Rockchapel hold nerve but late Donncha O’Connor penalty keeps Ballydesmond up

Rockchapel march on to quarter-final clash with Ballinora

Niall Fleming won a late penalty for Ballydesmond against Rockchapel in the Bons Secour Co. IAFC at Kiskeam. Picture John Tarrant

Cork IAFC: Rockchapel 0-16, Ballydesmond 1-12

ROCKCHAPEL survived a late surge from neighbours Ballydesmond to top the Bons Secour Co. IAFC Group B at Kiskeam on Saturday evening.

Rockchapel were targeting the knockout phase, with neighbours Ballydesmond facing relegation pressures. And Rockchapel landed the opening seven scores. 

Yet they lost the initiative during the second half and Ballydesmond's compensation in defeat was the retention of their status thanks to a last-ditch penalty from former Cork star Donncha O’Connor.

Victory sets Rockchapel up with a meeting against Ballinora in a quarter-final, to the delight of manager Jerry Casey.

“After such a positive start, we seem to lose our way from the water break, in fairness to Ballydesmond, they brought fierce aggression to the game. We lost Kevin Collins in the warm-up, injuries followed for William Murphy and John Walsh coupled with two late black cards didn’t help our cause."

Rockchapel set the agenda through Eamon and Daniel O’Callaghan in defence, while the domination of Conor Keppel and Seamus Hickey at midfield helped generate an amount of possession and scores.

Ballydesmond brought a spirited response on points to Niall Fleming and O’Connor only for Rockchapel to answer with flags to Nicholas Lenihan, Liam Collins and James Forrest for a 0-12 to 0-4 advantage at the break.

Having started nervously, Ballydesmond began to play with confidence, Seán Murphy, Jerry Healy, substitute John O’Keeffe and O’Connor chewed at the deficit. Compounding the Rock’ problems were black cards picked up by Keppal and McAulliffe, though a massive James Forrest point eased the pressure. 

Credit Ballydesmond for refusing to yield, Fleming won a penalty in the last attack, O’Connor’s converted, crucially boosting their scoring difference to avoid the dreaded relegation playoff.

Scorers for Rockchapel: S Hickey (0-5), J Forrest (0-3), J Curtin 0-2f, M McAuliffe 0-2, D O’Callaghan, N Linehan, L Collins, J Walsh 0-1 each.

Scorers for Ballydesmond: D O’Connor 1-6(1-0p, 0-4f), D Moynihan 0-2, N Fleming(f), R Flynn, S Cronin, J Healy 0-1 each.

ROCKCHAPEL: C Murphy; N O’Callaghan, E O’Callaghan, S Curtin; J O’Sullivan, M O’Keeffe, D O’Callaghan; C Keppel, S Hickey; J Walsh, W Murphy, J Curtin; M McAuliffe, J Forrest, L Collins.

Subs: N Lenihan for W Murphy(17 inj), C Curtin for J Walsh(50 inj).

BALLYDESMOND: F O’Sullivan; N O’Leary, G Healy, C Linehan; T Howard, Seán Murphy, Shaun Murphy; S Kelly, K O’Connell; R Flynn, N Fleming , S Cronin; B Fleming, Donncha O’Connor, D Moynihan . 

Subs. D Kelly for C Linehan (20), Donal O’Connor for B Fleming(28), J O’Keeffe for T Howard(35) , P Leader for R Flynn(40), L Murphy for J O’Keeffe(56).

Referee: M Sheehan (Liscarroll).