Historic first for bold and brave Ballincollig
Being an accountant, Michael O’Brien didn’t need anyone around him to crunch the numbers. Six points to no score down after 10 minutes, 0-9 to 0-2 behind after 21, Ballincollig’s manager knew his side looked no nearer to being Cork football champions than they were for the previous 128 years.
What followed in yesterday’s Cork SFC final was a remarkable transformation, one that will be celebrated in Ballincollig for a long time to come.
When you wait more than a century to climb to the mountain top, the only way to trek is the scenic route.
Thus for the last 46 minutes of yesterday’s final, Ballincollig dug in, re-calibrated their co-ordinates and ran the last puff of life out of Carbery Rangers, who were held to 1-1 for just over three-quarters of an hour. Two scores!
Facing a devilish wind, Ballincollig scored the last six points of the first half, each one greeted with a throaty roar from the stands that carried the sense of growing belief that this might finally happen.
Little wonder the joy of the club’s first football crown was so emotionally charged afterwards by the friends and families who spilled down from the stand to be close to their history-makers.
It’s a unwritten tradition in Cork that the champions eschew any quick return to the dressing room in favour of hoovering up every moment on the pitch with their families. Dusk was setting before Ballincollig’s history-makers went down the tunnel to their gear bags.
The club won a Cork U21 title five years ago — indeed they lost the final this year, and in between they triumphed in the Premier minor grade in 2011. The legacy of those successes was in the power surge they got from the half-back line and midfield yesterday when obliteration stared them in the face early on.
Carbery Rangers were electric in the first 20 minutes, nimble movement and decisive actions giving them a stranglehold on the battle for psychological supremacy. They were six points to the good inside 10 minutes, and their defence was razor sharp also.
But anyone who saw Ballincollig last May squeeze past St Finbarr’s in an ugly first round win, felt this year was a bit different. The group had developed good habits — like sticking around for the fight.
Turning around momentum in a county final is like turning the ghTitanic in a bath tub. But the pace of Cian Kiely and JP Murphy, the sheer drive of Sean Kiely in midfield, and the energy of Pa Kelly and George Durant in the half-forward line succeeded in grabbing a bit of that Big Mo.
Two frees from Cian Dorgan got them on the scoreboard, but it was his first from play in the 24th minute that triggered the turnaround. Sean Kiely and Niall Allen pointed before Dorgan again swivelled to point impressively two minutes before the break. Suddenly it was 0-9 to 0-6. Now it was Carbery Rangers looking to stem the tide. Where before the darting runs of Seamus and John Hayes inside were profiting, now the delivery into them was rushed and frenetic. Noel Galvin and Liam Jennings, friends forever, were tightening the noose. Pa Kelly was in the pocket and orchestrating. A ball to Ciaran O’Sullivan met onrushing corner back Luke Prendergast who pointed like William Tell. Dorgad added a free before referee James Bermingham offered salvation with the interval whistle.
“We felt, against the wind, that if we could go in three or four points down, that would give us a chance to drive at them in the second half,” explained manager O’Brien.
“Going seven points down and recovering like that against the wind just shows the massive character of the players. And then we had to do it again after half-time. That was phenomenal.”
That second wave of defiance emerged after Rosscarbery struck for the final’s first goal one minute and 46 seconds into the second period. Their forwards are nimble and clever by nature, and Seamus Hayes did brilliantly to react fastest to a piledriver from his centre-back Pádraig Hodnett that struck the underside of the crossbar. One fist and the West Cork men were back in the box seat.
Or so we thought. JP Murphy surged into attack, feeding midfielder Ciaran O’Sullivan for a point and in the 38th minute, history took a turn towards Ballincollig. Quick thinking from a Pa Kelly short free routed possession to John Kelly via George Durant. From an angle 12 metres left of the Carbery posts, he netted. 1-9 apiece.
From the kick-out Sean Kiely and James Fitzpatrick of Ross clashed for possession, both leaving the field. The West Cork man was badly dazed and his departure was significant. His replacement, Sean O’Neill, didn’t take long to announce himself, pointing in the 43rd minute with his first touch.
It would prove Carbery Rangers’ last score.
Ballincollig had seen Rangers’ best and matched it. Now they were raising the odds and drove for home. John Miskella was fouled, and sub Ian Coughlan pointed. Sean Kiely was reintroduced and with 50 minutes gone, a Dorgan free edged them in front for the first time.
History was near now.
A year ago, they collapsed in a dishevelled heap in the defeat to Carbery in round four of the senior football championship, half their starters off in America earning dollars for the summer.
“The American thing kinda destroys a club,” admitted defender Liam Jennings afterwards.
Last December they met and vowed to skip the Stateside sojourn this year. The players began their winter strength work before the management was even in place. They wanted no more truck with promise and potential. 2014 was stand and deliver time.
Ian Coughlan put them two ahead with five minutes remaining yesterday, but the final score summed up the freedom now coursing through their play. Kelly again put it in first gear, and when Alan O’Donovan freed minor defender Cian Kiely, he broke for the border, fisting the insurance point.
There was an injury-time scare. Isn’t there always? John O’Rourke’s desperate effort for an equalising goal seemed to be leg-blocked and referee James Bermingham — no stranger to controversial calls — seemed to stretch out his arms. Penalty? Not by the time he had emerged from a consultation with his umpires. The resultant 45 came to nought for Rangers.
For Ballincollig, it brought the broad spectrum of special emotions that such moments bring.
But relief is the greatest one of all.
That blinding ten-minute spell of defiance before half time when 100 years of frustrating failure distilled into a now-or-never period for Ballincollig. Six points on the bounce, against the breeze, with George Durrant, Sean Kiely and Pa Kelly pivotal.
The Village are the talk of the town. It’s no village by the way, with 20,000 plus inhabitants, but they’ve managed not to fritter away the recent U21 (2009) and Premier minor (2011) county successes.
Since 1886 they’ve been trying. Three hurling finals in the 40s apart, the closest Ballincollig even got to a senior final was losing a semi to an Eamonn Fitzmaurice-inspired UCC in 1999. “This one may take a while to sink in,” smiled defender Liam Jennings afterwards.
The reason Ballincollig are first-time champions was the uniformity of their efforts. No-one was less than seven out of ten. George Durrant may get the official seal as man of the match, but Pa Kelly handled more ball than anyone — and wasted little of it.
Just the one, at the death, for Cian Dorgan, another man of the match contender.
Manager Michael O’Brien has that easy-going self-effacing way about him, but his management team deserves immense credit for corralling this group of talents into a cohesive, winning unit.
James Bermingham’s decision-making is eccentric at times, but his handling of this county final was up to the standard required. Some confusion whether he awarded a last-ditch penalty to Rosscarbery for a potential leg block.
Ballincollig play the Kerry winners on Nov 16th. That may be Austin Stacks if they win Sunday’s Kerry SFC final. If they don’t, it will be Dr Crokes, who claimed the Kerry club title yesterday. It’ll be a Kerry venue.
Scorers for Ballincollig: C Dorgan (0-6, four frees); J Kelly (1-0); I Coughlan (0-2, frees); L Prendergast, S Kiely, C. O’Sullivan, N. Allen, C. Kiely (0-1 each).
Scorers for Carbery Rangers: S. Hayes (1-2); J. Hayes (0-3, two frees); B. Shanahan (0-2, 45’s), S Murray, J. O’Rourke, S O’Neill.
BALLINCOLLIG: D Lordan; L Prendergast, L Jennings, N Galvin; J.P. Murphy, S. O’Donoghue, C Kiely; S Kiely, C. O’Sullivan; N. Allen, P. Kelly, G. Durant; J. Kelly, C. Dorgan, J. Miskella.
Subs for Ballincollig: A. O’Donovan for S Kiely (42); I Coughlan for J Kelly (47); S Kiely for N Allen (49); R Noonan for C Dorgan (BC).
CARBERY RANGERS: P Shanahan; S Murray M Kelly B Shanahan; P. Hodnett, T O’Rourke J O’Riordan; K MacMahon, J. Fitzpatrick; A Jennings B Hodnett J O’Rourke; J Hayes, S Hayes, D Hayes.
Subs for Carbery Rangers: M Mennis for B Hodnett (half-time); S. O’Neill for J Fitzpatrick (42); A Roche for JP Murphy (57); T O’Donoghue for S Hayes (57); K Fitzpatrick for Murray (60).
Referee: J. Bermingham (Bride Rovers)
CONNECT WITH US TODAY
Be the first to know the latest news and updates
