BRENDAN KENNEALLY brings us up to date after the first round of the Mid Cork JAFC
Ballincollig 2-11
Donoughmore 1-13
DONOUGHMORE, Mid Cork Division 1 league winners and runners-up to Carbery Rangers in the recent county league Division 1 football league final, will be disappointed that their fine league form did not translate into championship victory when they met Ballincollig juniors in Group 1 at Ballyanley.
A goal for Ballincollig from Pete Kelly in the second minute from a quickly-taken free was a perfect start and a two-pointer each from Colm Sheehan and Shane Buckley helped them to a 1-9 to 0-8 half time advantage.
Ballincollig scored only twice in the second half but another goal from Pete Kelly after 35 minutes and a second two-pointer from goalkeeper Chris Walsh were enough to see them through. Donoughmore reduced a 2-11 to 0-9 deficit down to a single point, substitute Scott Barrett contributing 1-3, before time ran out on them.
Lessons will undoubtedly be learned and Donoughmore will still be fancied to qualify from the group.
Ballincollig: Chris Walsh; Killian Power, Shane O’Neill, Seán O’Donoghue; Brian Dore, Ciarán Burke, Shane Buckley; Dylan Ebili, Stephen Coughlan; Colm Sheehan, Darren Murphy, Noel Galvin; Pete Kelly, Mark Oldham, Jack Murray. Subs: George Howard, Dylan Kirsten.
Donoughmore: Jeremy Kennedy; Frankie Honohan, Mark Foley, Seán Broderick; Rory Honohan, Josh Crowley, Paul Crowley; Seán O’Hanlon, Mark Lucey; Stephen Golden, Declan Keating, Jamie Twomey; David McDonnell, Jack Murphy, Gavin O’Sullivan.
Subs: Scott Barrett, Adam Dinan, Kevin O’Connell, Colm O’Callaghan.
Referee: Jerry Masters (Kilmichael).
***
Dripsey 3-13
Blarney 0-6
Clearly, the emphasis is on hurling in the Blarney club at present as they went down rather tamely to Dripsey in this Group 1 tie at Donoughmore. Dripsey led by 0-8 to 0-5 at half time. A goal from George Feeney on 41 minutes boosted their chances further. Mark O’Sulllivan and Feeney again added further goals in the closing stages to wrap up the victory and put relegation pressure on Blarney.
***
Grenagh 3-13
Aghinagh 2-15
Aghinagh, defeated in a replay in last year’s final and without their main threat in attack Liam Twohig, went under to renowned battlers Grenagh in the opening Group 2 game at Coachford.
Grenagh led at half time by 1-5 to 0-5, the goal coming from Jack Twomey in the sixth minute. Aghinagh fought back well on the resumption. Boosted by a goal apiece from Con Buckley and William Coakley, they led by 2-9 to 1-11 after 50 minutes.
Within a minute Grenagh had retaken the lead with a goal from Darragh Kenny. Ultan Duggan shot another immediately to lead by 3-11 to 2-9.
Back came Aghinagh with four points and a two-pointer to be level with the game in added time but there was still time left for Michael White to kick a winning point for Grenagh.
***
Clondrohid 2-11
Kilmichael 1-13
There was a very big attendance at Cill na Martra to witness this championship Group 2 opener between two traditional rivals.
After a stirring contest of varying fortunes, Clondrohid took the laurels and will be greatly boosted as they face the stiff challenges ahead. Kilmichael will have to improve on their shooting to remain in contention for group qualification.
The teams were level at 1-6 each at half time and it was still even at 1-11 each in the 50th minute with the play very exciting and chances being missed.
The stalemate was decisively broken in the 55th minute when Clondrohid wing back Eoin McCarthy was allowed to cut through the centre of the Kilmichael defence. The threat he posed was recognised too late and he belted a super shot to the Kilmichael net to give his side the advantage.
Kilmichael cut the deficit with points from Tom Browne and Brendan Cotter but they failed to get an equaliser and so Clondrohid secured the valuable points.
***
Éire Óg 1-12
Beal Átha’n Ghaorthaidh 0-9
Éire Óg juniors made it a good weekend for the club’s footballers when they followed up the seniors win over Kanturk with a competent win over Beal Átha’n Ghaorthaidh in Group 3 at sunny Kilmichael.
The Ovens men started impressively but Beal Átha, as is their wont, reined them in. The sides were level at 0-3 each in the 26th minute. A Kevin Cooper late point gave Éire Óg a slender half-time lead.
A point from former Cork star Daniel Goulding and another from Denny Murphy boosted Éire Óg early in second half but Béal Átha struck for a goal from Barra Ó Duinnín to level matters in the 35th minute.
Points were exchanged between Goulding and Ronán Ó Loinsigh, and Colmán Ó Tuama then kicked a two-pointer to put the Gaeltacht men in front on 42.
Again, Daniel Goulding and Denny Murphy pointed to bring Éire Óg back into contention and after Goulding kicked another point to put his side in front, Sean Hurley pointed to double their advantage, 0-11 to 1-6, after 53 minutes.
The 2010 Cork All-Ireland winner pointed again on 55. Three minutes from time his high cross from the right was contested by goalkeeper Barra Ó Súilleabháin and Seán Murphy, and the ball broke into the vacant net to guarantee that Éire Óg would take the points.
Éire Óg: Éoin Kelleher; Cillian Murphy, John Kelleher, John Mullins; Kevin Cooper, Dermot O’Herlihy, Adam McCarthy; Mark Kelleher, Denny Murphy; David Casey, Michael Murphy, Eoin O’Shea; Sean Hurley, Daniel Goulding, Sean Murphy.
Subs: Donncha Kelly, Oisín O’Shea, Jerome Kelleher, Michael Sheehan
Béal Átha’n Ghaorthaidh: Barra Ó Súilleabháin; Peatsai Ó Tuama, Diarmuid Ó Loinsuigh, Éanna Ó Céilleachair; Brian Ó Duinnín, Gearóid Ó Loinsuigh, Shane Ó Críodáin; Diarmuid Ó Ceallacháin, Liam Ó Coinceannain; Barra Ó Buachalla, Colmán Ó Tuama, Derry Ó Tuama; Ronan Ó Loinsuigh, Tadg Ó Laoire, Barra Ó Duinnin.
Subs: Aodhán Brennan, Aaron Ó Tuama, Luke Mac Tomáis.
***
Kilmurry 2-10
Ballinora 0-8
After a very even opening quarter at the end of which the teams were level at 0-2 each, a superb two-pointer from Fergal Wall put Kilmurry in front for the first time in this Group 3 tie.
When Lloyd Aisling palmed a finely-timed cross from Wall to the Ballinora net in the 17th minute, the signs were ominous for Ballinora.
The winners added a further three points without reply before half time when Kilmurry led by 1-7 to 0-2.
Rory Duggan fired in a second Kilmurry goal in the 35th minute to create a huge gap between the teams, 2-7 to 0-2. There was no way back for Ballinora despite Ciarán O’Donoghue’s contribution of six points from three two-pointers. A nicely balanced Kilmurry team, B grade champions last season, emerged comfortable winners.
Scorers
Kilmurry: F Wall 0-6; L Aisling 1-1; R Duggan 1-0; L Wall 0-2; Js Kelleher 0-1.
Ballinora: C O’Donoghue 0-6; S Lyons, T Forde 0-1 each.
Kilmurry: Cian Desmond; Aaron O’Mahony, Kevin Barrett, Darragh Linehan; Seán Curzon, Daniel Cahalane, Max O’Leary; Rory Duggan, Pádraig Hinchion; Oisín McDonald, Ryan Leahy, Jamie Kelleher; Fergal Wall, Lloyd Aisling, Stephen O’Donoghue.
Subs: Dave O’Halloran, Liam Wall, Sam Dineen, Jesse Kelleher.
Ballinora: Eoin Walsh; John O’Regan, Brendan Hourihan, Elliot Mitchell; David Collins, Tim Forde, Tim Twohig; Ciarán O’Donoghue, Jack Trench; Sean Lyons, Colin Lougheed, Tomás Mahon; Ben Ahern, Conor Quirke, Noah Seacy.
Subs: Brian Carty, Cian Wolfe, Cian Lucey, Tim Crotty, Gearóid Mahon.
Referee: Robert Whelan (Gleann na Laoi).
