Ballinhassig 4-13Â Ballincollig 0-19Â
Ballinhassig proved too strong for a depleted Ballincollig side in the Co-Op SuperStores PIHC in front of a large crowd at Church Road on Friday evening.
This opening Group 2 contest pitted two teams who would have designs of reaching the business end of the championship this year. It was the men from Carrigdhoun that are up and running and they fully deserved the victory too.
They had a better work-rate, got their goals at crucial stages and an excellent puckout strategy by Cork senior hurling goalkeeper Patrick Collins.Â
Ballincollig will be disappointed especially after being out hurled in the opening 30 minutes, trailing by five points at the interval. They were missing a number of players though for a combination of reasons including five key defenders. The Muskerry side were too reliant on Stephen Wills who ended up with 0-16.
This win sets the Blues up nicely ahead of games against Castlemartyr and Kilworth in the group.
Ballinhassig, who were driven on by Cork senior hurler Darragh O’Sullivan, did concede the first two scores from play through Stephen Wills’ points. Ballincollig did have the aid of a slight wind, but it was Ballinhassig who were more comfortable on the ball.
Ballinhassig’s Darragh O’Sullivan and Ballincollig’s Stephen Wills rise for the dropping ball. Picture: David Creedon
After three wides, the Blues got into their stride landing 1-4 without reply. Ger Collins with the goal after six minutes after Evan Cullinane and Brian Lynch were involved in great build-up play. Adam O’Sullivan got two sweet points in that scoring spree.
Ballinhassig were able to keep their opposition at arms-length, as they led 1-7 to 0-4 after 18 minutes. It could even have got better for the Carrigdhoun outfit, but Fenton Denny made an inspirational block to deny Adam O’Sullivan a great goal opportunity.
A Stephen Wills (free) and Brian Keating, who was the Collig’s second scorer, did leave them four points adrift, 1-7 to 0-6.
It was point for point for the next number of minutes. John O’Sullivan’s charges led 1-10 to 0-9 with four minutes to the break.
The excellent Ger Collins converted a placed ball, as his team led by five points at half-time, 1-11 to 0-9.
Ballincollig did hit three successive white flags from Stephen Wills, all from frees, at the start of the second half.
They were playing second fiddle though even if the display was an improvement on the opening 30 minutes.
Ballinhassig were always able to keep their opponents at a firm distance. A Ger Collins free and a Brian Lynch effort pushed their team 1-13 to 0-12 clear after 40 minutes.
Ballincollig’s Seán O’Neill tries to break away from Ballinhassig’s Charlie Grainger. Picture: David Creedon
Two unanswered Ballincollig points did leave two points in it, but the game gradually got away from them from the minute Evan Cullinane billowed the back of the net 13 minutes from time.
Stephen Wills did reply with a free, but a third Ballinhassig goal put clear daylight between the sides, that man Cullinane again with a great finish low into the corner of the net after a Darragh O’Sullivan pass, 3-13 to 0-15 after 48 minutes.
The aforementioned Stephen Wills did point two frees, but a Ger Collins converted penalty after he was fouled by Ballincollig netminder James Linehan more or less ended the game, 4-13 to 0-17 with eight minutes remaining.
The closing stages was scrappy, a Stephen Wills placed ball and a neat point from sub Mark Oldham were consolation scores for the Village.
A six-point victory for Ballinhassig.
Scorers for Ballinhassig: G Collins 2-7 (0-5 f, 0-2 65, 1-0 pen), E Cullinane 2-1, A O’Sullivan 0-4, B Lynch 0-1.
Ballincollig: S Wills 0-16 (0-13 f), B Keating, C O’Driscoll, M Oldham 0-1 each.
BALLINHASSIG: P Collins; C Kirby, K Maguire, P O’Leary; J O’Callaghan, D O’Sullivan, C Desmond; C Grainger, J Grainger; E Lombard, A O’Sullivan, E Cullinane; S O’Neill, G Collins, B Lynch.
Subs: S McCarthy for J Grainger (38), D O’Donovan for J O’Callaghan (43), F O’Leary for C Grainger (58), C Grainger for E Cullinane (61, inj).
BALLINCOLLIG: J Linehan; B Dore, J Murray, D O’Leary; B Coleman, F Denny, C Dalton; B Keating, T Morgan; C O’Driscoll, S Wills, T O’Connell; A Wills, P Morris, S O’Neill.
Subs: P Kelly for C Dalton (h-t), S O’Donoghue for B Dore (36), D O’Mahony for T Morgan (39), C Dorgan for A Wills (45), M Oldham for P Morris (49).
Referee: Ian McCarthy (Bandon).