Mid Cork club has beaten Gabriel Rangers and Kilmurry in knock-out stages

MUSKERRY club Ballinora have been on their own journey to Sunday’s county Intermediate A Football Championship final against Ilen Rovers.

Two weeks ago, the club maintained their dominance of the Mid Cork junior hurling scene by winning the A final for a record fifth year in a row. They’d love to continue that winning feeling this weekend – and make it a famous double.

Eight of the starting team from their IAFC semi-final win over Kilmurry also started in that Mid Cork hurling final triumph, with two more football starters coming on as subs in the hurling decider. That crossover underlines the commitment it takes to balance both codes in Ballinora.

Two key dual players are inter-county star Neil Lordan and forward Mark O’Brien, who has hit 2-11 from play in this championship.

We’ve already seen Muskerry clubs make their mark this season – Cill na Martra, Aghabullogue and Uibh Laoire all reached county finals – and now Ballinora have the chance to add their name to that list.

The two Quirkes, Robert and Michael, start in football and both featured as subs in the hurling win. They’ve combined for 3-29 between them in this campaign, and Ilen Rovers will need no reminder of their scoring threat.

Forward Kevin Werner is another danger man, having contributed 2-12 so far.

Ballinora have already seen off West Cork opposition on their way to the final. In September at Rossmore, they edged past Gabriel Rangers (1-13 to 1-11) in a tense quarter-final, Werner striking the key goal while the Quirkes and O’Brien once again played leading roles.

They began the championship slowly, scraping past St Finbarr’s second string in their opener, but have gathered momentum with every outing. Underdogs against both Gabriels and a fancied Kilmurry in the knockout rounds, Ballinora ripped up the script to reach the decider – and Ilen have been warned.

Ballinora have operated at Intermediate A level since 2018, but now they’re eager to move up a grade.

If they were to win on Sunday – having been the only team in the knockout phase to emerge from the group stage with just one victory – it would underline that they’ve peaked at exactly the right time.