Kilshanning into county semi-final
Kilshannig 2-10 Ballinhassig 0-4
KILSHANNIG progressed to the County JAFC semi-final after they saw off the challenge from Ballinhassig in a hard fought encounter at Carrignavar on Sunday.
Over the hour the winners possessed the greater scoring threat with goals in either half by Dermot Twomey and Jack Kearney setting them on their way to a comprehensive victory. In a tense opening half Kilshannig were quick off the mark. In the first minute good work by Eoin O’Sullivan set up the impressive Kieran Twomey for a well taken point.
Moments later the Glantane side created the games opening goal scoring opportunity when Kieran Twomey was narrowly wide. Nevertheless as the half went on Kilshannig quickly got to grips and laid a platform with victory with an impressive display by their entire back line where Eoghan Burke, Bill Curtin, Roddy O’Mahony, Colm O’Shea, Brian Guerin and Conor Murphy were in splendid form and they certainly had the measure of their opponents during the entire game.
At the other end Jack Kearney and Killian O’Hanlon added points for the winners before Ballinhassig got off the mark at the end of the first quarter when Fintan O’Leary pointed a free. At this stage Kilshannig were showing the greater urgency in attack.
Wing-back Colm O’Shea pointed from long range to make it 0-4 to 0-1. Ballinhassig also created their fair share of chances in this half and in the 19th minute a vital save by the Kilshannig keeper Colm O’Dea denied Diarmuid O’Sullivan.
The eventual clearance down the field saw Kilshannig break at speed with Kieran Twomey kicking over a good point. Scores were at a premium over the next couple of minutes before Kilshannig struck for a vital score in the 28th minute.
A Ballinhassig movement was intercepted by the hard-working Killian O’Hanlon with Frank McCarthy and O’Hanlon combining well to set up Dermot Twomey for a well taken goal and in the process help his side to a 1-5 to 0-1 interval lead.
On the changeover Ballinhassig started in a very positive manner and came close to a goal. Fintan O’Leary set up the inrushing Diarmuid O’Sullivan whose effort at goal struck the side netting. It was the winners that found scores much easier to come by.
Colm O’Shea and Eanna O’Hanlon linked up well to set up Dermot Twomey for a great point with Kieran Twomey following with a pointed free in the 42nd minute. Ballinhassig had to wait till the 44th minute for their second point of the game when Fintan O’Leary pointed.
The South East side were always in with a chance of scoring a goal to get right back into the contention but any hope was dashed in the 50th minute when a quickly taken free in the Ballinhassig full-back line went astray with Kilshannig winning possession and it set up Jack Kearney who finished to the net from close range that helped seal the issue when leading by 2-7 to 0-2.
The last ten minutes saw Kilshannig tag on three more points by Conor McMahon, Barry O’Shea and Killian O’Hanlon while Ballinhassig had a point each by Fintan O’Leary and Simon O’Neill.
There was no denying Kilshannig their place in the county semi-final.
KILSHANNIG: C O’Dea, E Burke, B Curtin, R O’Mahony, C Murphy, B Guerin, C O’Shea 0-1, J Twomey, E O’Hanlon, J Kearney 1-1, K O’Hanlon 0-2 (0-1f) F McCarthy, K Twomey 0-3 (0-1f) D Twomey 1-1, E O’Sullivan Subs: C McMahon 0-1 for F McCarthy, B O’Shea 0-1 for E O’Hanlon (inj), P Egan for J Kearney, P O’Connell for K Twomey, K O’Flynn for B Guerin.
BALLINHASSIG: A O’Leary, E Lombard, P O’Leary, C Desmond, P O’Sullivan, S McCarthy, D O’Sullivan, M Aherne, Donnacha Donovan, S Mulligan, F O’Leary 0-3f, S Coleman, P Coomey, C Tyres, Diarmuid O’Sullivan Subs: M Desmond for Declan O’Sullivan (inj) C Reynolds for S Coleman, S Dineen for D Donovan (inj), T Madden for Diarmuid O’Sullivan, S O’Neill 0-1 for C Tyres, M O’Mahony for E Lombard
REFEREE: Mark Murphy (Bride Rovers)