Ballincollig hurlers quieten Blarney
MUSKERRY JUNIOR HURLING CHAMPIONSHIP, ROUND 3
Ballincollig 0-22 Blarney 1-10
THIS third round Muskerry Junior Hurling Championship game played at Ballinora on Saturday evening last resulted in a decisive victory for the former. Considering that both sides are second choice teams it was hard to determine who would be the stronger entering the fray.
Blarney were slightly fancied but their opponents surprisingly dominated the exchanges.
Ballincollig had lost to their intermediate team some players who had figured prominently in their first round victory over
Inniscarra but they also had a few players with experience who had not participated in their first round victory and they made a huge impact.
Ballincollig played with wind advantage in the first half of last Saturday’s encounter and they certainly went strongly on the offensive. Steven Wills, Shane Murphy, Evan Cooke and Wills again all sent the sliotar between the uprights in quick succession so Ballincollig’s position was hopeful. The experienced Mark Cremen was Blarney’s free taker and he was on target from a placed ball in the 11th minute to reduce the arrears.
Ballincollig replied with a vengeance however as players like Colin Moore and Evan Cooke really stamped their authority on the game. The winners chalked up 11 additional points as all their forwards displayed the ability to put the sliotar between the uprights so 0-15 to 0-2 was a significant advantage with a second Cremen point from a free being Blarneys only reply.
The latter were aided by the breeze in the second moiety so a fight back of some degree was anticipated. Ballincollig were leaving nothing to chance as the second member of the Wills family Adam sent the sliotar between the uprights and brother Steven followed with a minor from a free.
The game was now moving out of Blarney’s reach and their position became more acute when Shane Murphy raised Ballincollig’s 19th white flag. Blarney got a brief lift in the 40th minute when an effort for a goal by Cremen from a close in free was saved but subsequently forced over the line by corner forward Cian Dunlea but there was an immediate reply for Ballincollig.
Opportunist corner forward Shane Murphy raised another white flag. Blarney did manage to put a better complexion on the scoreboard during the final period when Connie Forde, Galvin Mullane,
Cathal Hegarty and Mark Cummins all raised white flags and Cremen was on target from three more frees. The Wills brothers ensured that the Ballincollig position stayed comfortable as Stephen was on target from two frees and Adam drove the sliotar between the uprights from play. Ballincollig’s eventual nine-point winning margin was a clear indication of their superiority.
BALLINCOLLIG: Ronan Cambridge, Chris Twomey, Noel Galvin, Brian Cotter, Jordan Murray, Conor Kinsella, Shane O Neill, Stephen Wills 0-6 (3f), Colin Moore, James O Leary (0-2), Evan Cooke (0-6), Adam Wills (0-2), Shane Murphy (0-3), Conor Sexton (0-2), David Collins (0-1), Sub: Jason Murray for David Collins (44, inj)
BLARNEY: Conor Murphy, Gavin Mullane (0-1), Paul O Connor, Josh Barrett, Will Crowley, Sean McSweeney, Conor O Mahony, Vincie O’Mahony, Barry Phelan, Connie Forde (0-1), Mark Cremen 0-6 (5f), Mark Cummins (0-1), Cian Dunlea (1-0), Cian Ahern, Cathal Hegarty (0-1). Subs: Brian Walsh for Vincie O Mahony (ht), Ray O Donovan for Cian Ahern (ht), John Goode for Cian Dunloea (46)