Ballinahinch give their all but goals by St. Catherines ensures they progress to the final

Heading into the lion's den was always going to be a difficult ask for Ballinahinch, who got an early morning bus to Páirc Uí Rinn to take on St. Catherines on Saturday afternoon last in the AIB Munster Club JHC semi-final, and while the Tipperary representatives gave it a real good shot, they melted somewhat in the final quarter as the Cork side grew in confidence and were cheered on to a comfortable victory by full time in front of a strong local following. 

A goal a piece from the two corner forwards, Matthew Mulcahy and his cousin Brian, sealed the deal for the Denis Walsh managed side but in fairness to Ballinahinch, they gave as good as they got for most of the game up until the two second half goals. 

It had been five weeks since Ballinahinch lost the county final in Tipperary to Clonoulty and they were somewhat ring rusty as St. Catherines had the benefit of a quarter final win over Ardmore of Waterford two weeks before Saturday's clash. 

St Catherine's started sharper, heading into an early 0-5 to 0-2 lead after ten minutes of action. 

The Mulcahy duo and Seán O’Donoghue were causing trouble for the Tipperary side with their tricky runs and tidy skills, but gradually Ballinahinch found their rhythm and grew into the game with freetaker Brendan Ryan keeping them in touch with a couple of well struck frees.

Any error in the Ballinahinch defence was a score for St. Catherine's with Seán O’Donoghue accurate on frees while their goalkeeper, Eoin Davis, struck a couple into the wind. 

The ball avoided the vicinity of Ballinahinch centre back Shane McGrath in the opening stages as the Cork side played into the corners but when he started to get on the ball, the former Tipperary hurler became hugely influential. 

Ballinahinch stormed into the game midway through the half with full forward John Foley hitting a rousing point, and by half time they were back to within a point of their opponents with St.Catherines leading 0-8 to 0-7. 

When the second half started Ballinahinch looked like they were capable of causing an upset. Joey Kelly and Brendan Ryan found their range for scores.

They edged ahead on the scoreboard for the first time in the game but it shocked St Catherine’s into action. 

A couple of tactical switches by former Cork player and manager Denis Walsh created more space in front of the full forward line and the ball was sent in there. 

The first Mulcahy goal arrived in the 35th minute when a speculative Kyle Wallace effort was parried away by McGrath in the Ballinahinch goals but it fell in front of Matthew Mulcahy who let fly first time past the keeper. 

That made it 1-8 to 0-9 to the Cork side and after conceding the goal Ballinahinch heads dropped a little. They retreated in their play. It allowed St. Catherine's the space and time they needed. Mulcahy added a point with the next ball he got. 

In the 44th minute the other corner forward, Brian Mulcahy, got the ball in space and poacher like, he fired to the top of the net.

That made it 2-10 to 0-10 and there was no way back for Ballinahinch who started to look tired and couldn't get their decision making right on the ball.

Catherine's struck the last seven points without a reply to book their place in the final against Feenagh-Kilmeedy of Limerick in two weeks time. 

After the game Ballinahinch chairperson Eamon Finn said he was proud of his team and the effort across the season: 

"We had high hopes coming down and we did well in the first half and probably tailed off a bit in the end but from my own point of view I couldn't be prouder of the lads because they gave it absolutely everything they had from the start of the year until now. 

"How do you manage five weeks?

"We gave the lads a couple of weeks off after the county final, we had a couple of challenge matches and we trained. It didn't work out today and that is where we are now.

"Look, it will probably stand to us from next year's point of view and next season at this stage isn't that far away so we will try and hit the ground as well as we can for next year again."

Scorers for Ballinahinch: B Ryan (0-5, 0-4 frees), J Kelly (0-2), S McGrath (free), J Foley, K Kelly (free) and A Kelly (0-1 each).

Scorers for St Catherine’s: M Mulcahy (1-4), B Mulcahy (1-1), S O’Donoghue (0-4, 0-3 frees, 0-1 65), E Davis (0-3 frees), K Wallace, W Leamy, R Galvin, K Barry and A Neville (0-1 each).

BALLINAHINCH: D McGrath; J Lynch, K Fitzpatrick, A Ryan; K Kelly (Capt), S McGrath, C Ryan; B Keane, G Grace; B Ryan, P Kelly, J Kelly; A Kelly, J Foley, D Healy.

Subs: E Kearns for J Kelly (37 -44 blood sub), E Kearns for B Keane, D Gleeson for D Healy (both 52), F Troy for Cathal Ryan, Cathal Ryan (B) for G Grace, N Harrington for J Kelly (both 58).

ST CATHERINE’S: E Davis; F O’Connell, E O’Riordan (J-Capt), L O’Connor; K O’Donoghue, O Fitzgerald, K Neville; S O’Donoghue, S Cotter; W Leamy, K Wallace, R Galvin; B Mulcahy, E Condon, M Mulcahy.

Subs: E Wallace for F O’Connell (38), K Barry for K Wallace (49), J Neville for K O’Donoghue, N Sheehan for W Leamy (both 55), A Neville for B Mulcahy (57).

Referee: Eamonn Stapleton (Limerick).