Kiely goal sets Ballincourty on the road to victory

Ballinacourty 1-7

Thirteen minutes into the tie, Ballinacourty's towering full-forward Ian Kiely rose highest in a crowded goalmouth and fisted Declan Fives' accurate free to the corner of the net.

In the final analysis that lone goal proved to be the all important score of a game that was hard fought but which only produced moderate fare throughout.

In fairness to both sides they had to contend with atrocious conditions with the playing surface waterlogged in several places.

Kiely's goal gave 'Courty a priceless 1-1 to 0-1 advantage despite playing into the teeth of the strong wind, but it was largely backs to the wall for the remainder of that opening half.

With Karl O'Keeffe dominant in the middle of the field, Clashmore enjoyed the lion's share of the territorial possession but they were still a point adrift, 1-2 to 0-4, at the half time break.

They resumed with corner forward Brian O'Neill in goal for the injured Declan Hickey, and O'Neill never put a foot wrong in dealing effectively with several threatening second-half situations.

Within a minute of the restart, Stephen Barron's accurate free had Clashmore level but that was as good as it was to get for them.

With Gary Hurney becoming more and more influential at midfield, despite the continuing efforts of O'Keeffe, the winners took command.

Fittingly it was a fisted point by Hurney that restored their advantage, and when his brother, John, and Declan Fives landed long-range efforts with unerring accuracy there was never going to be a way back for Clashmore.

Further minors by John Foley and Fives bolstered the winners to safer pastures, while the loss through injury of Stephen Barron was a setback Clashmore could have done without.

Still they battled in the face of the inevitable and outstanding wing-back Philip Dee landed his second point from play five minutes from time.

They had one subsequent half-chance of grabbing the goal that might have rescued them, but in the end victory deservedly went to the better side leaving Clashmore with the cushion and consolation of the losers group.

Scorers for Ballinacourty; I. Kiely(1-0); G. Hurney(0-3); D. Fives(0-2); S. Briggs, J. Foley(0-1) each.

Clashmore; K. O'Keeffe(0-2); P. Dee(0-2); S. Barron(0-2).

BALLINACOURTY; A.Landers; R. Hanrahan. J. Phelan. G. Breen; B. Hayes. L. Hurney.D. Cliffe; S. Briggs. G. Hurney; D. Fives. J. Moore. J. Hurney; P. Lynch. I. Kiely. J. Foley.

Sub; W. Fennell for Briggs (inj).

CLASHMORE; D. Hickey; G. Dunne. P. Connery. P. Lombard; B. Murray. P. Allen. P. Dee; K. O'Keeffe. M. Power; S. Barron. M. Frenton. R. Ryan; P. O'Rourke. S. Fleming. B. O'Neill.

Subs; J.Ledingham for Hickey(inj); J. Collins for Barron(inj); Killian O'Keeffe for Ryan.

Referee; John M. Kelly, Shamrocks.