Ballinhassig and Glen take league honours

TWO Cork County Board hurling league finals were decided over the weekend and in both cases there was double joy for the victors.

Premier IHC winners Ballinhassig, narrowly beaten in the All Ireland Club final by Dicksboro at Croke Park, completed the double with a 0-14 to 0-11 victory over plucky Inniscarra in Ovens, while in the Premier MHL final championship winners Glen Rovers had a 2-11 to 0-9 extra-time victory over Bishopstown at Páirc Ui Rinn.

Ballinhassig now go into senior duty knowing they were the best intermediate team in the county, but they have a lot of work ahead to match the big boys. No question they have some excellent hurlers, with young Dan O’Callaghan, Fintan O’Leary and Darren Dineen terrific up front. This trio accounted for all their scores, but in the biting cold they showed they could defend too.

They may not have got off to the best of starts, but once they got into their stride Inniscarra failed to cope with the champions’ skilful play and, in the end, Ballinhassig were deserving winners. Cork minor O’Callaghan, who looks an excellent prospect, played his part with two fine points and with Dineen finding his range from frees Ballinhassig took control to lead 0-7 to 0-5 at the break.

Scorers: Ballinhassig: D. Dineen 0-8 (0-6 frees), F. O’Leary 0-4, D. O’Callaghan 0-2. Inniscarra: N. O’Regan 0-8 (0-5 frees), J. O’Mahony (65), R. Cummins, D. O’Connell 0-1 each.

BALLINHASSIG: M. Coleman; S. McCarthy, D. Healy, B. Coleman; J. Ahern, M. Ahern, B. O’Sullivan; D. Brennan, B. Lombard; S. Dineen, D. Dineen, F. O’Leary; P. O’Sullivan, D. Duggan, D. O’Callaghan. Subs: J. Mullanney for S. Dineen, P. Lombard for Brennan.

INNISCARRA: K. Murphy; B. O’Keeffe, B. Linehane, C. Holland; D. O’Mahony, J. O’Mahony, S. Olden; J. Olden, L. Ryan; R. Cummins, G. Burke, J. Casey; N. O’Regan, D. Holland, D. O’Connell. Subs: A. O’Mahony for Casey, T. Murphy for Holland.

Referee: J. Dorgan (Nemo Rangers).

Glen Rovers 2-11 Bishopstown 0-9

EXTRA-TIME goals from substitute Conor Dorris and Eoin Cronin settled a teak tough Ulster Bank Premier MHL final.

There was nothing between these two fine hurling teams in the championship. And it was no different yesterday when the injured Pa Cronin fired over his fifth free to take a tense game to extra-time.

Cronin, suffering from a rib injury, did not resume in this period and was a huge loss, and although Thomas Murray put the Town ahead against the strong wind, Dorris struck a crucial goal in the 68th minute to rock Bishopstown.

Bishopstown did bring the deficit back to a point two minutes into the second period with a cracking point from Murray but, from there on, a far hungrier Glen side took over. Patrick Horgan, held scoreless from play up to then by the excellent Colm O’Driscoll, fired over two terrific points and Cronin sealed a deserved victory with his 73rd minute goal.

Scorers: Glen Rovers: P. Horgan 0-5 (0-2 frees, 0-1 65), C. Dorris 1-1, E. Cronin 1-0, S. Hegarty 0-2, T. Horgan, K. O’Sullivan, D. O’Callaghan 0-1 each. Bishopstown: P. Cronin 0-5 (frees), T. Murray 0-2 (0-1 free), M. Power, D. Crowley 0-1 each.

GLEN ROVERS: C. Hurley; T. Desmond, D. Mulcahy, C. Spain; K. O’Sullivan, B. Moylan, G. Bracken; S. McDonnell, S. Hegarty; D. O’Callaghan, E. Cronin, R. Whitty; P. Horgan, B. O’Donovan, B. Rogers. Subs: T. Horgan for Whitty, C. Dorris for Rogers, P. Hegarty for O’Donovan, L. Guckian for O’Sullivan.

BISHOPSTOWN: R. Mawe; C. O’Driscoll, B. Nunan, J. O’Sullivan; P. Honohan, T. Murray, W. O’Grady; E. Byrne, P. Cronin; M. Power, T. Bonner, I. Jones; C. Lutrell, D. Crowley, D. Kennedy. Subs: S. Hayes for Kennedy. R. Fitzgibbon for Cronin, T. O’Donovan for Nunan, C. Jones for Bonner.

Referee: D. Kirwan (Éire Óg).