
CBL Game of the Week: Brilliant Ballyphehane Secure Vital Win against League Leaders Cork County Council
Irish Sepsis Foundation Ballyphehane Celtic 4 – 1 Cork County Council
Man of the Match: Niall Kennedy
It was a chilly afternoon in the scenic Crosshaven as ISF Ballyphehane Celtic ran out 4-1 winners against Cork County Council in a thrilling CBL Second Division clash, writes Donncha Noonan.
It was a very back and forth first thirty five minutes as both teams tried to get a foothold on the game, but it was ISF Ballyphehane who looked the slightly stronger side despite Cork County Council being the league leaders.
ISF Ballyphehane eventually were able to take advantage of their performance and took the lead with ten minutes to play in the first half. Jamie Thompson floated a nicely weighted corner high towards the back post, where it was met by Liam Coleman, who powered a header home to make it 1-0.
ISF Ballyphehane were up and running and it only took them six minutes to grab a second. Goalkeeper Alan Murphy sent a long drop kick over the top of the Cork County Council defence, where it was latched onto by Mohamed Vangahun. Vangahun took it first time and expertly lifted the ball over the keeper to double his side’s lead.
ISF Ballyphehane had nicked a second right before the break and went into the interval two goals up, and probably deservedly so.
Cork County Council came out of the break looking more structured and intentful than in the first half, and their work paid off in the sixty second minute. Robert Susek burst away down the right hand side, taking on Kieran O’Regan as he approached the area. Susek tried to skip by O’Regan, but the Ballyphehane defender brought Susek down and he was awarded a penalty. Susek stepped up to take it himself and dispatched the penalty to give his side a goal back.
Despite their minimal lead, ISF Ballyphehane didn’t sit back and continued to try to find their third goal, which gave Cork County Council a bit more room to try to find a goal of their own.
The next goal would come with just ten minutes to play, and it went the leaders’ way. Jamie Thompson did well down the left wing before he slipped it to Michael Barry on the left side of the box. Barry got to the byline before cutting back and rifling it past Lukasz Chowaniec at his near post to give Ballyphehane a two goal cushion.
ISF Ballyphehane were able to relax a bit more as they had seemed to have regained control of the game and managed to add a fourth goal four minutes into injury time. Jamie Thompson produced a brilliant bit of skill on the left wing to beat his man before firing a shot at goal which was parried away. The ball landed at the feet of Niall Kennedy at the edge of the box, who sent a shot flying into the top right corner to bring this game to a close.
The game finished 4-1, a vital result for ISF Ballyphehane as it puts them just four points behind Cork County Council at the top of the table with three games in hand. These three points could prove huge in their bid for the CBL Second Division title.
ISF Ballyphehane Celtic: A. Murphy, A. Moynihan, C. Greene, C. Williams, L. Coleman, G. Singh-Hennessy, M. Moxamed, N. Kennedy, J. Thompson, M. Vangahun, A. West, A. Buckley, M. Barry, C. Murphy, D. Kiely, J. Corcoran
Cork County Council: L. Chowaniec, R. Murphy, D. Brazil, K. O’Regan, C. Halpin, A. Finn, S. Abu Saad, G. Sienicki, R. Susek, M. Jennings, Y. Al Maawali, D. Kelly, M. Alhajri, A. McGrath, B. Kelly, F. Troy, S. Johnson, C. Galvin