Knocknagree 2-18

Ballincollig 0-13

JOHNNY CAROLAN REPORTS

JOY for Knocknagree, who made the most of the breaks that came their way to earn a first-ever McCarthy Insurance Group Premier SFC victory at the Castle Grounds in Macroom on Sunday.

Trailing by 0-8 to 0-6 at half-time against Ballincollig, the Duhallow side had managed to draw level at 0-9 each when a major defensive lapse gave Fintan O’Connor a goal opportunity that he impressively took.

When David O’Connor raised a second green flag, they were 2-12 to 0-11 clear and pushed on from there.

The result means that Ballincollig will definitely finish bottom of Group 3 and so are the only one of the 12 clubs that go into the last set of games with no chance of qualification.

For Knocknagree, the order still remains tall in that they must beat Castlehaven to progress to the knockout stage but they have at least ensured a second season in the top flight, with no chance of relegation.

'Whether we qualify or not at this stage, look, all we can do is go back to drawing-board, prep as well as we can. We're playing a tremendous team. One of the top teams in not only in Cork, but in the country, in Castlehaven,’ said Knocknagree manager John Fintan Daly.

'They're a fantastic team and we just look at them as a lead for us – this is where rural clubs can go, this is what's feasible. They've been up there, what is it, 47 years? An amazing achievement by them and we look forward to the opportunity to play them in Páirc Uí Rinn in four weeks’ time.’

Hampered by injuries to captain Anthony O’Connor, Denis Mahoney and Timmy O’Connor, Knocknagree took time to settle. As they were doing so, Ballincollig kicked five of the first six points, with Danny Miskella and the influential Luke Fahy among the scorers.

However, with Michael McSweeney beginning to get on top at midfield, Knocknagree ate into the deficit and it was his two-pointer that had them ahead for the first time. Ballincollig responded and Darragh O’Mahony’s orange flag sent them in with an 0-8 to 0-6 advantage, though with Knocknagree playing into the ‘scoring goal’ in the second half.

And yet, Ballincollig could have moved five ahead on the restart – Daniel O’Mahony, imperious as ever, had to make a flying block on a Darragh O’Mahony shot and the Ballincollig attacker put the rebound wide.

After that let-off, they were level thanks to Denis R O’Connor’s two-pointer and a crucial score came when a loose pass in the Ballincollig defence put Fintan O’Connor into open prairie and he made no mistake for a 1-9 to 0-9 advantage.

While the Duhallow side initially moved into a 1-11 to 0-9 lead, points from O’Mahony and Fahy had Ballincollig back to within a goal again.

By this stage, news had filtered through to the Castle Grounds that the game in Rosscarbery had finished in a draw, meaning the losers would definitely be out – there wasn’t a clear sense of who that would be, but then came another pivotal moment.

When Ballincollig broke the paint on a sideline kick, the restart went to Knocknagree and Eoghan McSweeney’s quick pass allowed Fintan O’Connor to point. Then, from the kickout, the tireless Killian Cronin and Denis R O’Connor combined to give David O’Connor an avenue to goal; there was a hint of a deflection on his shot but the ball nestled in the net and the scoreboard read 2-12 to 0-11, 14 minutes left.

Ballincollig sought a response and, on another day, might have found one – sub Darragh Ó Sé almost marked his arrival with a green flag but Kealan Buckley’s heroic block led to a 45 that came to nothing. Soon after that, Dara Dorgan did well to link with Liam Jennings and Fahy but screwed his shot wide.

From there, Knocknagree pushed on impressively and now look ahead to a great opportunity.

Scorers

Knocknagree: Fintan O’Connor 1-4 (3f); Denis R O’Connor 0-5 (1 2pt); Michael McSweeney, Gearóid Looney 0-4 (1 2pt) each; David O’Connor 1-0; Matthew Dilworth 0-1.

Ballincollig: Darragh O’Mahony, Luke Fahy (1 2pt) 0-4 each; Danny Miskella 0-3; Harry Aherne, Dara Dorgan 0-1 each.

Knocknagree: Patrick Doyle; Denis ‘Doon’ O’Connor, Kealan Buckley, Gary O’Connor; Gearóid Looney, Daniel O’Mahony, Michael Doyle; Michael McSweeney, Killian Cronin; David Twomey, David O’Connor, Eoghan McSweeney; Denis R O’Connor, Niall O’Connor, Fintan O’Connor.

Subs: Matthew Dilworth for Niall O’Connor (53, injured), Timmy O’Connor for Cronin (60+1, inj).

Ballincollig: Chris Walsh; JP Murphy, Peter Rose, Seán Murphy; Luke Fahy, Liam Jennings, Tadhg O’Connell; Peter O’Neill, Harry Aherne; David O’Leary, Seán Kiely, Kevin O’Leary; Dara Dorgan, Darragh O’Mahony, Danny Miskella.

Subs: Colin Moore for Seán Murphy (12, injured), Cian Aherne for Kevin O’Leary (ht, temporary), Cian Kiely for David O’Leary (41), Donnacha Desmond for Seán Kiely (45), Darragh Ó Sé for O’Mahony (48), Cian O’Connor for Dorgan (55).

Referee: Alan Long (Argideen Rangers).