Derby delight for Valley Rovers

Valley Rovers 1-14 Ballinhassig 0-15: The graph remains on an upward curve for Valley Rovers. Despite looking vulnerable earlier in the season, they delivered yet again in the Cork Premier IHC semi-final.

A local derby it was in Páirc Uí Rinn on Saturday with the score swapping hectic. Ballinhassig took the lead in injury- time, but Valley Rovers playing with immense confidence and undeterred by the underdog tag, finished with three unanswered points to see out a nerve-wracking semi-final.

Valley Rovers manager Joe Crowley couldn’t conceal his delight to be contesting their first county final since promotion in 2009. Between the back-door and a replay, this was their seventh championship outing. By contrast, it was Ballinhassig’s third having received a bye in round four.