Ballygarvan reach final

Ballygarvan 1-6 Ballinhassig 0-6 Procure.ie SE Junior A Football semi-final, Shanbally

JJ Hurley

Niall Dowd how scored Ballygarvan's all important goal in the Procure.ie SE Jumior A Semi-Final in Shanbally today

Ballygarvan advanced to the divisional final after edging out neighbours Ballinhassig in a tight, wind‑affected semi-final on Sunday, with a first-half goal from Niall Dowd proving the decisive score.

They now meet Carrigaline in the decider.

Ballinhassig were quickest to settle, and inside the opening minute Gearoid Daly clipped over the first point. A stoppage for an injury to Eoin Mackey halted the early momentum, and on the restart Dowd twice threatened a goal, only for Arthur O’Leary to produce two excellent saves.

Simon O’Neill pushed Ballinhassig two clear on 13 minutes, but Ballygarvan finally opened their account four minutes later through Daniel Mackey. O’Neill responded immediately with his second point to restore the two‑point cushion.

The turning point arrived on 22 minutes when Dowd capitalised on a speculative effort from Mackey, steering the ball to the net to give Ballygarvan a 1-1 to 0-3 advantage.

Another half-chance fell to Dowd before the interval, but his effort drifted wide, leaving the minimum between the sides at the break.

Ballygarvan made the stronger restart, with two early points from Evan O’Connor stretching their lead to three by the 35th minute. A Diarmuid O’Sullivan free cut the margin on 38 minutes, and although Ballinhassig enjoyed long spells of possession against the breeze, they struggled to convert it into scores.

A Cillian Fitzgerald 45 restored the three‑point gap entering the final quarter.

Ballinhassig rallied again, and a two‑point effort from Ronan Casey narrowed the contest to a single point.

But Ballygarvan finished with greater composure, and Josh O’Callaghan struck two late points to close out the win.

Scorers – Ballygarvan: N Dowd 1-0, Evan O’Connor and J O’Callaghan 0-2 each, K Fitzgerald 0-1 (45), D Mackey 0-1.

Ballinhassig: S O’Neill 0-2, R Casey 0-2 (including one two‑point score), D O’Sullivan (f), G Daly 0-1 each.

Teams – Ballygarvan: C Fitzgerald; P Ryan, E Mackey, A Dunne; J Fenton, S O’Donovan, K Lyons; S Fenton, S Brady; C Mackey, K Fitzgerald, C O’Regan; E O’Connor, D Mackey, N Dowd. Subs: L Crowley for E Mackey (5, inj), J O’Callaghan for N Dowd (48), L Collins for D Mackey (54).

Ballinhassig: A O’Leary; P O’Leary, K Maguire, J Grainger; E Lombard, C Desmond, C Barry Murphy; D O’Donovan, G Daly; B Lynch, C Grainger, E Cullinane; D O’Sullivan, S O’Neill, D Desmond. Subs: L Casey for D O’Donovan (HT), C Kirby for J Grainger (34), C Delea for P O’Leary (43, inj), O O’Meara for E Cullinane and P O’Regan for D Deasy (47).

Referee: Brian Sweeney (Erins Own)