Cork Premier SFC: Stunning two-pointer for Ballincollig denies St Michael's
St Michael's must have left Páirc Uí Rinn wondering how they failed to close out the game. Pic: Jim Coughlan.
St Michael’s were denied at the death by a stunning Peter O’Neill two-pointer in a disappointing clash at Páirc Uí Rinn.
When Adam Hennessy kicked a wonderful point for St Michael’s in the 60th minute it gave them a three-point lead before a Cian Dorgan point from a free and O’Neill’s stunning levelling kick stunned Michael’s into submission.
Both sides came into the game on the back of opening round defeats with Ballincollig going down to a two-point defeat to Nemo with St Michael’s losing to Douglas by 11 points after a very poor display against their fellow city side.
After some good patient build up play Ballincollig opened the scoring in the second minute when Sean Kiely showed his experience with a classy point.
Such was the early Ballincollig dominance Ballincollig never touched the ball in the opening three minutes, but they did manage to open their scoring account a minute later courtesy of an Adam Hennessy point.
Indeed, Hennessy almost punished Ballincollig in the seventh minute when he pace saw him get in behind their defence but his shot crashed off the crossbar with the goalkeeper all at sea.
To be fair the Blackrock outfit were now settling into their stride and a brace of Luke O’Herlihy points from placed balls edged them ahead 0-3 to 0-2 in the 12th minute.
Michael’s were now winning the centre field battle and they increased their lead to three points midway through the half.
Amazingly Ballincollig were held scoreless for 13 minutes before a Sean O’Neill white flag ended their drought.
The one worrying factor for Michael’s was the gap in their exclusion zone that allowed Ballincollig make route on goal but their final finish was poor at times.
There is little doubt Michael’s looked the better side and following a Fionnan Leahy point in the 25th minute it increased their four points.
The one negative in Michael’s play was their slack defending and a minute later Darragh O’Mahony was allowed waltz through unchallenged before placing a low shot to the corner of the net.
Both sides exchanged points in the closing minutes, but St Michael’s went in at the break commanding a one- point lead 0-8 to 1-4 after a battling opening 30 minutes.
It was hard to believe at this level of football not a single two-pointer was attempted by either side in perfect conditions in the opening half.
On the restart the shooting averages from both sides dipped a level or two before the Ballincollig wing back Donnacha Desmond kicked a point in the 36th minute.
The city side were struggling to gain possession but Dan Meaney will be wondering how he missed the target two minutes later when he was allowed through on goal unchallenged.
Gradually Michael’s recovered and after going 17 minutes without scoring Adam Hennessy kicked a monstrous point.
In the closing ten minutes Michael’s took control, and five consecutive points gave them a three-point lead entering added time.
Luckily Ballincollig responded to the wake-up call but St Michael’s surely departed Pairc Ui Rinn wondering how they failed to close out this game.
C Dorgan 0-4 (0-3f), D O’Mahony 1-0, , S Kiely 0-(0-1 45) , P O’Neill 0-2 B O’Connell, S O’Neill, D Demond (0-1 each).
L O’Herlihy 0-5 (0-4f), F Leahy 0-3, A Hennessy 0-3, E Buckley, E Hickey, L O’Sullivan (0-1 each).
J Gibbons: J P Murphy, L Jennings, H Ahearne; D Desmond, F Down, L Fahy; S Kiely, D Dorgan ; S O’Neill, B O’Connell, P O’Neill; D O’Leary, C Dorgan, D O’Mahony.
S Dore for D O’Mahony (h-t), T O’Connell for D Dorgan (49), E Cooke for D O’Leary (60).
M O’Connell; L Carroll, A O’Callaghan, S Keating; R Kavanagh, A Murphy, F Leahy; E Hickey, R O’Shaughnessy; E Sheehan, L O’Herlihy, D Meaney; K Hegarty, E Buckley, A Hennessy.
L O’Sullivan for E Buckley (45), D Corkery for E Sheehan (46).
Conor Lane (Banteer).
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