Hero Kelly points way for battling Ballincollig

BALLINCOLLIG added another illustrious chapter to their success story with a dramatic one point victory - 1-11 to 0-13 - over Ilen Rovers in a thrilling Evening Echo Cork County SFC fourth round tie at Dunmanway on Saturday night.

Conquerors of defending champions Nemo Rangers and former winners Castlehaven in the previous rounds, Ballincollig swooped two minutes from the end of normal time to snatch a superb match winning point from impressive full forward John Kelly.

But spare a thought for the vanquished. Trailing by six points, following a devastating start by Ballincollig to the second half, Ilen Rovers, inspired by Kevin O’Sullivan, staged a remarkable comeback and came within a whisker of pulling the game out of the fire.

Scorers: Ballincollig: J. Kelly (1-2), C. Weste (0-5, 0-3 frees), M. Greene (0-3, 0-2 frees), J. O’Brien (0-1). Ilen Rovers: K. O’Sullivan (0-8, 0-4 frees), C. O’Driscoll, E. Sheehy, F. Collins, K. Daly, J. Whooley (0-1 each).

BALLINCOLLIG: D. Lordan, N. Barry, E. Hegarty, C. Cronin, J. O’Brien, S. O’Donoghue, J.P. O’Leary, L. O’Toole, P. Kelly, M. Greene, B. Cotter, P. Corcoran, C. Weste, J. Kelly, A. Donovan, Subs: E. Bourke for O’Leary, P. O’Mahony for O’Toole, F. Keohane for Cotter, J. Miskella for Bourke.

ILEN ROVERS: G. Coakley, D. Murphy, D. Harmon, J. Sheehy, D. Duggan, D. Coughlan, J. Wycherley, F. Collins, L. O’Driscoll, J. Whooley, K. Daly, E. Sheehy, B. O’Sullivan, K. O’Sullivan, C. O’Driscoll. Subs: D. Duggan for L. O’Driscoll.

Referee: J. Kearney (Na Piarsaigh).

A point by Ronan Geary a minute into injury time earned Milford a draw - 2-13 to 0-19 - in this thrilling Evening Echo co. IHC tie at Ballyhooley yesterday.

It was no more than the North Cork side deserved. With limited resources, they showed tremendous heart and commitment to come from five points down late in the first half, then to go two in front midway through the second half, before falling behind again to a succession of Ballymartle points before Geary came to their rescue with that equalising score in the 62nd minute.

Ballymartle will forever wonder how they lost this game. Inspired by the brilliance of Rory Dwyer at midfield, they hit Milford with five points in a row to take a commanding lead at the end of the opening quarter, but conceded two goals and began to struggle in the face of the Blues onslaught.

Scorers: Milford: P. O'Regan 1-3 (1-2 frees); N. Geary 1-0; R. Geary 0-3; J. O'Brien, M. O'Connell, E. Dillon (0-1 free, 0-1 65) 0-2 each; M. Cremin 0-1. Ballymartle: R. Dwyer 0-5 (0-3 frees, 0-1 65); G. Cummins 0-4; B. Dwyer 0-3; B. Corry, P. Coughlan 0-2 each; D. Dwyer, K. Lordan, C. Sheehan 0-1 each.

MILFORD: M. Morrissey; N. Brosnan, P. O'Brien, D. O'Leary; J. Leonard, E. Dillon, W. O'Leary; J. O'Brien, M. O'Connell; M. Cremin, M. savage, R. Geary; P. O'Regan, N. Geary, J. Cremin. Subs. J. O'Connor for O'Leary; S. O'Connell for J. Cremin; B. Sexton for Savage.

BALLYMARTLE: D. McCarthy; S. O'Connell, K. Coleman, G. Webb; D. Dwyer, P. Dwyer, N. Sheehan; R. Dwyer, C. O'Brien; B. Dwyer, C. Sheehan, B. Corry; K. Lordan, A. McCarthy; G. Cummins. Subs. P. Coughlan for C. Sheehan; M. O'Mahony for C. O'Brien; S. Coleman for A. McCarthy.

Referee: C. Lane (Lyre).

NEMO RANGERS and Cobh will have to meet again - 2-8 to -0-14 - to see who will play Blackrock in the Evening Echo IHC relegation decider.

Neither team were prepared to concede defeat in Riverstown last evening after an energy sapping 60 odd minutes. In the final analysis, Nemo will be disappointed not to have continued in the same positive vein as the first 30 minutes, while Cobh will be heartened by their spirited second half comeback.

With the reward, a stay in the intermediate grade, as expected this was going to be an intense and anxious struggle.

Scorers: Cobh: E Wilson 1-2, B Meaney 1-1, L Greaney and D Barrett (0-1 65m) 0-2 each, J Meaney 0-1. Nemo Rangers: A Cronin and J Masters 0-3 (0-1 free) each, M Cronin, D Niblock and W Morgan 0-2 each, P O’Shea and J Griffin (65m) 0-1 each.

COBH: P Looney; M O’Connor, T Anderson, R O’Connor; P Meaney, D Barrett, T Byrne; L Greaney, D Meaney; J Griffin, J Meaney, E Wilson; B Meaney, A Walley, B Aherne.

Subs: V O’Rourke for D Meaney (39 mins), D O’Rourke for B Meaney (46 mins), R Meaney for J Meaney (57 mins), S Ryan for B Aherne (59 mins).

NEMO RANGERS: S Corkery; T Morgan, P Brophy, E O’Leary; J P O’Neill, J Griffin, P Morgan; M Cronin, W Morgan; D Niblock, J Masters, P O’Shea; A Cronin, J Coogan, S Lyons.

Subs: D Breen for E O’Leary (18 mins inj), D Creedon for J Coogan (24 mins).

Referee: P O’Neill (Shamrocks).

CLYDA ROVERS remain firmly on course to return to seniors ranks just one year after dropping down following this convincing 2-8 to 1-5 victory over Youghal in the quarter-final of the Evening Echo Premier IFC at Fermoy last night.

The final score line is not a true reflection of the game as a finely tuned Clyda side dominated for long periods with little reward. Some of their finishing was dreadful and their obsession with the short passing game saw them run into trouble on several occasions. Against a more direct side like St. Vincents whom they will now meet in the semi-final, they could pay a heavy price.

Scorers: Clyda: D. O’Brien 1-2; F. Dorgan 1-0; J. Murphy (frees), P. O’Mullane 0-2 each; P. Kissane, R. Carey 0-1 each. Youghal: J. Ormonde 1-1; B. McCarthy 0-3 (0-1 free); P. Kelly 0-1.

CLYDA ROVERS: D. Fitzgerald; O. O’Hanlon, G. Carey, K. O’Gorman; T. O’Callaghan, R. Carey, M. O’Brien; P. Kissane, F. Dorgan; P. O’Mullane, N. O’Mullane, C. O’Sullivan; D. O’Brien, J. O’Hanlon, J. Murphy.

Sub: D. Cronin for M. O’Brien.

YOUGHAL: P. Mackey; B. Ring, C. Coleman, S. Twomey; P. Kelly, B. Coleman, D. Ring; G. O’Leary, K. Dempsey; M. O Laochda, J. Ormonde, E. Coleman; P. Moylan, B. McCarthy, N. Roche.

Subs: J. Grace for O’Leary; P. O Laochda for Ring; M. Walsh for Moylan; E. Fox for M. O’Laochda.

Referee: J. Kearney (Na Piarsaigh).

RESILIENT Kiskeam managed to prise themselves free from the shackles of brave Glenville after extra-time in a thrilling Evening Echo Cork U-21 FC quarter-final replay in Ballyclough on Saturday evening.

It was a victory - 1-2 to 2-7 - that seemed beyond Kiskeam after trailing by four points with five minutes of normal time remaining. But when it mattered, the Duhallow champions weren’t found wanting and they duly availed of the additional time played.

Kiskeam now meet Beara.

Scorers: Kiskeam: C O’Leary 0-8(0-6f), J Casey 1-1, M Herlihy 0-2, D Scannell 0-1. Glenville: E O’Reilly 1-1(0-1f), J Barry 1-0, K O’Keeffe 0-3f, N Cahill 0-2, M Barry 0-1.

KISKEAM: T Cashman, M Casey, S Lenihan, D Fitzgerald, A J O’Connor, D Lenihan, T O’Keeffe, T Dennehy, D Murphy, T Carroll. C Noonan, M Herlihy, D Scannell, C O’Leary, J Casey.

GLENVILLE: P O’Leary, M Murphy, D Quirke, D McCarthy, M Barry, E Barry, M O’Donoughue, S O’Callaghan, E O’Reilly, N Cahill, F Usanga, J Barry, J Dorgan, M Barry, P O’Donoughue. Subs. B O’Regan for O’Reilly, N Healy for Cahill, C Murphy for O’Donoughue.

Referee: N Brosnan (Killavullen).