Ballincollig’s bid to return title to the village after five years ends

Douglas 1-12 Ballincollig 0-9

BALLINCOLLIG’S bid to bridge a five-year gap came to a premature end in Páirc Uí Rinn last Sunday.

After achieving a historic triumph in the county SFC with a tender-aged team in 2014, it seemed reasonable to expect that the Mid-Cork men would reach the summit again before the conclusion of the current decade.

They have competed well in the meantime, filling the runners-up behind Carbery Rangers in 2016, and they went into this quarter-final clash with Douglas on the back of a couple of convincing wins over Kiskeam and Clyda Rovers.

So, they were entitled to be optimistic about their chances of making further progress, notwithstanding the fact that Douglas were always going to be a much harder nut to crack. Their protracted quest for a second title continues, however, following a six-point defeat in a contest that left Ballincollig lamenting their failure to avail of four goal-chances over the hour.

The first of these arrived in the 12th minute when, with the teams tied at 0-3 apiece, Colin Moore shot wide from pointblank range after being fed by Gary Comerford. Nearing halftime Darren Murphy brought the best out of Douglas custodian Brian Boyle, who proved his worth again with another good save to deny Comerford in the 42nd minute.

Boyle had been beaten by a shot from Ballincollig wing-back Cian Kiely two minutes earlier, but the upright came to the city side’s rescue on that occasion. All of which meant Ballincollig had good cause for rueful reflection at the finish.

It would be churlish at the same time to suggest Douglas weren’t worthy winners as they played the better football for longer, and they enjoyed a definite edge territorially due to the impact made by midfielders Niall and Brian Hartnett.

After Darren Murphy drew first blood for Ballincollig, Douglas responded with points from Sean Powter, Niall Hartnett, who completed a blistering run from deep with an inspirational score, and Shane Kingston to lead by 0-3 to 0-1 inside eight minutes.

Cian Dorgan pulled a point back for Ballincollig from a free two minutes later, and, following a poor-kick out, Paddy Kelly picked up possession to place JP Murphy for an equaliser. Ballincollig led for the second time after Darren Murphy made it 0-5 to 0-4 in the 23rd minute, but Brian Hartnett quickly replied for the winners, who weren’t to fall behind again.

Murphy posted three fine points in the first-half when Cian Dorgan, although generally kept on a tight rein by Douglas full-back Nathan Walsh, chipped in with another beauty, with Gary Comerford also getting on the scoresheet from play before the break, there is no disputing the input from Ballincollig’s inside line of attack, and Darren Murphy in particular, was instrumental in countering the advantage held by Douglas overall in the first half.

A tad flattered to be level, 0-7 to 0-7, at the interval, Ballincollig found themselves chasing the game after the impressive Shane Kingston and Conor Russell, from a free, shared a brace of points for Douglas early in the second half.

The losers were prevented from snatching the initiative when Cian Kiely’s goal-attempt struck the upright in the 40th minute, and another seven minutes were to elapse before Cian Dorgan finally broke their second half duck from a free.

Trailing by 0-10 to 0-8 at that stage, Ballincollig were two points adrift again after Dorgan negated a sublime James Holland score for Douglas with another converted placed ball in the 52nd minute.

That Dorgan’s two points amounted to Ballincollig’s entire return for the second-half is indicative of their mounting problems in attack. So, it was obvious their fate was sealed when a sloppy pass in defence was intercepted by Douglas wing forward Sean Powter, who combined with James Holland to set Conor Russell up for a goal in the 54th minute.

That left Douglas 1-11 to 0-9 to the good, and, fittingly, influential midfielder Niall Hartnett put the finishing touch to their victory with a point in stoppage time.

DOUGLAS: B Boyle; K Hayes-Curtin, N Walsh, L McGrath; S Wilson, E Cadogan, K Flahive; B Hartnett (0-2), N Hartnett (0-2); S Kingston (0-3, 1f), D Hanrahan, S Powter (0-1); J Holland (0-1), C Russell (1-3, 1f), B Collins Subs: S Collins for Collins, ht, B Lynch for Hanrahan, 50, D Murphy for Kingston, 59.

BALLINCOLLIG: J Gibbons; K Coleman, L Jennings, N Galvin; L Fahy, C O’Connell, C Kiely; S Kiely, P O’Neill; JP Murphy (0-1), P Kelly, C Moore; G Comerford (0-1), C Dorgan (0-4, 3f), D Murphy (0-3) Subs:

K Browne for O’Connell, 37, C O’Sullivan for S Kiely, 45, R Noonan for Moore, 54, D Dorgan for O’Neill, 59.

REFEREE: P O’Driscoll (Bride Rovers)