Ballinacourty retain title

Ballinacourty 4-9 Rathgormack 2-6

After 13 minutes, they trailed by eight points (2-2 to 0-0) and were in trouble throughout the field.

But once midfielder Peter Phelan landed their opening point a minute later, they found their form, and raced to victory. Luck was on their side also: Patrick Hurney capitalised on a woeful defensive mix-up to goal on 18 minutes while Declan Fives was awarded a point though it looked wide.

The sides were level at the break (l-5 to 2-2), and thereafter, Ballinacourty began to pull away. Hurney slotted home a penalty two minutes after the restart. Kevin Power did reduce the Rathgormack deficit, but Mark Gorman’s goal in the 49th minute was followed quickly by another Declan Fives point before Mark Ferncombe had the ball in the net one minute from time to truly settle the affair.

Scorers: Ballinacourty: P. Hurney (2-1); D. Fives (0-5); M. Ferncombe (1- 1); M. Gorman (1-0); P. Phelan(0-1); M. Fives(0-1). Rathgormack: K. Power (1-3); C. Mears(1-0); J. Kirwan (0-2); C. Hassett (0- 1).

BALLINACOURTY: D. Byrne; R. Foley. J. Kindregan. B. Scanlon; J. Mullen. P. Lynch. S. Hanrahan; M. Fives. P. Phelan; S. O’Hare. P. Hurney. D. Fives; J. O’Brien. M. Gorman. M. Ferncombe

Subs: E. Enright for Ferncombe; D. Ryan for Phelan.

RATHGORMACK: D. Larkin; J. Kirwan. M. Sexton. D. Ellis; N. Mackey. M. Cummins. J. Nugent; C. Hassett. S. Kavanagh; C. Mears. K. Power. M. Whelan; R. Power. J. Kirwan. J. Crotty.

Subs: M. Quinlan for J.Kirwan; J. Cahill for Mears.

Referee: Stan Flynn, Fenor.