Kingscourt 0-11
Ballinagh 0-10

Kingscourt Stars dethroned champions Ballinagh this afternoon to move into the Cavan senior championship final with a one-point victory at Kingspan Breffni Park.

Niall Lynch's side were deserving winners despite having only three scorers over the hour, with Barry Reilly and Anthony Corcoran supplying them with the majority of points they needed to get over the line.

The winners were the main goal threat in the game also, with their deadly duo, whom combined for 0-10, narrowly missing chances to raise the green flag in either half, while Ballinagh found themselves somewhat over reliant on star forward Niall McDermott for scores and goal chances were at a premium for them.

Interestingly enough, Kingscourt only had three scorers to their opponents' five in this semi-final but it was still enough for them to set-up a showdown with Cavan Gaels next Sunday for the Oliver Plunkett Cup.

Reilly had Kingscourt's account opened inside four minutes with a coolly struck free Niall McDermott soon cancelled out to leave them starting from scratch again in the seventh minute.

Corcoran and Kevin Smith did similar with frees to keep it even after 11 minutes but the Stars could well have landed  major blow a minute later when Corcoran benefited from a lapse by marker Killian McBride to have a path straight through on goal. The corner-forward's shot sailed over with the help of the post though and Ballinagh were off the hook, but still didn't receive their wake-up call.

Instead Kingscourt pulled three clear with some accurate shooting from Corcoran (free) and a trademark '45' by Reilly and when Philip Tinnelly took off from his own half-back line not one Ballinagh defender would get a touch on him as he tapped over to put his team very much in the ascendency.

A Kevin Smith free on the interval's eve sent them in at 0-6 to 0-3 and the champions could count themselves lucky not to have been further adrift.

An early brace from McDermott (one a free) gave Ballinagh the perfect start to the second-half but as they sought a leveller their opponents soon rediscovered their scoring touch and it was the usual combo of Corcoran and Reilly which had them three to the good again.

Damien McInerney and McDermott (free) had the difference back at one for the saffrons but Reilly very nearly had the game's first goal when he darted in from the right and drilled a low shot which was just kept out. The former Cavan U21 star converted the resultant '45' and when Corcoran looped over from his corner-forward station Kingscourt were edging closer towards the final.

The holders weren't ready to throw in the towel though and they got level for the last 10 minutes thanks to the deadly accurate McDermott, a gem from Niall O'Reilly and Enda Brady, the latter coming off great work from Patrick Carroll and McDermott.

In a tense finish, Kingscourt held their nerve and earned a free inside for the faultless Corcoran to convert which proved just enough for their third county final berth in five years.

Kingscourt: James Farrelly; Rory Sheridan, Thomas Wakely, Shane Grey; Barry Tully, Padraig Faulkner, Keith McCabe; Alan Clarke, Kieran Gorman; Philip Tinnelly (0-1), Christy McGowan, Mark McGovern; Barry Reilly (0-5, 2 '45s, 1f), Philip Smith, Anthony Corcoran (0-6, 3f). Subs: Colm Smith for K Gorman (26mins), Tomas Malone for C McGowan (47), JP Reilly for S Grey (52), Cian McArdle for P Smith (56), Peter Corrigan for M McGovern (59).

Ballinagh: Declan Beard; Conor Smith, Anthony Gaynor, Killian McBride; Damien McInerney (0-1), Patrick Carroll, Niall O'Reilly (0-1); Padraic O'Reilly, Eamon McEvoy; Kevin Smith (0-2, 2f), Enda Brady (0-1), David Finnegan; Thomas Moore, Niall McDermott (0-5, 3f), Ronan O'Reilly. Subs: Philip Bogue for D McInerney (44mins), Terry Smith for E McEvoy (49), Colin Gumley for R O'Reilly (52).

Ref: Packie Smith (Killygarry)

Tweet

Most Read Stories