Ballincollig favourites for clash of the titans

smoothly dispatch CIT in the replay last week-end, even if their task was made so much easier by the fact that the students weren’t able to field at full strength, with key attackers Peter Kelleher and Cathal Vaughan numbered among the absentees.

Still, the Mid-Cork side’s performance, particularly in the second half when they stretched a one-point interval advantage to nine before the finish, was sufficiently impressive to suggest they could have the measure of a Brian Hurleyless Castlehaven this time.

Such as Michael Hurley, Shane Nolan, who topscored with 2-1 during the Haven’s 3-11 to 2-11 win over Ilen Rovers, and Seanie Cahalane will be expected to provide the Ballincollig rearguard with plenty to think about of course, while it would obviously be a major boost to the West-Cork side’s chances if Mark Collins and Damien Cahalane perform to the peak of their powers at midfield and centre back respectively.

The latter’s individual duel with Ballincollig’s play-maker Paddy Kelly should be one of the game’s highlights, and if Kelly is allowed to pull the strings on the ‘40, the likelihood is that Cian Dorgan, George Durrant and the evergreen John Miskella will prosper up front for the 2014 county champions.

That Ballincollig possess a formidable midfield pairing in Ciaran O’Sullivan and Sean Kiely is beyond dispute, while Noel Galvin, Cian Kelly and Liam Jennings will backbone a defence that won’t be breached easily

Verdict: Ballincollig