Premier SFC: Knocknagree maximise their breaks to record superb win
Knocknagree’s Micheál O’Dubhghaill fists the ball past Ballincollig’s Tadhg O’Connell. Picture: Noel Sweeney
Knocknagree have seen enough on their odyssey to reach premier senior football to know that every moment matters.
While they enjoyed an 11-point winning margin in their maiden top-flight victory at Macroom on Sunday, it was an encounter with some key moments that went their way.
Trailing by 0-8 to 0-6 at half-time, they coughed up a goal chance to Ballincollig just after the restart as the influential Luke Fahy fed Darragh O’Mahony. A flying block from Daniel O’Mahony kept the initial effort out but the ball fell to his namesake again – a net rippled but it was the larger one behind the goal and Knocknagree could breathe again.
They were level by the 35th minute when Denis R O’Connor linked with Niall O’Connor and kicked a two-pointer. Then, after both sides wasted chances, a misplaced defensive pass gave Fintan O’Connor a chance of a goal – he took it with a superb finish.
While the Duhallow side initially moved into a 1-11 to 0-9 lead, points from O’Mahony and Fahy, following a good turnover, had Ballincollig back to within a goal again.
By this stage, news had filtered through to the Castle Grounds that the game in Rosscarbery had finished in a draw, meaning the losers would definitely be out – there wasn’t a clear sense of who that be, but then came another pivotal moment.
When Ballincollig broke the paint on a sideline kick, the restart went to Knocknagree and Eoghan McSweeney’s quick pass allowed Fintan O’Connor to point. Then, from the kickout, the tireless Killian Cronin and Denis R O’Connor combined to give David O’Connor an avenue to goal; there was a hint of a deflection on his shot but the ball nestled in the net and the scoreboard read 2-12 to 0-11, 14 minutes left.
Ballincollig sought a response and, on another day, might have found one – sub Darragh Ó Sé almost marked his arrival with a green flag but Kealan Buckley’s heroic block led to a 45 that came to nothing. Soon after that, Dara Dorgan did well to link with Liam Jennings and Fahy but screwed his shot wide.
After those let-offs, Knocknagree moved eight ahead when sub Matthew Dilworth points and they were able to ease clear from there. A final-round clash with Castlehaven affords them the opportunity to mark their first year up with a knockout appearance while Ballincollig cannot shift themselves from fourth place but must still guard against relegation play-off worries.
Such an outcome didn’t look likely when the Muskerry side reeled off five points in as many minutes in the opening stages, Danny Miskella on song as Knocknagree looked to be suffering from the injury-enforced absences of Denis Mahoney, Timmy O’Connor and captain Anthony O’Connor.
Peter Rose was on top at midfield for Ballincollig in that period as they moved 0-5 to 0-1 ahead but Michael McSweeney helped Knocknagree to get a foothold and it was his orange flag that put them ahead for the first time.
While Knocknagree might have scrambled a goal coming up to half-time, it was Ballincollig who led, Darragh O’Mahony with a two-pointer as the game moved into injury time.
Even with the missed chance on the restart, Ballincollig kept ahead as Miskella replied to Denis R O’Connor’s point. It made it 0-9 to 0-7 with 26 minutes remaining – the remainder saw Knocknagree outscore their opponents by 2-11 to 0-4.
F O’Connor 1-4 (0-3f), Denis R O’Connor 0-5 (1 2pt), M McSweeney, G Looney 0-4 (1 2pt) each, David O’Connor 1-0, M Dilworth 0-1.
D O’Mahony, L Fahy 0-4 (1 2pt) each, D Miskella 0-3 each, H Aherne, D Dorgan 0-1 each.
P Doyle; Denis ‘Doon’ O’Connor, K Buckley, G O’Connor; G Looney, D O’Mahony, M Doyle; M McSweeney, K Cronin; D Twomey, David O’Connor, E McSweeney; Denis R O’Connor, N O’Connor, F O’Connor.
M Dilworth for N O’Connor (53, injured), T O’Connor for Cronin (60+1, injured).
C Walsh; JP Murphy, P Rose, S Murphy; L Fahy, L Jennings, T O’Connell; P O’Neill, H Aherne; D O’Leary, S Kiely, K O’Leary; D Dorgan, D O’Mahony, D Miskella.
C Moore for S Murphy (12, injured), C Aherne for K O’Leary (half-time, temporary), C Kiely for D O’Leary (41), D Desmond for S Kiely (45), D Ó Sé for O’Mahony (48), C O’Connor for Dorgan (55).
A Long (Argideen Rangers).
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