(JJ Hurley)
Inniscarra 1-7 Ballygarvan 1-6
Ballygarvan lost out in the dying moments to Inniscarra in the McCarthy Insurance Group Junior A Football Final at Pairc Ui Rinn on Sunday.
With the game heading into injury time, Ballygarvan looked to have this title in the bag only to see it snatched away from them by a late goal and a point.
Ballygarvan had the perfect start as Daniel Mackey and Sean Brady combined for a goal in 14 seconds of the ball being thrown in.
With both sides testing each other, a Sean Sheehan effort for a point was plucked from the air by the Ballygarvan keeper Gary White.
Another goal chance for Ballygarvan by Ray O’Halloran was crowded out by a resolute Inniscarra defence.
Ballygarvan increased their tally on 11 minutes as Evan O’ Connor sent over a free.
Following a foul on Zac Davidson, O’ Connor landed his second point.
Inniscarra finally got on the scoreboard after 20 minutes as Liam O Connor sent a shot over the bar, followed moments later by a Shay Dineen free as the score read 1-2 to 0-2 after 22 minutes.
Brady replied with a fine individual score, before Cork hurler Sean O’ Donoghue had another point for the Muskerry men.
Ballygarvan pushed ahead moments later on 26 minutes as Ray O’ Halloran pointed for the South East men.
Ballygarvan had a great goal chance just before the interval but David O’Keeffe made the all-important interception as Ballygarvan went in at the interval in front by 1-4 to 0-3.
The opening score of the second half came from the boot of O’Donoghue before O’Connor converted a free, following a foul on Sean Brady.
With both sides finding it difficult to find the target , Dylan O’ Connor showed the way with another point on 50 minutes.
An important interception by Richard O’ Leary prevented a goal chance for Inniscarra before David O’ Keeffe had the score on 1-6 to 0-5 on 52 minutes
Another O’Keeffe point on 53 minutes left a goal between the sides, but Ballygarvan’s defence stood firm as Inniscarra looked to cut the deficit.
Ray O’ Halloran and Sean Brady had chances to put this contest to bed but their chances drifted wide.
Inniscarra hit the post as the game approached its closing minutes, but the drama that unfolded would break Ballygarvan hearts.
A speculative free into the Ballygarvan goal was dispatched to the Carrigdhoun men’s net on 62 minutes by John O’ Callaghan to level the tie at 1-6 to 1-6.
Hardly had the fans time to draw their breath, when a free on the left-hand side of the pitch was sent over the bar from O’Donoghue as the referee called time,
Scorers
Inniscarra: J O’Callaghan 1-0, S O’ Donoghue (1F) 0-3 David O’Keeffe 0-2, S Dineen, L O’ Connor (F) 0-1 each.
Ballygarvan: Sean Brady 1-1, E O’ Connor 0-3(F), R O’ Halloran 0-1, D O Connor 0-1 each,
Teams:
INNISCARRA: D Kelleher; D Keane, L Ryan, J O’ Callaghan; D O’Keeffe, C Dineen, J O’Dwyer; S Sheehan, D Coughlan; F Hogan, S Dineen, S O’Donoghue; T Lyons, D O’Connell,L O’Connor.
Subs: M MacLoughlin for S Sheehan (40), D O’ Sullivan for S Dineen(46), C lynch for D O’ Connell (53) J Hayes for J O’ Dwyer (58), T Murphy for D Coughlan (60)
BALLYGARVAN: G White; P Ryan, R O’Leary, Z Davidson; S Brady, S O’ Donovan, M O’Mahony; S Fenton, C O’Regan; E O’Connor, P O’ Halloran, D O’ Mahony; D Mackey, R O’ Halloran, N Dowd.
Subs J Fenton for Z Davidson (40 inj), K Lyons for D Mackey (43), D O’ Connor for N O’Dowd (44), C Mackey for C O Regan (55)
Referee Peter Finegan, Douglas.
Just not Ballygarvan's day
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