Ballincollig signal intent with convincing win over Éire Óg

DERBY DELIGHT: Éire Óg's Daniel Healy attempts to tackle Ballincollig's Ross O'Donovan. Pic: Denis Boyle

Cork Premier IHC: Ballincollig 1-19 Éire Óg 1-12

This local derby went convincingly to Ballincollig. A pillar to post victory. Their second of the campaign. More noteworthy than besting the neighbours was having a foot inside the door of the knockout stages with a round to spare.

Ballincollig went as deep as the last four during the 2023 edition of the Cork PIHC. That semi-final defeat to Kilworth is a fixture they’d have a regret or two over. Returning to the semi-final post is the least of their ambitions for 2024. Danny Dwyer’s charges are certainly making all the right noises in the early steps of this latest journey.

Having had seven to spare over Mallow in their opener, Ballincollig again finished seven clear here of Éire Óg. And, in truth, it could have been more.

A Steve Wills brace at the beginning of the second period swelled a 1-11 to 1-7 Ballincollig interval advantage out to six. For the next 20 minutes, the gap hovered around this mark. Maintaining a sufficient level of separation was their priority, rather than pushing on and attempting to upgrade a comfortable win to something more dominant.

Éire Óg hit 14 wides over the hour. They were not without their opportunities. But the one score that did more than most to keep them in faint contention was not even of their own making or taking.

Two minutes shy of the half hour, Ballincollig full-back Ciarán O’Sullivan played a pass back to his ‘keeper James Lenihan. O’Sullivan, though, did not spot that Lenihan had moved off his line and away from goal. The pass ended up in the net.

Coming off the back of a three-in-a-row from Eoin O’Shea, Kevin Hallissey, and Oisin O’Shea, the own goal brought Éire Óg, from a position of 1-9 to 0-4 adrift just eight minutes earlier, within two.

The Ballincollig response was posted by Brian Keating. Keating was outstanding throughout. His 0-4 total saw him finish as joint top-scorer from play alongside Steve Wills. Keating stood out by virtue of his superb fielding. He rose and pulled down restart after restart. 

In a middling encounter, his was the bit of class on display.

Keating’s point was the start of a four-in-a-row either side of half-time to move Ballincollig back into their earlier, healthier lead. And every time Éire Óg worked a score through Eoin O’Shea or Colm O’Callaghan’s tireless endeavours, Ballincollig were not greatly stressed in returning back up the field and cancelling out the flag.

Centre-back Fenton Denny and midfielder James Dwyer both opened their respective accounts, while the aforementioned Wills, his brother Adam, and full-forward Pearse Morris swelled theirs.

Ballincollig finish their group campaign against Aghabullogue. Such is their meaty score difference that another win would leave them nicely poised to take one of the two automatic tickets to the semis.

For their neighbours, the Mallow assignment is one they must now ace.

Scorers for Ballincollig: S Wills (1-5, 0-4 frees); P Morris (0-2 frees), B Keating (0-4 each); A Wills (0-3), F Denny, J Dwyer, C O’Driscoll (0-1 each).

Scorers for Éire Óg: E O’Shea (0-6, 0-6 frees); C O’Sullivan (1-0 OG); B Corcoran, D McCarthy, C O’Callaghan, K Hallissey, J Cooper, O O’Shea (0-1 each).

Ballincollig: J Lenihan; R O’Donovan, C O’Sullivan, C Moore; T O’Connell, F Denny, D O’Sullivan; B Coleman, J Dwyer; B Keating, S O’Neill, S Wills; A Wills, P Morris, C O’Driscoll.

Subs: B O’Brien for Keating (temporary, 25-29); C O’Leary for Morris (53); B Dore for O’Donovan (56).

Éire Óg: C Kelly; B Corcoran, M Brady, D Kirwan; D Dineen, C McGoldrick, D Herlihy; C O’Callaghan, D McCarthy; K Hallissey, E O’Shea, B Hurley; J Cooper, D Foley, O O’Shea.

Subs: D Healy for Foley, E Kelleher for Hurley (both 40); D Casey for O O’Shea (48).

Referee: A O’Connor.