Muskerry Junior Hurling Championship reaches quarter-finals

THERE was some progress towards the concluding stages of the Ballincollig Credit Union Junior Hurling Championship in recent days with the two second chance encounters getting results.

Last season’s finalists, Kilmichael, bowed out of the championship race when they had to give best to Inniscarra at Cloughduv. It was a good result for the latter who lined out without the services of four players who had been prominent in their two first round encounters with Blarney. There was no doubting their superiority over Kilmichael, however, as the two experienced members on their team, Ger Burke and Liam Ryan, were formidable figures. Kilmichael did manage a last ditch effort to avoid defeat when a goal and a point during the time added on period reduced the arrears to a minimum but Inniscarra were not to be denied.

The other team to avail of the second chance were Eire Og who managed to finish a goal ahead of Gleann Na Laoi at Ballincollig.

Following those hurling results the Muskerry board went ahead with the draw for the remaining rounds of the championship:

The excitement in Muskerry this weekend will be in football with the postponed encounter between last year’s junior championship finalists, Kilmurry and Aghinagh, arranged for Macroom. The rearranging of this fixture means that it will clash with another game in the division’s top football championship. The latter game is arranged for Cloughduv where Ballincollig and Clondrohid will be in action.

It is unfortunate that these two attractive football games are clashing but the suitability of the contestants is taken into account. The Ballincollig and Clondrohid contest involves two teams who availed effectively of the second chance system and they are both capable of producing entertaining fare. Ballincollig lost narrowly to Inniscarra in their first round outing but they subsequently overcame Cill Na Martra comfortably. Clondrohid were well beaten by Kilmurry in their first outing but they displayed significant improvement in their next engagement. Clondrohid were victorious over Donoughmore and they will make a good bid for victory on Friday.

Ballincollig have an excellent goalkeeper in Ciaran Noonan and others in their line-up who should make their presence felt on Friday are John O’Brien, Sean Lucey, Bryan Kelly, Peter O’Neill and the Coughlan brothers, Ian and Stephen. Clondrohid have good footballers in their line-up and Trevor O’Brien, Jeremy O’Sullivan, Fergal Kelleher, Paddy Lynch and Darren Dineen should be to the forefront of their effort at advancing in the championship.