BY BRENDAN KENNEALLY
THE two quarter-finals in the MJK Oils Mid Cork Junior Hurling Championship were decided last weekend and the semi-final pairings are Ballinora v Grenagh, Ballincollig v Inniscarra, guaranteeing a final between a club first team and a club second team.
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Inniscarra 1-12
Donoughmore 0-14
In an exciting quarter-final at Kilmichael on Saturday afternoon, an injury-time free, struck over magnificently by Darragh O’Brien from his own 65-metre line, was all that separated the teams.
The scoring was dominated by the respective freetakers, O’Brien for Inniscarra with 0-7 and Adam Dinan for Donoughmore who accounted for 0-9 of his side’s tally. The key score of the game, the goal for Inniscarra in the 44th minute. resulted from a short puck out from the Donoughmore goal that was intercepted and blazed to the net by Daniel Murphy.
Donoughmore led 0-5 to 0-4 after 16 minutes thanks to scores from Adam Dinan (2), Mark Lucey, Shane Sexton and Dave McDonald, while Darragh O’Brien (two frees), Daniel Murphy and Ardal O’Connell were on target for Inniscarra. At half time, Donoughmore led by 0-9 to 0-7 after further scores from Dinan (3) and Colm O’Callaghan, with Darragh O’Brien (2) and Daniel Murphy keeping Inniscarra in touch.
With Donoughmore leading 0-10 to 0-9, Daniel Murphy scored the game’s only goal that swung the game Inniscarra’s way. Kieran Rice had a point immediately to open up a three-point advantage for ‘Scarra, 1-10 to 0-10.
With their defence performing well with Mark Linehan, James Buckley and Shane Buckley rock solid, Kieran Rice, Darragh O’Brien and Jerry Roche very hard working in attack, the whole team lifted their game and there was a great finish to the contest.
Adam Dinan pointed two frees to cut the gap to the minimum but Conrad Desmond got a point for ‘Scarra to reopen a two-point advantage with ten minutes remaining. A terrific battle ensued, Adam Dinan pointed frees in the 57th and 58th minutes to level the scores and the exchanges were hectic. Adam Dinan was literally inches wide from a long range free for Donoughmore in the 62nd minute but a minute later Darragh O’Brien from his own half-back line hit over a superb free to break the deadlock and send Inniscarra into the semi-final and a meeting with Ballincollig.
Scorers –Inniscarra: D O’Brien 0-7 (6f); D Murphy 1-2; A O’Connell, C Desmond, K Rice 0-1 each. Donoughmore: A Dinan 0-9 (8f, 1 65); D McDonald 0-2; M Lucey, S Healy, C O’Callaghan 0-1 each.
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Grenagh 1-14
Dripsey 0-13 (aet)
In their quarter-final at Donoughmore on Sunday afternoon, Grenagh emerged winners over last year’s finalists Dripsey, after extra time, and advanced to meet Ballinora in the semi-final.
Dripsey were slow out of the traps and Grenagh were leading by three points before Dripsey had their first point in the 18th minute. Michael O’Riordan then added another and Jamie Manley levelled the scores in the 21st minute. Michael O’Riordan points had Dripsey in front 0-5 to 0-4 in the 24th minute but Grenagh then had a goal from Dan Twomey, followed by a point from Seán Joyce. They led by 1-5 to 0-5 at the break.
The second half was closely contested but Dripsey had drawn level at 1-7 to 0-10 by the 49th minute. In the 54th minute Mike O’Riordan put them in front from a free. Grenagh fought back and two points from David Coleman had them back in front but O’Riordan pointed a late free to send the game into extra time, 1-9 to 0-12. Dripsey had missed several chances of scores in the final minutes and would pay the price.
In extra time Grenagh were the dominant side and outscored Dripsey by 0-4 to 0-1 in the first half with 0-3 from David Coleman and a point from Michael White. Each side added a point to their respective tallies in the second period.
