Carrigaline 1-15 (1-2-11) | Ballyphehane 1-12 (1-2-8)

Carrigaline’s third team ended their season on a triumphant note, defeating a formidable Ballyphehane side to claim the McCarthy Insurance Group Cork Inter-division Junior B Football Championship title at Páirc Uí Rinn on Saturday. Ballyphehane, recent winners of the Seandún and County Junior B championships, posed a significant challenge.

The crucial difference was the man-of-the-match display by veteran David Drake, who tallied a phenomenal 1-9 (1-2-6) and guided the team to the Jim Cronin Cup.

Carrigaline started strongly, with Drake scoring the game’s first goal after 15 minutes to give them a 1-3 to 0-2 lead. Ballyphehane kept pace through the accurate boot of Craig Murphy (0-6 total), trailing 1-5 to 0-5 at halftime.

Ballyphehane ignited the second half with a 35th-minute goal finished by Jamie Geasley. They briefly took the lead, 1-11 to 1-10, midway through the half following quick two-pointers from Murphy and Adam O’Donoghue (0-4 total).

However, Carrigaline’s experience shone through. They outscored their opponents five points to one in the final ten minutes plus stoppage time, ensuring a hard-fought victory for joint captains Séamus McHugh and Cormac Nolan.