L Murphy, S Bowen for Pisorski (both h-t), L Murphy for Nolan (57).

Referee: Anthony O’Regan (Youghal).