Cork Premier IHC: Clinicial Ballinhassig have too many aces for Ballincollig

Conor Desmond starred for the winners hitting nine points as the maintain their perfect record in the group stages

Ballinhassig 2-17 Ballincollig 1-13

A clinical display from full-forward Conor Desmond ensured Ballinhassig progressed to the next round of the Cork Premier Intermediate Hurling Championship as they defeated Ballincollig 2-17 to 1-13 at Brinny on Saturday afternoon.

Desmond’s impressive tally of 0-9 (including seven frees) was enough to see his side make it two wins from two to secure their place in the knockout phase of the competition.

Ballincollig raced from the traps with David Bowen and Barry Coleman brilliantly firing over the opening points.

Ballinhassig soon settled and by the sixth minute, they were level thanks to efforts from Evan Cullinane and Desmond.

The sides, who drew when they met at this stage last year, remained locked at 0-4 apiece by the first water break although Ballincollig will rue a litany of first-half wides while Steven Wills struggled from placed balls.

Desmond, by contrast, was ruthless from frees and he helped Ballinhassig into a 0-8 to 0-5 interval lead.

Their advantage was extended to four points by the 37th minute when they struck the first goal of the game: Ger Collins collecting Edwards Finn’s pass before drilling the sliotar into the bottom corner. Simon O’Neill soon had their second goal when he batted past the keeper from close range to help make it 2-14 to 0-8 by the end of the third quarter.

Ballincollig outscored their rivals 1-5 to 0-3 in the closing stages - David Bowen drilling the ball inside the far post - but Ballinhassig hung on to claim a seven-point victory.

Scorers for Ballinhassig: C Desmond (0-9 (0-5 frees, 0-2 65s), G Collins and S O’Neill (1-0 each), E Cullinane and D O’Sullivan (0-3 each), M Collins and C Grainger (0-1 each).

Scorers for Ballincollig: D Bowen (1-1), P Cooney (0-4 (0-3 frees), R Bourke (0-2 (0-1 free), B Coleman, R O’Donovan, C O’Leary, C Dorgan, C O’Driscoll 0-1 each, S Wills 0-1 (0-1 free).

BALLINHASSIG: P Collins; P O’Leary, K Maguire, M Desmond; J O’Callaghan, M Collins, S McCarthy; M Sheehan, E Finn; G Collins, D O’Sullivan, C Tyers; E Cullinane, C Desmond, F O’Leary.

Subs: S O’Neill for C Tyers (41), D Donovan for J O’Callaghan (42), C Grainger for M Sheehan (45), C Reynolds for E Finn (47), B Lynch for G Collins (51).

BALLINCOLLIG: J Linehan; C Sexton, L Jennings, F Denny; C O’Sullivan, B Coleman, R O’Donovan; K Walsh, B Keating; P O’Neill, D Bowen, C O’Leary; S Wills, S Walsh, C Dorgan.

Subs: C O’Driscoll for C O’Leary (21), P Cooney for S Wills (30), R Bourke for S Walsh (ht), C Moore for R O’Donovan (44).

Referee: Alan O’Connor (Ballygarvan).