Ballincollig overpower Carrigaline to qualify for quarter-finals

Scores to spare for Ballincollig with two well-taken goals

Evan Cooke, Ballincollig takes on Stephen Dwane for Carrigaline in the Cork Premier Senior Football Championship at Páirc Uí Rinn. Picture: Jim Coughlan.

Ballincollig: 2-8 Carrigaline: 0-11

Ballincollig had too much for Carrigaline in this Premier SFC group game in Páirc Uí Rinn, qualifying for the quarter-final stages of the championship with something to spare.

Ballincollig defended the scoreboard end in the first half and opened with a Cian Dorgan 45, Carrigaline responding with a Jack McCarthy free.

Sean Kiely and Dara Dorgan nudged Ballincollig in front before McCarthy (free) responded; Luke Boyle then surged upfield for Carrigaline’s equaliser on ten minutes.

Cian Dorgan pointed a free before Ballincollig struck - Peter O’Neill’s ball was gathered by Dara Dorgan, who turned his man and rattled in a good goal: 1-4 to 0-3 at the water-break. 

Cian Dorgan added another free on the resumption and Ballincollig were well on top, as shown by their second goal on 20 minutes.

Cian Dorgan placed Evan Cooke with a probing pass and Cooke first-timed a clever finish to the net: 2-5 to 0-3.

Carrigaline rallied. Daniel Greene and Eanna Desmond (frees), both hit two points, which meant it was 2-5 to 0-7 at the half.

Desmond started the second half with another point, cutting the deficit to three. 

With neither side seizing the initiative, two more Cian Dorgan frees and a fine Sean Kiely point pushed Ballincollig six ahead by the water-break; though another Desmond free and Boyle 45 gave Carrigaline some hope entering the last ten minutes, Ballincollig got over the line in a lacklustre encounter.

Scorers for Ballincollig: C Dorgan (45, 4frees)(0-5); D. Dorgan (1-1); E. Cooke (1-0); S. Kiely (0-2).

Scorers for Carrigaline: E. Desmond (frees)(0-4); J. McCarthy (frees), D. Greene, L. Boyle (45) (0-2 each); D. Griffin (0-1).

BALLINCOLLIG: J Gibbons, S. Murphy, L Jennings, C. Moore, JP Murphy, N. Galvin, C Kiely, P. O’Neill, S Kiely, K Browne, C. Dorgan, E Cooke, D. Dorgan, P. Kelly, D Murphy.

Subs: R. Noonan for Kelly (inj, HT); G. O’Donoghue for JP Murphy (inj, 36); E. Reilly for Cooke (49); S. Wills for D. Murphy (54); C. O’Connell for S. Murphy (inj., 63).

CARRIGALINE: S. Mellet, C Murphy, N Quirke, Kieran Kavanagh, L Boyle, C. Barry, S. Dwane, D. Griffin, D Greene, J. Kelly, C. McIntyre, J McCarthy, A. Coholan, B Pope; E Desmond.

Subs: C. Barrett for Boyle (blood, 7-9); O. Barry for Coholan (41): P. Moran for C. Barry (inj, 50); K. Dwane for Greene (55); Kevin Kavanagh for J. Kelly (58).

Referee: P. O’Driscoll (Bride Rovers).