Ballinhassig make short work of Bishopstown in RedFM SHL Division 3

Ballinhassig 2-22 Bishopstown 1-13 

BISHOPSTOWN’S poor league form continued as they were well beaten by Ballinhassig in the RedFM Hurling League Division 3.

The star of the show here was Ger Collins, scoring an impressive 1-11 over the hour in a game that was decided by two first-half goals.

Ballinhassig raced into an early lead of 1-3 to no score after six minutes, including a well-taken goal, after the Town coughed up an easy ball for Collins to punish the city outfit.

Lacking early penetration, a free from Niall O’Hora and a score from play from Mark McStay had the visitors finally up and running on eight minutes.

However, Ballinhassig were in no mood to concede the advantage. Gearoid Kirby, Fintan O’Leary and Collins all took their opportunities to widen the margin between the sides.

Living on crumbs, the town keeper, Cathal Fitzpatrick, sent over two frees from distance to narrow the margin to 1-6 to 0-4 after 22 minutes.

Ballinhassig, taking full advantage of the breeze, pushed on to the interval by adding three scores, including a well-taken Kirby goal following a pass from Diarmuid O’Sullivan.

The second half opened with Bishopstown making the early running, but their efforts drifted wide off the target.

Up the other end, Ballinhassig, led by the three musketeers of Collins, Kirby, and O’Leary continued to punish their opponents.

Credit to Bishopstown, they continued to chase the game as Brian Murray, Tomás Murray and Dave O’Brien all registered scores with the tally running from 2-16 to 0-11 points after 53 minutes.

With Ballinhassig emptying their bench, Town found the net after 57 minutes thanks to Luke Lordan, but it did little to shake the home side from running out easy winners.

Scorers for Ballinhassig: G Collins 1-11 (0-9 f), G Kirby 1-3, F O’Leary 0-5, D O’Sullivan 0-2, T Madden 0-1.

Bishopstown: L Lordan 1-1, C Fitzpatrick 0-3 f, D O’Brien 0-3, B Murray 0-2, T Murray, M McStay, C O’Hora, N O’Hora (f) (0-1 each.

BALLINHASSIG: J O’Mahony; J Lyne, M Desmond, J O’Riordan; J O’Callaghan, C Desmond, C Kirby; E Lombard, S McCarthy; J Grainger, G Collins, D O’Sullivan; G Sheehan, F O’Leary, G Kirby. 

Subs: D Dulea for S McCarthy (h-t), T Madden for G Sheehan (45), K McCarthy for J Grainger (47), E Finn for E Lombard (53), C Cullinane for J O’Callaghan (56).

BISHOPSTOWN: C Fitzpatrick; D Lyster, C O’Driscoll, D O’Driscoll; N O’ Hora, D Daly, D Murray; R Foley, C O’Hora; K McFadden, C Dunne, L Lordan; M McStay, B Murray, T Murray.

Subs: D O’Connell for D O’Driscoll (h-t), D O’Brien for T Murray (47). 

Referee: Alan O’Connor.