Kilshannig pay tribute to jockey Michael O'Sullivan as they claim Cork JAHC title  

CHAMPIONS: Pat Horgan, Chairman, Cork County Board presents the cup to joint captains Jack Twomey and Bill Curtin. Picture: Larry Cummins

Cork JAHC final: Kilshannig 1-19 Ballinora 0-11

Further accumulation of silverware for Kilshannig. No double for Ballinora.

Kilshannig’s dual men have been busy this decade. Four county final appearances, split evenly between the codes.

Intermediate A football success in 2022 and Premier Intermediate football success last year has now been followed by Junior hurling glory. They are free of the divisional quagmire. They wave goodbye to the Avondhu championship. They’ll operate in the Premier Junior ranks in 2026.

A double-scores county final win is dream territory. Nine different scorers from play. Never once did they fall behind.

The above stats paint the picture of overwhelming blue and yellow dominance. That wasn’t entirely the narrative of the hour.

Four behind at the break, 0-10 to 0-6, Ballinora were by far the more assertive force upon the restart. There was determination to wipe out the deficit in as quick as time as possible. They ran at and past opposition defenders.

The final product sorely betrayed them. In the 10 minutes after half-time, they registered four wides, had two point attempts blocked and a third hit the post.

From nine opportunities, Darragh Holmes and Jack Hegarty were the only two men in green and red to raise a white flag. The gap closed only to two. Their period of superiority and chance squandered.

On 44 minutes, that squander was punished. Paddy Walsh played possession to Éanna O’Hanlon. His shot wickedly bounced in front of ‘keeper Barry Crowley and into the net.

From the 44th minute to the last, Kilshannig outgunned the five-in-a-row Mid-Cork champions by 1-6 to 0-2.

O’Hanlon swelled his personal tally to 1-3, man of the match half-back Kieran Twomey finished up with three from play, as did Jack Twomey. Subs Colin Ruby and Kevin Smith partook in the winning act.

Kilshannig, as mentioned, had gone back down the tunnel four in front at half-time. A merited four-point lead. Their movement and interplay were greater, the engineering of scoring opportunities more seamless.

Maybe a slight disappointment was the lack of a green flag in that opening half. Ballinora 'keeper Crowley did so well to deny the handful that was Kilshannig half-forward Paddy Walsh on four minutes. Later in the first quarter, half-back Mark O’Brien blocked Éanna O’Hanlon’s drive.

The closest Balliora came to green was Ben Mayer’s shot superbly smothered by Kilshannig corner-back Conor Murphy.

Mayer and Corkery, from the placed ball, were responsible for three of Ballinora’s opening four points. The contrast was Jack Twomey, Paddy Walsh, Éanna O’Hanlon, Killian O’Hanlon, and Kieran Twomey finding the target from open play for a 0-7 to 0-4 advantage 18 minutes in.

Young Mayer and Jack Hegarty, both from play, brought Ballinora within the minimum three minutes later. It was the closest they stood to their opponents all afternoon, save for the fourth minute when Darragh Holmes had them level at 0-1 apiece.

Three on the spin from Walsh, Diarmuid O’Sullivan, and Twomey shoved Kilshannig to a four-point half-time lead.

Ballinora prevented themselves from finding out how Kilshannig would have responded to matters being tied or even falling behind in the third quarter. Those difficult questions were never asked of Pat Murphy's charges. Instead, Kilshanng proceeded to make life more and more difficult for Ballinora across the final quarter. They celebrated coming across the line.

From the winners podium, they paid tribute to local jockey Michael O’Sullivan who passed away in tragic circumstances earlier this year.

On and off the field, Kilshannig hit the right notes.

Scorers for Kilshannig: É O’Hanlon (1-3); K Twomey (0-4, 0-1 ‘65), P Walsh (0-4, 0-2 frees); J Twomey (0-3); D O’Sullivan (0-2); D Murphy, K O’Hanlon, C Ruby, K Smith (0-1 each).

Scorers for Ballinora: B Mayer (0-5, 0-4 frees); J Hegarty, D Holmes (0-2 each); D Corkery (free), C Quirke (0-1 each).

KILSHANNIG: D Kearney; D Guiney, C O’Shea, C Murphy; K Twomey, B Curtin, E Burke; Darragh O’Sullivan, D Murphy; P Walsh, J Twomey, E O’Hanlon; R Crowley, K O’Hanlon, Diarmuid O’Sullivan.

Subs: C Ruby for Crowley (50); S Lyons for O’Sullivan (56); K Smith for K O’Hanlon, M Twomey for D Murphy (both 60).

BALLINORA: B Crowley; T Forde, N Lordan, J Byrne; C O’Flynn, S Kingston, M O’Brien; L Lyons, T Burns; D Holmes, D Dineen, D Corkery; B Mayer, A O’Shea, J Hegarty.

Subs: J Keohane for Corkery (temporary, 27-29); J Keohane for O’Shea (HT); M Lordan for D Lyons (47); S Lyons for Holmes (49); C Quirke for Corkery (52).

Referee: C McAllister.