How did we lose this one again?
Senior Team sponsored by Ballincollig Shopping Centre
Beamish Stout Senior Premier Division
The Farm, Saturday 29th November 2009, 2.00 p.m.
Ballincollig 0 – 2 Ringmahon Rangers
A depleted Ballincollig did everything but score in a frustrating encounter that puts a serious dent in the survival prospects for the season ahead. The result leaves Ballincollig in the relegation zone asking how they didn’t do to Ringmahon what Tottenham did to Wigan. We’re not really sure what game the Evening Echo were watching to be honest. We’d ask them to look at the video replays of the game again but FIFA don’t like that sort of thing. Ringmahon had chances that they took. Ballincollig had chances that they missed. That was the difference.
Ballincollig started brightly. Richard O’Brien hit the post in the opening 15 minutes. Some nice play down the left hand side resulted in a low cross into the six yard box only for Jason Murphy to slip at the final moment. The Ringmahon keeper was very grateful to gather the ball up. In truth this wasn’t a great game to watch as both teams were very scrappy but the match was played in a good spirit.
Ballincollig should have learned from the free header that went over the bar from a Ringmahon corner but they didn’t and they were punished. A run down the right resulted in a cross to the edge of the box that was vollied into the top corner. If you asked him to do it again it’s likely he’d have scuffed it but unfortunately for the home team the connection was perfect.
Ballincollig sought to get back into the game and put some nice passes together but the enforced weather break of the past few weeks meant that the slick passing game was a bit rusty. It was a needless foul that gave Ringmahon their second. A free-kick on the edge of the box that was expertly put away into the top corner and the away team went in at the break two goals to the good.
The second half was more of the same. The chances Ballincollig had were too many to list but here’s a sample: Richie O’Brien beating four players only to pull his final shot wide; a Bryan McNulty goal disallowed for off-side; Christy O’Brien taking the ball too far past the keeper to slip it in and numerous other close off-side calls among other chances. Ringmahon didn’t really pose any other problems until the closing minutes when Ballincollig pushed forward and and Brian O’Donovan made two very good saves.
A very frustrating result for Ballincollig evidenced by the needless red card picked up in the dying minutes. Best for Ballincollig was James Murphy who completely nullified the threat of the Ringmahon left winger when he moved to right back while his fellow full-back Mark Buckley put in a very composed performance.
