Courcey Rovers 1-14

Ballincollig 0-11

JJ HURLEY REPORTS

COURCEY Rovers were full value for their Group C victory over Ballincollig in the SE Systems Cork Senior Camogie Championship on Friday night.

From the off, it was very obvious that Courcey were fired up for this encounter, having defeated the Rockies in the opening game.

An early point came from the impressive Fionn Keating, who turned provider for Áine O’Donoghue to race onto the pass and bury the sliotar in the Ballincollig net.

Realistically, it was a game that they never looked like losing, as Saoirse McCarthy, Jacinta Crowley, and Linda Collins were prominent. However, it was Katie Crowley between the sticks who caught the eye; a member of the Cork senior extended panel, she is certainly one to watch.

While she is a young goalkeeper, selector John Twomey acknowledged Crowley's performance.

‘Yes, she is very good, she is with the extended Cork panel. She made two great saves in the first half that kept us in the game, had we let them in we would have been in trouble at half-time,’ he noted.

Leading by 1-2 to 0-2 after ten minutes as Collins had added a point to the Courcey tally, Leah Hannigan slipped a neat pass to Clodagh Finn, but the goal-bound shot was expertly dealt with by Crowley.

Ballincollig’s consolation arrived minutes later, as Sorcha McCarthy, who was Ballincollig’s best player, secured her second score.

However, Saoirse McCarthy was dominating the middle of the park, and three consecutive scores from Keating, Crowley and Collins extended their lead to 1-5 to 0-3 with 13 minutes left to the interval.

An Ailish Scanlon 45 was met with two fine scores from Keating and McCarthy as they pushed their lead out to 1-7 to 0-4.

With the game starting to get away from the Muskerry side, three consecutive scores from Scanlon, McCarthy, and Bláithín Cunniffe had a goal between the sides with less than three minutes to the short break.

Courcey weren’t willing to concede their hard work as Collins (two) and McCarthy opened a six-point gap, and another brilliant save from Crowley left the score at the interval at 1-10 to 0-7.

As expected, Ballincollig charged back into the contest, registering three consecutive scores as Clodagh Finn (2) and Scanlon were on target.

A goal between the sides on 40 minutes was as good as it got as Courcey's half-back line shut up shop.

Four unanswered scores from the sticks of McCarthy (2), Keating, and Crowley left seven between the sides with five minutes remaining. Scanlon added another point late on, but it was little consolation as Courcey march on to a clash against Ballinora this Saturday at Castle Road.

OUR STAR: The usual suspects including Saoirse McCarthy and Fiona Keating were up there, but two brilliant saves, confidence under the dropping ball, as well excellent deliveries earned Katie Crowley the accolade.

Scorers 

Courcey Rovers: Á O’Donoghue 1-1; L Collins, S McCarthy (1f) 0-4 each; F Keating 0-3; J Crowley 0-2 (1f).

Ballincollig: A Scanlon 0-5 (3f, 2 45); S McCarthy 0-3; C Finn 0-2 (1f); B Cunniffe 0-1.

Courcey Rovers: K Crowley; G O’Reilly, A O’Reilly, J Helbrow; G Hannon, E Moloney, O O’Mahony; E Moloney, S McCarthy; E Maguire, F Keating, D O’Reilly; J Crowley, L Collins, A O’Donoghue.

Subs: C Foley for D O’Reilly (44), O Twomey for G O’Reilly (59).

Ballincollig: A Hartnett; C O’Sullivan, M Healy, S Buckley; I Fleury, L Weste, R Millett; A Scanlon, K Goulding; O O’Leary, C Finn, S McCarthy; L Dorgan, L Hannigan, E Hickey.

Sub: B Cunniffe for O O’Leary (8, inj).

Referee: E O’Sullivan (Inniscarra).