Ballyphehane are through to the Munster Junior B Football Championship final after a comprehensive 1-14 to 0-6 victory over Knockainey in Sunday’s semi-final at Knockaderry.
Leading 0-5 to 0-2 at half-time against a strong wind, Ballyphehane’s bench were crucial in the Cork side pushing on after the restart, and it was Seán Fielding’s goal in the final five minutes that sealed victory.
Craig Murphy top-scored for Ballyphehane with 0-8 – including three two-point frees – while Fielding contributed 1-0 from the bench.Â
Aaron West kicked 0-2 from play, while Adam O’Donoghue, Danny Kiely, Brian O’Leary and former Cork City footballer Ethon Varian chipped in with a point apiece.
Knockainey struggled badly with their shooting in the opening half despite holding the wind advantage.Â
Seán Carroll and Michael O’Grady impressed for the Limerick side, but the team couldn’t convert possession into scores before the break. Rory Reale’s free and Alan Buckley’s 45 were their only first-half white flags.
Ballyphehane substitutes Jamie O’Brien, Fielding and Kiely transformed the contest after the interval. O’Donoghue excelled at half-forward, while Ballyphehane’s defence restricted the Limerick champions to just four second-half scores.
Ballyphehane will face either Clare’s Clooney Quin or Kerry’s Cromane in the decider, as Colm Barry’s side chase one final piece of silverware before making the step up to Junior A in 2026.
L Towler; D Holland, J Geasley, T Walsh; C O’Brien (c), D Moore, S Keating; T O’Sullivan, E Varian; J Thompson, A O’Donoghue, A West; C Murphy, A Cummins, B O’Leary.
J O’Brien, S Fielding, D Kiely, O Sweeney, T O’Mahony.
T Clancy; G Donworth, S O’Donnell, D Cooke; A Buckley, D Buckley, C Fitzpatrick; C Buckley, L Burke; M Leo, P Reale, M O’Grady; R Reale, B Blackwell, S Carroll.
E Horan (Kerry).
