Ballinhassig 0-12

Ballinascarthy 0-12

JJ HURLEY REPORTS

AMBER Bishop struck a late point to rescue a draw for Ballinascarthy as they penned Ballinhassig back late in injury time in the SE Systems Premier Intermediate Camogie Championship at Kilbrittain.

Given this game was on Thursday night, Bal had to sit back and watch the rest of the action unfold as they waited to see whether they would be dragged into the relegation play-off.

As it turns out, they are, as Brian Dillons got the result they needed in Group C, leaving Bal and Enniskeane as the bottom two clubs after the group phase. The Carbery duo will meet in the relegation play-off.

Bal to Bal v Ballinhassig, and while played in appalling conditions for most of the second half, both sides served up an exciting contest despite the best efforts of the weather.

Ballinhassig looked like they were going to secure the win when Aisling Cussen fired over a free in injury time, but Bishop had other ideas, proving deadly on the frees over the hour.

It was a game of two halves, to borrow the old adage, as Ballinhassig opened the scoring through Emer O’Sullivan, who proved she is still well able to compete at the highest levels.

A Síofra Patwell point tied up the sides on five minutes, as both teams found it difficult to secure scoring opportunities, despite Millie Condon making some early advances up the field.

A pair of O’Sullivan frees had Ballinhassig putting some daylight between the sides.

Aisling Lombard then set up Deirdre Cooney for a well-taken point as they led by 0-4 to 0-1 with 13 minutes to the break.

With Bal giving away frees, the Carrigdhoun side punished their opponents, and O’Sullivan and Aisling Cussen scores gave the Blues a five-point cushion.

Having had to wait 22 minutes for their second score, not surprisingly it arrived from the stick of Bishop, but Bal had their defence to thank at the other end, as two successive frees from O’Sullivan were cleared off the line.

Another O’Sullivan score looked to have given her side a comfortable 0-7 to 0-2 lead at the break, but Bishop struck from distance to put only four between the sides.

The early minutes of the second half had the advantage with Bal as Bishop added two points to her tally, but Ballinhassig stretched their advantage when Aisling Lombard struck two from play and Caitriona Collins added one from the dead ball.

As the teams swapped points, Bishop and Collins among the scorers, Ballinhassig looked to be in control with a five-point advantage, with only 15 minutes remaining.

However, making a better fist of the terrible conditions and the failing light, Bal claimed the next five scores, including a fantastic point from play, as Condon set up Bishop for an equalising score.

But the drama was not over as two late scores from either side left for a fair result on a terrible night for camogie.

Scorers 

Ballinhassig: E O'Sullivan 0-5 (4f); A Cussen (2f), C Collins, A Lombard 0-2 each; D Cooney 0-1.

Ballinascarthy: A Bishop 0-10 (9f); S Patwell 0-2 (1f).

Ballinhassig: S Leahy; M Healy, T Healy, A Casey; A Contrell, M Lombard, A Cussen; G Healy, E O'Sullivan, D Cooney; E Casey, E Collins; E Jordan, A Lombard, C Collins.

Sub: C Crowley for E Casey (45).

Ballinascarthy: M O'Brien; A Ryan, K O'Driscoll, O Dee; R Cahalane, A Condon, M Condon; M O'Driscoll, M Kingston; S Patwell, S McCarthy, C Crowley; M Barrett, S Patwell, F Patwell.

Sub: E Walsh for S McCarthy (50).

Referee: F McCarthy.