Carbery Rangers 1-15 Ballincollig 1-12
For the first time, Carbery Rangers are the Cork senior football champions following victory over Ballincollig at Páirc Uí Rinn on Sunday.
The Rosscarbery outfit, who have reached at least the semi-finals in six of the last seven years and were finalists in 2014 – losing to Ballincollig – never trailed after the opening 18 minutes and benefited from big displays by John O’Rourke, John Hayes, Kevin MacMahon and captain James Fitzpatrick.
While only three points separated the teams at the end, the game’s final score was a penalty goal by Ballincolig’s Cian Dorgan, part of a personal tally of 1-08, and a chance of an injury-time equalising goal was never really likely for the 2014 champions.
In a tit-for-tat first half, Ballincollig recovered from the concession of the game’s first two points to forge ahead through Dorgan (two) and Ian Coughlan, but John Hayes was able to sling over two fine points in response for Ross.
While Cian Kiely and Cian Dorgan put Ballincolig back in front at 0-05 to 0-04, it was the last time they led, though they will rue Seán Kiely’s goal chance on 19 which went wide.
After that let-off, Carbery Rangers were the better team for the remainder of the half and O’Rourke’s second point made it 0-08 to 0-07 at half-time.
They were three in front after points by Séamus Hayes and John O’Rourke on the resumption and, after John Miskella and Coughlan responded, the game’s crucial score came.
Ross wing-back Jerry O’Riordan made a knifing run through the Ballincollig cover and though he could have gone for his own score, he elected to pass to Chris O’Donovan, who finished neatly for a 1-10 to 1-09 lead.
Though Dorgan sent over a long-range free for Ballincollig, two beauties from O’Rourke extended the Ross lead. With seven minutes left, Patrick Kelly might have had a Ballincollig goal but Paul Shanahan saved well from him and while Dorgan sent over the resultant 45, John Hayes had two more Ross points.
The penalty, after Noel Galvin was fouled, did make things slightly nervy, but Ross held out.
CARBERY RANGERS: P Shanahan; K MacMahon, M Kelly, T O’Rourke; J O’Riordan (0-01), R Kiely (0-01), P Hodnett; B Shanahan (0-01), J Fitzpatrick; A Jennings, J O’Rourke (0-05), B Hodnett; C O’Donovan (1-00), S Hayes (0-02), J Hayes (0-05, 0-02 frees).
Subs: D Hayes for C O’Donovan (44), M O’Donovan for MacMahon (50), C O’Rourke for S Hayes, M Mennis for M O’Donovan (both 55), K Fitzpatrick for B Hodnett (59), S Murray for Jennings (60).
BALLINCOLLIG: D Lordan; S Murphy, E Hegarty, L Jennings; S Lucey (0-01), N Galvin, C Kiely (0-01); S Kiely, C O’Sullivan; R Noonan, P Kelly, G Durrant; C Dorgan (1-07, 0-05 frees, 0-01 45), I Coughlan (0-02 frees), J Miskella (0-01).
Subs: K Browne for Durrant (44), J Kelly for Coughlan (50), L Fahy for Noonan (59)
REFEREE: K Murphy (Nemo Rangers).
