BRENDAN KENNEALLY rounds up the latest action from the Mid Cork Junior Football Championship
Beal Átha’n Ghaorthaidh 1-10
Blarney 2-6
BLARNEY had a dream start in this Group 1 tie at Cloughduv with 1-1 on the board after five minutes, the point from Ciarán Sexton followed by a goal from Stephen Mullane, but Béal Átha were unfazed.
A point from Andy Ó Coinceannain was followed by a goal from Barra Ó Duinnín to level matters in the eighth minute. Béal Átha went two points clear by the end of the first quarter, Blarney hit back with a Joey O’Dwyer goal and two points to lead and when scores were exchanged Blarney led by 2-4 to 1-4 at half time.
Andy Ó Coinceannain kicked over two points on the restart and when Blarney twice raised the lead to two points, Béal Átha replied to leave the score at 2-6 to 1-8 in the 51st minute. A point from Andy Ó Coinceannain to level and then from Danny Ó Súilleabháin to inch Béal Átha in front was enough to earn the Gaeltacht men the vital win.
Blarney were unlucky when a blistering shot from Cian Barrett hit the butt of the Beál Átha upright before being cleared very late in the game.
Scorers – Béal Áthan: A Ó Coinceannain 0-6 (5f); Barra Ó Duinnín 1-0; R Ó Loinsigh 0-3; D Ó Suilleabháin 0-1.
Blarney: S Mullane 1-2; J O’Dwyer 1-0; R O’Donovan, C Sexton, C Barrett, D McSweeney 0-1 each.
***
Inniscarra 2-18
Ballinora 1-6
Inniscarra made it two wins from two Group 1 games, with their expected win over Ballinora at Ovens. A first-minute goal got ‘Scarra off to the perfect start but the teams were level at 1-1 each after a Mark O’Brien goal for Ballinora.
Only a point separated the sides at the end of the opening quarter, Inniscarra then went four clear, 1-6 to 1-2, on 21 minutes but Ballinora came back with a brace before Inniscarra finished the half well with three points in a row to lead by 1-9 to 1-4 at the interval.
It was 1-12 to 1-5 in the 40th minute as Inniscarra continued to dominate. A second Inniscarra goal in the 49th minute gave the winners a lead of 2-14 to 1-6 and there was no recovery possible for Ballinora after that.
***
Éire Óg 4-26
Clondrohid 0-9
This was a very one-sided Group 2 affair with Éire Óg on top from start to finish. Éire Óg had 0-5 on the board after as many minutes and it was 1-8 to nil when the Ovens men had their first goal in the 20th minute from David Casey. Éire Óg had extended their advantage to 1-14 to 0-2 by the interval and the trend continued all through the second half.
Michael Murphy had a second Éire Óg goal on 32, Sam O’Driscoll had a third two minutes later and Keith O’Riordan’s goal on 40 minutes made it 4-20 to 0-4 at that stage. Clondrohid battled on and put another 0-5 on the board before the final whistle.
Éire Óg scorers: S O’Driscoll 1-6; D Casey 1-2; D Clifford 0-5; K O’Riordan 1-1; M Murphy 1-1; D Kirwan 0-3; J Galvin, C Quigley 0-2 each; D Murphy, E O’Shea, J Kelleher, L Sheehan 0-1 each.
***
Kilmichael 2-8
Donoughmore 1-8
Donoughmore got off to a great start with a goal from Mark Lucey in the third minute of this Group 2 tie. Kilmichael responded well with two points from Tom Browne and then a goal from Cathal Foley to take a 1-2 to 1-0 lead in the 12th minute.
Mark Lucey had a Donoughmore point, answered by a brace for Kilmichael from Cathal Foley and Brendan Cotter. Declan Keating had a late point for Donoughmore and Kilmichael led by 1-4 to 1-2 at the interval.
The second half was low scoring, Shane Foley and Chris O’Connell points for Kilmichael were answered by two for Donoughmore from Sean O’Hanlon and Declan Keating, 1-6 to 1-4 at the three quarter stage.
Two points from young Tom Browne now moved Kilmichael into a four-point lead with ten minutes remaining, 1-8 to 1-4. As they went slightly defensive to consolidate their lead, they allowed Donoughmore to mount a strong late challenge which yielded four points in a row, two from David McDonnell followed by a brace from Declan Keating. With the game almost over the score was 1-8 apiece.
There was drama aplenty in the minutes before the final whistle. After what had been a very sporting game, an unseemly melee developed which led to the referee being forced to issue red cards. When the game resumed in time added, Kilmichael attacked, were awarded a penalty and Kevin Murphy ticked the spot kick home to put Kilmichael back in front. A late free for Donoughmore failed to yield a goal and the final whistle sounded.
***
Aghinagh 7-16
Dripsey 1-8
Aghingh had a comprehensive Group 3 victory over Dripsey in their second round match played in Grenagh. Early points from Liam Twohig, Shane Corkery and Darragh McCarthy, followed by a beautiful Declan Ambrose goal, settled Aghinagh. By the end of the first quarter they led 1-4 to 0-1.
Further first-half goals from Liam Twohig, Con Buckley and Darragh McCarthy supplemented by points for Gearoid O’Sullivan, Micheál Horgan and Matthew McCarthy gave Aghinagh an interval lead of 4-9 to 1-4 with Dripsey’s goal coming from the penalty spot compliments of Gary Murphy.
Aghinagh continued in the same manner in the second half. Goals from Con Buckley, Micheál Horgan and a penalty from Liam Twohig ensured Aghinagh were comfortable throughout the game. Gary Murphy and Eoghan Maher chipped in with some nice points for Dripsey but the game was well over before the final whistle.
***
Ballincollig 2-12
Grenagh 2-11
A third-minute goal from an Olan Dorgan penalty got Ballincollig off to a good start and by the 11th minute they led by 1-4 to no score in this Group 3 tie. Grenagh at last got energised. Between then and half time they kicked over 0 -6 in response to a further 1-3 for Ballincollig, Alan Cronin the goal scorer. It was 2-7 to 0-6 in favour of ‘The Village’ at half time.
Grenagh got another goal in the 34th minute from Robert Coleman to reduce the lead to four points and this margin usually separated the teams until the 58th minute when Jack Twomey's point reduced the gap to 2-11 to 1-11. Olan Dorgan’s point raised the difference to four points once again and Ballincollig needed it as Grenagh got in for a second goal in added time to leave only a point between the teams at the final whistle which quickly followed.
