Glenville down after losing relegation play-off to Ballinora

BLOCK: Ronan Barrow, Ballinora, blocking down this shot on goal by Sean Desmond, Glenville, during their Cork Intermediate AFC match at Riverstown. Pic: Dan Linehan

Cork Intermediate AFC relegation play-off: Ballinora 1-15 Glenville 1-12

Ballinora will be playing intermediate championship football in 2024 after surviving a tense tussle with Glenville in Riverstown on Sunday. For Glenville it's the dreaded drop back to junior ranks though their battling qualities here is a good foundation stone on which to rebuild.

Despite being the dominant side in the first half, it was far from plain sailing for the Ballinora, with Glenville coming out swinging in the second period.

Glenville were the sharper and more clinical side in the second half but a goal from Ballinora’s Robert Quirke and three super scores from frees on the bounce from half-back Neil Lordan put the game beyond doubt late on.

Even though Glenville managed the first couple of scores of the game, Ballinora dominated possession from the 5th minute to the short whistle.

Dangerous on the transition, with some beautiful sequences of link-up play, the mid-Cork side looked like men on a mission but Glenville were always on their tails.

After 12 minutes Brendan Lehane used his soccer skills to knock the ball past his man and slot it past the keeper into the Ballinora net to give his side the advantage, completely against the run of play.

Glenville moved up a gear just before half time. They could have had two goals before the break. The first golden opportunity came when Brendan Lehane’s effort for a point fell short landing in the hands of Sean Desmond whose effort hit the post and went wide.

Two minutes later, Lehane again played the ball across the square to full-forward Padraig O’Leary who tried to palm it into the net but pushed it left and wide. Ballinora went in at the interval two points to the good at 0-9 to 1-4 but Glenville came out a different unit in the second half.

Three scores from Daire O’Leary, Conor O’Keefe, and Colin Cronin gave Glenville an unlikely lead early in the second period but disaster struck for Glenville on 47 minutes when Tommy Burns laid the ball off just in time to Robert Quirke who calmly placed low and left into the net to give Ballinora the lead once more.

Glenville responded well with the next three scores to eat into the deficit but eventually ran out of steam. Three pinpoint accurate Neil Lordan frees took the wind out of Glenville sails and despite a late goal chance from Sean Desmond, time ran out on them.

Scorers for Ballinora: R Quirke 1-2, N Jordan 0-5 (5f), S Kingston 0-2 (1f), M Quirke 0-2, T Burns, J Keohane, I Wycherley and I Quirke 0-1 each.

Scorers for Glenville: B Lehane 1-1, C O’Keefe 0-3, S Desmond 0-2 (1f), D O’Leary 0-2 each, J Carver, C Cronin, C Fitzgerald and P O’Leary 0-1 each.

BALLINORA: A McAllen; R Barrow, M Lordan, T Forde; N Davis, N Lordan, I Quirke; D Holmes, J Lordan; L Lyons, M Quirke, T Burns; I Wycherley, S Kingston, R Quirke.

Subs: J Byrne for R Barrow (41), A Laverty for T Burns (48), J Keohane for I Wycherley (56).

GLENVILLE: C O’Reilly; D Sheehan, E Delahunt, S O’Reilly; J Carver, M O’Driscoll, C Cronin; C Fitzgerald, D McCarthy; C O’Leary, D O’Leary, J Cooke; B Lehane, P O’Leary, D O’Sullivan.

Subs : S Desmond for D O’Sullivan (27), C O’Keefe for J Cooke (HT), L Foley for C O’Leary (41), S Curtin for P O’Leary (53), E Fitzgerald for C Fitzgerald (55).

Referee: Brian Coniry (Crosshaven).