Ballinora 1-19

Ilen Rovers 2-14 (AET)

NOEL HORGAN REPORTS

AS dramatic a contest as one could wish to see, and as painful a defeat as one could be forced to endure from an Ilen Rovers perspective.

That’s a fair summation of Sunday’s enthralling McCarthy Insurance Group Cork Intermediate A Football Championship final replay at Páirc Uí Chaoimh.

Hauled back from the brink after a Micheál Sheehy two-pointer brought them level and forced extra-time, the Carbery side appeared to have victory in their grasp when they led by two points as the additional 20 minutes neared its expiration.

As in the drawn game two weeks earlier, however, when a last-gasp two-pointer earned Ballinora a reprieve, Ilen were again denied the glory at the death, with a Kevin Werner goal securing a historic triumph for the Mid-Cork men this time.

It was a horrible way to lose, and, not surprisingly, Ilen manager Flor O’Driscoll didn’t find it easy to come to terms with it.

‘To lose a county final in any circumstances is tough, but the way we lost today was even tougher,’ he acknowledged.

‘The players left everything out on the pitch, I’m extremely proud of them, but Ballinora are a really good team, they also gave it everything, and they got their noses in front at the end.

‘We’re bitterly disappointed, but that’s just the nature of sport,’ said the Ilen boss.

Ilen's Peadar O'Driscoll and Ballinora's Seamus Lordan battle for possession. (Photo: George Hatchell)

It’s generally accepted that Ballinora, having recovered from a sluggish start, played better football for most of the drawn game. So, the signs were ominous for Ilen after the Muskerry side settled quickly in the rematch, easing into an 0-8 to 0-1 lead during the opening 20 minutes.

Ilen’s only score in this period came from Barry Collins in the tenth minute, and another 15 minutes had elapsed before Dan MacEoin added to their tally from a free.

That Ballinora appeared to hold most of the aces in the interim is beyond dispute, with their well-knit defence, backboned to great effect by Neil Lordan and Shane Kingston, looking almost air-tight.

Ilen did create a goal chance, thanks primarily to Sean Connolly’s good work, in the 23rd minute, but Adrian O’Driscoll shot narrowly wide of the target.

The Ballinora attack moved much more menacingly as a unit before the break, with Michael Quirke, Liam Lyons and Ivan Quirke particularly prominent, while James Lordan and Darragh Holmes both kept their end up well at midfield.

Full value for an 0-10 to 0-2 lead after a Neil Lordan two-pointer from a free completed the first-half scoring, Ballinora were entitled to believe they had Ilen’s measure, even if they were due to face a stiffish breeze in the second half.

Flor O’Driscoll felt the most disappointing aspect of Ilen’s first-half display was that they kept taking the wrong options.

‘I think we were just a little too anxious, trying to force things a little too much, and Ballinora were able to punish us for that, so we tried to get the heads clear at half time. We made a few adjustments, we sacrificed three guys to bring certain kinda players on, and that helped us,’ said O’Driscoll, stressing that the players who were called ashore hadn’t played badly in the first half.

‘We just had to gamble a bit, hoping that our decision-making would improve, and the goal we got at the start of the second half was a big boost.’

Heartbreak for Ilen after their late, late defeat to Ballinora. (Photo: George Hatchell)

Aaron O’Sullivan was the Ilen goal-scorer, touching home a probing delivery from substitute Alan Holland, who certainly paid his way following his introduction in attack.

After wing-back O’Sullivan’s flicked effort on a Dan MacEoin cross was kept out by Ballinora goalkeeper Alex McAllen, Holland picked up possession to point in the 39th minute. That made it 0-12 to 1-3, and a foul on Holland yielded a two-pointer from Micheál Sheehy, in quick reply to a Liam Lyons score for Ballinora, nearing the three-quarter mark.

Dan MacEoin – kept on a tight rein by sticky Ballinora defender Ciaran O’Dwyer in the first half – was more impactful up front for Ilen after the interval. He rekindled their aspirations in earnest when firing an unstoppable shot to the net following good work by Peader O’Driscoll and Sean Minihane in the 51st minute.

It brought them back within striking range, 0-15 to 2-6, before Barry Collins pointed, and MacEoin had claims for a penalty ignored approaching the last five minutes of regulation time.

But justice was done after Micheál Sheehy’s late two-pointer left the teams deadlocked at the end of the hour.

Along with MacEoin, Sheehy and Holland, numbered among those to contribute generously to Ilen’s second-half resurgence were Sean Minihane, Peadar O’Driscoll and substitute Kevin O’Driscoll.

Aided by scores from Sean Connolly, Sheehy, a two-pointer from a free, and substitute Denis O’Driscoll, Ilen led by 2-13 to 0-17 at the end of the first-period of extra-time.

Fed by Sheehy, MacEoin increased their advantage on the turnover, and, despite losing full-back Jack Collins to a black card in the 75th minute, they remained in front until Kevin Werner, taking a pass from Michael Quirke, rifled home the goal that tilted the issue in Ballinora’s favour.

Scorers 

Ballinora: K Werner 1-4 (2f); S Kingston 0-4 (2pt, 1f); M Quirke 0-3; I Quirke 0-2; N Lordan 0-2 (2ptf); M O’Brien, D Dineen, L Lyons, A Holland 0-1 each.

Ilen Rovers: D MacEoin 1-3 (1f); M Sheehy 0-6 (2pt, 2 2ptf); A O’Sullivan 1-0; B Collins 0-2; A Holland, S Connolly, D O’Driscoll 0-1 each.

Ballinora: A McAllen; A Laverty, N Lordan, C O’Flynn; D Dineen, S Kingston, J Byrne; D Holmes, J Lordan; M O’Brien, I Quirke, L Lyons; M Quirke, R Quirke, K Werner.

Subs: M Lordan for Holmes (41), C Quirke for Dineen (44), T Burns for Lyons (49), J Keohane for Werner (53), Lyons for Byrne (et), Werner for Keohane (et), A O’Sullivan for J Lordan (73).

Ilen Rovers: D O’Sullivan; D Coakley, J Collins, C O’Dwyer; A O’Sullivan, J Hickey, C O’Driscoll; S Minihane, S Connolly, B Collins, D Hegarty, A O’Driscoll; D McEoin, M Sheehy, P O’Driscoll.

Subs: A Holland for A O’Driscoll (ht), S Carey for Coakley (ht), K O’Driscoll for Hegarty (ht), D O’Driscoll for O’Sullivan (47), A O’Driscoll for C O’Driscoll (ht, et), Hegarty for Connolly (ht, et), C Harrington for Sheehy (inj, 68).

Referee: B Coniry (Crosshaven).