Clonakilty 3-22

Ballincollig 0-8

TOM LYONS REPORTS

IT might be unfair to say this game was as one-sided as the final score suggests, but there’s no denying that Clonakilty dished out a fair hammering to a woefully inadequate Ballincollig.

Clon needed a win or a draw to ensure qualification to the quarter-finals of the McCarthy Insurance Group Premier SFC, while Ballincollig needed a win to avoid a relegation play-off.

In the end both teams ended up exactly where the performance showed they should be.

Clon dominated this Group 3 tie from start to finish, never letting up, and ended by scoring 3-21 from play, a 45 producing their only score from a placed ball.

They started without two of their published 15, Darragh Gough and Dylan Harrington, but their two replacements, Seán McEvoy and Seán White, vied for man-of-the-match. It was that kind of day for Clon, just like Shane Lowry in the Irish Open, as they cruised to an emphatic victory.

Ballincollig's Peter Rose is challenged by Clonakilty's Chris Kenneally. (Photo: Paddy Feen)

‘No, we didn’t expect it to be that easy,’ admitted Clon selector Eoin Ryan.

‘To be fair, Ballincollig were hit by a lot of injuries and again during the week. Liam O’Connell came back and he got injured, big blows.

‘We wanted the win and we’ll take that. We created a lot of chances, didn’t take them all but kicked 3-22. We’d have to be happy with that, but they were definitely off colour. I wouldn’t be reading too much into it.

‘We were in the group of death and managed to top it. We didn’t qualify last season and the two seasons prior to that we lost quarter-finals, both to Nemo. Hopefully now, whoever we meet (sports ed: it’s Newcestown up next), we’ll be ready for them.’

Clon hit the ground running with points from Cork footballer Maurice Shanley and outstanding full forward Ross Mannix, followed by their first goal in the sixth minute when Mannix beat the Ballincollig goalkeeper to touch a high ball to the net, Shanley and Conor Daly setting it up.

It was all Clon, totally dominating the middle third and picking up all the breaks, with Thomas Clancy majestic at centre back. Des Kenneally (two), Conor Daly and Mannix raised white flags, with a single response from Ballincollig’s Rob Noonan. Seán Kiely did have a goal shot well saved by Mark White in the Clon goal.

Clon eased off in the second quarter as Ballincollig began to show in attack, with Liam Jennings, Luke Fahy, Darragh O’Mahony and Danny Miskella to the fore. There were two scores each in that quarter, but one Clon score was a second goal, from Seán McEvoy, with Seán White and Chris Kenneally involved in the build-up.

McEvoy added a point and Ballincollig had points from Darragh O’Mahony and impressive sub Dara Dorgan (free). The blocking by the Clon defenders at this stage was very impressive. The winners led 2-7 to 0-3 at the break.

Clonakilty's Seán McEvoy supported by Ben Ridgeway battling for possession with Ballincollig's David O'Leary. (Photo: Paddy Feen)

Clon started the second half with the first two-pointer of the game, from Thomas Clancy, to close the door firmly on any Ballincollig comeback. Points flowed from brothers Chris and Des Kenneally, McEvoy (two), and Dara Ó Sé.

Ballincollig responded with a two-pointer from Darragh O’Mahony, 2-14 to 0-5 as the last quarter began and it was looking more and more like a training session for powerful Clon.

McEvoy continued his scoring exploits with another point and, after Ó Sé had pointed, McEvoy tapped in a third Clon goal following a quick long free.

Clonakilty's Conor Daly in possession. (Photo: Paddy Feen)

Ballincollig answered with scores from Dara Dorgan, a free and a two-pointer from play. But that was it from the mid-Cork men as Clon finished as they had started, in complete control with points from sub Darragh Gough, Seán White (a two-pointer and a point), Mark White (a 45), their only score from a placed ball, and Ó Sé.

Others to stand out for Clon, in a great team performance based on hard work and pace, were David Lowney, Jack O’Mahony, Dan Darragh and Ben Ridgeway.

It finished 3-22 to 0-8, a chastened Ballincollig trooping off the pitch facing a relegation final against St Michael’s with Clonakilty looking forward to a quarter-final clash with arch-rivals Newcestown.

OUR STAR: Thomas Clancy, Seán White, Maurice Shanley and Dan Peet stood out for Clon but the accolade goes to corner forward Seán McEvoy with 2-4 to his credit from play.

Scorers

Clonakilty: Seán McEvoy 2-4; Ross Mannix 1-2; Dara Ó Sé, Des Kenneally, Seán White (1 2pt) 0-3 each; Thomas Clancy 0-2 (2pt); Chris Kenneally, Maurice Shanley, Darragh Gough, Conor Daly, Mark White (45) 0-1 each.

Ballincollig: Dara Dorgan 0-4 (1f, 1 2pt); Darragh O’Mahony 0-3 (2pt); Rob Noonan 0-1.

Clonakilty: Mark White; Dan Darragh, Dan Peet, David Lowney; Chris Kenneally, Thomas Clancy, Jack O’Mahony; Ben Ridgeway, Maurice Shanley; Des Kenneally, Dara Ó Sé, Seán White; Seán McEvoy, Ross Mannix, Conor Daly.

Subs: Darragh Gough for C Daly (48), Eoghan Deasy for J O’Mahony (51).

Ballincollig: Chris Walsh; JP Murphy, Peter Rose, Cian Ahern; Luke Fahy, Liam Jennings, Donncha Desmond; Seán Kiely, Ben O’Connell; David O’Leary, Darragh O’Mahony, Conor Dalton; Rob Noonan, Danny Miskella, Cian Dorgan.

Subs: Dara Dorgan for R Noonan (22), Seán O’Donoghue for D O’Leary (44), Peter Kelly for B O’Connell (47), Cillian Power for P Rose (51), Brian Moore for C Dorgan (55).

Referee: Alan O’Connor (Ballygarvan).