Brilliant Ballincollig display against Fr O’Neill’s keeps them in mix to avoid relegation

Ballincollig 4-22 Fr O’Neill’s 1-20 

BALLINCOLLIG produced their best performance of the season in the RedFM Division 1 Hurling League to dispose of Fr O’Neill’s at Ballincollig on Thursday.

By virtue of this win Ballincollig are still fighting to avoid relegation and they will take huge confidence from this win for their forthcoming Premier Intermediate games.

The opening exchanges were riveting and with Joe Millerick running the show at centre-field the visitors were the dominant force.

It only took Cillian Broderick one minute to split the posts and the same player was on hand two minutes later to guide the ball to the empty after some poor defending. After a slow start Collig got in the groove with full-forward Pearse Morris looking sharp.

Millerick drifted out of the game as Ballincollig came storming back with Adam Wills on hand to drill a low shot to the net midway through the quarter.

It got worse for the East Cork side two minutes later when goalkeeper Paudie O’Sullivan fumbled a shot and Morris, a brother of Tipp hurler Jake, punished them with an easy tap in to the net.

The game looked to be going away from O’Neill’s when Wills drilled in a third goal with four minutes remaining to the interval.

Credit to O’Neill’s they battled like trojans in the closing minutes and three consecutive points ensured they reduced the deficit to four points at the break 3-11 to 1-13.

On the restart Ballincollig increased the tempo as they gave their opponents little time on the ball, hustling and harrying them at every given opportunity.

James Dwyer was superb at centre-field for Ballincollig and he got just reward in the 51st minute with a brilliant goal when he broke clear following excellent work from Brian Keating, who shot 0-4 from play, and sub Mark Oldham. Cian O’Driscoll also curled over a great point, out wide, his third, which left Fr O’Neill’s chasing goals that didn’t arrive.

In fairness this was a night to savour for the home crowd as their trip to Na Piarsaigh on Thursday has suddenly become a game of huge significance which gives them a chance to avoid relegation.

Scorers for Ballincollig: P Morris 1-9 (0-6 f), A Wills 2-1, J Dwyer 1-1, B Keating 0-4, C O’Driscoll 0-3, T O’Connell, M Oldham, B O’Brien, S Wills 0-1 each.

Fr O’Neill’s: K O’Sullivan 0-7 (0-4 f, 0-1 sl), C Broderick 1-3, J Millerick 0-4, P McMahon 0-3, P Hassett, D Harrington, B Dunne 0-1 each.

BALLINCOLLIG: J Lenihan; R O’Donovan, C O’Sullivan, C Moore; D O’Sullivan, F Denney, P Kelly; J Dwyer, B Coleman; S Wills, B Keating, T O’Connell; C O’Driscoll, P Morris, A Wills.

Subs: M Oldham for T O’Connell (45), S Murphy for R O’Donovan (52), B O’Brien for B Keating (inj 55), C Sexton for B Coleman (56).

Fr O’NEILL’S: P O’Sullivan; M Millerick, E Motherway, R Kenneally; M O’Keeffe, D Harrington, C O’Connor; Joe Millerick, P McMahon; R Cullinane, K O’Sullivan, P Hassett; C Broderick, B Dunne, Johnny Millerick.

Sub: M Wall for P Hassett (43).

Referee: Diarmuid Kirwan (Éire Óg).