Ballincollig 0-9
Newcestown 0-8
JOHNNY CAROLAN REPORTS
DOWN but not out – Newcestown still have a chance to progress in the McCarthy Insurance Group Premier SFC but their task is a bit more challenging than it might have been.
Level at half-time, 0-5 each, against Ballincollig in Ovens on Saturday evening, the Carbery side conceded three points in the opening period of the second half and never regained parity thereafter.
Having got back to within a point, they were awarded a late free 45 metres out and close to the sideline. It was on the right-hand side – the wrong side from the point of view of kicker David Buckley – and, while he curled his kick goalwards, it was not able to turn enough to pass between the posts.
It leaves Newcestown and Ballincollig both on two points with Nemo Rangers – Newcestown’s next opponents – on four and Éire Óg yet to register. Newcestown manager Jim O’Sullivan felt that Ballincollig’s surge after the interval was the key segment.
‘I think the ten minutes after half time were crucial,’ he said.
‘There were three turnovers and they came down the pitch and got points each time. Seán Kiely came into the game more and started dictating things and that spell really cost us. We were trying to recover that deficit for the rest of the game, which we weren’t able to do.
‘We took it down to the very last kick of the game but, if we had more composure in front of goal – we had a couple of goal chances we should have taken. I feel sorry for the lads. They gave it everything, they left everything out on the pitch, in fairness to them, so they can’t be faulted for that.’
While Ballincollig had the opening two points, Newcestown settled and they were in front at 0-3 to 0-2 when Séamus O’Sullivan pointed. They couldn’t establish more of a lead though and, while James Kelleher left it 0-5 to 0-4 coming up to half time, Ballincollig’s Cian Dorgan ensured that the sides went in level.
Early in the second half, Newcestown made forays but couldn’t convert them into scores – good JP Murphy defending prevented a goal chance materialising – and they were punished as Ballincollig broke quickly and with purpose. It was 0-8 to 0-5 when Dorgan scored his sixth point of the evening.
Newcestown didn’t wilt though and Buckley was to the fore as they clawed their way back but there was a let-off as goalkeeper Christopher White had to save from Dara Dorgan.
With five minutes left, Newcestown might have had a goal of their own. Buckley’s lay-off allowed Gearóid O’Donovan – strong throughout at midfield – to combine with Meade and set up sub Olan Walsh. He was unable to hold on to the ball but still got a shot away, however Jack Gibbons saved well. Ballincollig made the most of the let-off as Luke Fahy combined with sub Frank Down before firing over for a two-point advantage.
Buckley halved the deficit again, though Ballincollig should really have made the game safe as another counter-attack ended with a Peter O’Neill goal but he was inside the small rectangle when he received the ball.
Ultimately, though, they had done enough to ensure the win. Newcestown must regroup – albeit with Gearóid O’Donovan headed to Abu Dhabi teaching while Edmund Kenneally and Richard O’Sullivan are injury worries.
There are a lot of permutations ahead of the last set of fixtures but O’Sullivan is just focusing on beating Nemo.
‘What we’re looking for is a performance against Nemo – we’ll go out to try to win the game, like we always do, and see what everything else brings up then,’ he said.
Scorers
Ballincollig: Cian Dorgan 0-6 (4f), Luke Fahy, Seán Kiely, Darragh O’Mahony 0-1 each.
Newcestown: David Buckley 0-5 (4f), Niall Kelly, Séamus O’Sullivan, James Kelleher 0-1 each.
Ballincollig: J Gibbons; C Moore, L Jennings, S Murphy; JP Murphy, P O’Neill, C Dalton; S O’Neill, S Dore; L Fahy, S Kiely, D Desmond; D Dorgan, D O’Mahony, C Dorgan. Subs: B Keating for D Dorgan (44), F Down for Dalton (46), E Cooke for Kiely (59), T O’Connell for O’Mahony (65).
Newcestown: C White; E Collins, C Twomey, J Kelleher; F Keane, M McSweeney, L Meade; G O’Donovan, C Goggin; N Kelly, T Twomey, C Dinneen; J Meade, D Buckley, E Kenneally.
Subs: S O’Sullivan for Kenneally (15, injured), O Walsh for Buckley (18-23, blood), C O’Donovan for Keane (41), S O’Donovan for Goggin (46), O Walsh for O’Sullivan (50), J Kenneally for Kelly (57).
Referee: J Regan (Lough Rovers).
