Hurlers have a lot of work to do
AS BALLINCOLLIG SLIP AWAY WITH POINTS
FERMOY hurlers were firmly knocked back on their feet by a very fit and determined Ballincollig side when the teams met to decide their Div One league tie in Fermoy on Sunday last.
A strong wind blew downfield but otherwise conditions were perfect for hurling as the field had dried out well after the heavy rains of Saturday. Ballincollig were aided by the breeze in the opening half and for a brief opening ten minutes or so Fermoy were holding them on the scoreboard. However, the home forwards were unable to press home any of the chances created for them and were restricted to just a solitary point from play plus five from placed balls, all were scored by the returning David Geary.
On the other hand Ballincollig had taken their chances well and breached the Fermoy net three times, once from a penalty, as well as scoring a total of eight points to lead at the interval 3-8 to 0-6,
Fermoy upped their game after the interval, introducing two substitutes at the same time. With wind advantage they mounted a series of all out attacks on the Ballincollig goal but never looked likely to prise open a tough defence.
For 20 minutes they dominated and at the end of which the scores read Ballincollig 3-8 Fermoy 0-12, but that was as near as they got. Scoreless until this point, the Mid Cork men were awarded a very dubious penalty which was converted and the Fermoy challenge seemed to die with this score. Three more points (two from silly frees) were added before Fermoy, emptying their bench at this stage, added two more points but it was too little too late as the happy Ballincollig side slipped away home with the points in their pockets.
Final score Ballincollig 4-11 Fermoy 0-14.
This was a very different display by Fermoy from the game in which they defeated Tracton over a month ago. This is perhaps one of the down sides of a dual club competing in similarly important c/ship grades. For a month it has had to be a concentration on football, now with the boot on the other foot it is the opposite, and following Sunday's poor display, by Fermoy's own standards, it will take a lot of hard work on the part of all the players if they are to be on the ball when they meet Kildorrery on June 8th in Castletownroche in the one that really matters, the first round of the Co C/ship.
The team's next outing will be on Sunday next when they visit Cloyne for another round in the league. This will be a supreme test of the side's ability to rise from a defeat and hopefully put a smile back on the faces of their followers once more.
A few positives to draw from last Sunday's game was the fact that a few of their long term injury worries returned to action, these included Darragh O'Carroll, and David Geary, with Eoin Clancy who has been out for over a year coming on during the second half, and Liam Coleman, who has been out since the end of last year. All this means that the panel is now getting much stronger and with Tomas Clancy and Martin Brennan nursing current injuries the team management are hoping that things can only improve for them.
Fermoy team: Conor Quinn, Paudie Clancy, Jeff Daly, Alan Baragry, Ronan O'Callaghan, Darragh O'Carroll 0-1, Kieran Morrison 0-1, Brian O'Sullivan, John Ring, Jack Hutchings, Paudie Shanahan 0-1, Peter Murphy, Padraig de Roiste, David Geary 0-7, Mark O'Flynn 0-1, Subs used Alan O'Connor, Liam Coleman 0-1, Eoin Clancy, Rory O'Hagan 0-1, Ian Brennan 0-1,
GARY WINS THE CARRY OUT TROPHY
A young player not long out of the juvenile ranks, Gary Mahon carded a very good 40 net to hold off stiff opposition and win the Noel McCarthy sponsored “Carry Out” pitch and putt competition last weekend.
Another popular member and near veteran, the former Millstreet man Kevin Cronin, returned 41 to take the gents net prize while the Cork team player John Cahill captured the gross on 48.
The ladies competition was won by the mother of the great sporting Clancy family, Jean, who had a very creditable 44 net in the conditions.
This weekend features the much awaited George O'Keefe Memorial Competition from Friday to Sunday, usual draw times.