Strong league showing should stand to Ballinora hurlers

While Ballinora may not have won the RedFM Hurling League Division 7 final, the positives of the campaign far outweighed the negatives.

The mid-Cork side fell to a 1-15 to 1-13 defeat against Barryroe last Saturday evening in Newcestown – however, promotion to Division 6 for 2027 had already been secured while the game itself served as the ideal tee-up for the MJK Oils Muskerry JAHC.

“This was great preparation,” said Ballinora manager Francis Twohig.

“The big thing was to qualify from grade 7 up to grade 6, that was huge for us, but this was a great preparation for championship, a great game against Barryroe.

“There was nothing in it, it was well-fought, only a couple of points in it at the end.

“We were delighted with the game, it's great preparation for championship and a very, very fair, even game.

“There was a mix of junior A and premier junior clubs – you had Kilshannig, Barryroe, St Finbarr’s second team, so we got great competition.

“It's a great learning curve for us and we know what we have to work on but, again, it's great to be playing different teams as well.

“I know we found it very beneficial and it’s our first time going up to grade 6, so we’ll be looking forward to that next year.” 

Last year, Ballinora worn the divisional title for the fifth straight season but, while they lost the county final to Kilshannig, they claimed county glory in the IAFC, overcoming Ilen Rovers after a replay.

Before they opening their hurling championship campaign against Uibh Laoire on August 1, there is a Premier IFC joust with Nemo Rangers – Twohig feels that one code feeds off the other.

“That’s right, a hundred percent,” he says.

“One feeds off the other – it can be challenging at times but we find we work pretty well together.

“Most of these lads all play football as well.” With Shane Kingston and Liam Lyons set to be available after time abroad, the hope is that they will be primed for a challenging defence of the Muskerry title.

“We have a couple of lads in America who’ll be coming back, so it was good to be able to field without some of those lads,” Twohig said.

“They’ll come back into it now so there’ll be good competition for places.

“Once they’ll all come back in one piece, that’ll be the main thing. There were plenty lads put their hands up as well."

As well as Uibh Laoire, Ballinora will have Inniscarra, Grenagh, Kilmichael and Aghabullogue for company in their JAHC group as they look to make it six titles in a row 

“The mid-Cork is never easy, it gets tougher every year.

“Everybody will be after our scalp but that’s no harm either.”