Ballygarvan footballers into Carrigdhoun Junior A final after outlasting Ballinhassig

Ballygarvan (1-6) (1-0-6) Ballinhassig 0-6 (0-1-4) 

Ballygarvan claimed the bragging rights as they saw off the challenge from their fellow parishioners Ballinhassig in the Procure.ie SE Junior A Football semi-final at Shanbally on Sunday.

A game dominated by a swirling breeze and some poor shooting was ultimately decided by a Niall Dowd first-half goal. Ballygarvan now face Carrigaline in the divisional decider.

Ballinhassig opened the contest at lightning pace as Gearoid Daly fired over after 60 seconds.

A head injury to Eoin Mackey delayed the game and, on the resumption, Dowd had two bites of the cherry for a goal, but Arthur O’Leary produced two superb saves.

On 13 minutes, Ballinhassig had their second score as Simon O’Neill found the target.

Ballygarvan finally got on the scoreboard on 17 minutes as Daniel Mackey opened their account, but O’Neill increased his side’s tally as he landed his second point almost immediately.

However, the game turned on its head on 22 minutes as Dowd finished a speculative shot from Eoin Mackey to the Ballinhassig net, giving Ballygarvan a 1-1 to 0-3 lead.

With scores at a premium, a ball across the square from Daniel Mackey fell to Dowd, but his effort drifted wide with less than two minutes to the break, leaving it 1-1 to 0-3.

Two early points from Evan O’Connor had the red half of the parish in front by three after 35 minutes.

A Diarmuid O’Sullivan free reduced the margin to two on 38 minutes.

Despite playing against the wind, Ballinhassig were dominating the game without registering their advantage, and a Cillian Fitzgerald 45 left three between the teams on 49 minutes.

Ballinhassig hadn’t thrown in the towel, and a Ronan Casey two-point score brought the margin back to one.

However, there was to be no reprieve for the blue half of the parish as Josh O’Callaghan finished the contest with two late points.

Scorers for Ballygarvan: N Dowd 1-0, Evan O’Connor, J O’Callaghan 0-2 each, K Fitzgerald (45), D Mackey 0-1 each.

Ballinhassig: S O’Neill, R Casey (2pt) 0-2 each, D O’Sullivan (f), G Daly 0-1 each.

BALLYGARVAN: C Fitzgerald; P Ryan, E Mackey, A Dunne; J Fenton, S O’Donovan, K Lyons; S Fenton, S Brady; C Mackey, K Fitzgerald, C O’Regan; E O’Connor, D Mackey, N Dowd. 

Subs: L Crowley for E Mackey (5, inj), J O’Callaghan for N Dowd (48), L Collins for D Mackey (54).

BALLINHASSIG: A O’Leary; P O’Leary, K Maguire, J Grainger; E Lombard, C Desmond, C Barry-Murphy; D O’Donovan, G Daly; B Lynch, C Grainger, E Cullinane; D O’Sullivan, S O’Neill, D Desmond. 

Subs: L Casey for D O’Donovan (HT), C Kirby for J Grainger (34), C Delea for P O’Leary (43, inj), O O’Meara for E Cullinane and P O’Regan for D Deasy (47).

Referee: Brian Sweeney (Erins Own)