County derby goes way of merry Moysiders
Team Merry Monk’s Ronan McGarrity at full stretch to keep the ball in play during the LLR League match against Mayo Meteors at Ballina Sports Centre last Saturday night. Picture: David Farrell Photography
In a game where it seemed that Team Merry Monk had the win wrapped up, a late fightback from Mayo Meteors ensured an enthralling end to last Saturday night’s clash at the Ballina Sports Centre. Ultimately, however, the Castlebar visitors came up just short, unable to capitalise on the Ballina side’s loss of young guns Nathan Roddy, Mark Cunningham and Brian Donohue who are lining out for St Muredach’s College in the All-Ireland Schools senior ‘B’ final today (Tuesday).
Merry Monk’s Ronan O’Malley landed the opening scores with a couple of free-throws after a frantic but scoreless opening two minutes. Alex Evans knocked down a three-pointer in the right corner for Mayo Meteors to reply before a quick five points scoring burst from Matthew McHale, including another three from the right corner, put the Meteors up by six.
The home side found their own scoring run with two lay-ups by Ronan McGarrity and one from Theo Daly after stealing the Meteors inbound. O’Malley and Colm Hegarty traded baskets from close range and McGarrity did likewise with Stephen Crowley.
Hermann Heyl split his free-throws and his Meteors teammate Stephen Crowley followed in the same vein, but the game was tied again as David Marrey’s layup came courtesy of a beautiful McGarrity bounce pass. Hermann Heyl got his first from play for the visitors shortly after with a mid-range jumper, and McHale’s free throw put the Castlebar side up by three before an O’Malley post move at the end of the quarter cut that lead to one.
Heyl opened up the second quarter with a two-point shot but a nice play from a Merry Monk inbound let Theo Daly get his first score from a corner three.
James McManamon laid in the easy two after Meteors pressed and dispossessed Rory Upton, but a nice reverse layup from Ronan O’Malley under the hoop followed a Theo Daly free-throw and Ballina led by one.
Stephen Popplewell got the offensive rebound on Daly’s layup and followed it up with the easy two but Heyl set up a McHale three in the right corner to tie the teams again. Ronan McGarrity hit right back with a three of his own from the left wing, and Ruari Smyth got his first bucket and the hosts pushed out to five in front.
Alex Evans dropped his second three-pointer of the game as Popplewell and Crowley traded baskets shortly after. Ronan O’Malley, who shot poorly from outside but was exceptional on the interior, made a nice euro-step into his layup, while an and-one basket from Meteors’ Alex Evans was left unconverted and Heyl once again split his free-throws as fouls became a factor and disrupted the game’s rhythm.
McGarrity was once again good from beyond the arc as his right wing triple fell through the hoop but Crowley’s inside game was on display again for an off-the-glass layup. David Marrey sunk his first three for the hosts but Hermyn Heyl replied right away. A McGarrity free-throw left the home side in front by three, 40-37 at half-time.
A frantic third quarter started with Ronan O’Malley scoring at the rim. However, foul trouble was at its most pertinent here and there was a lack of flow for both teams. Crowley and McHale, at the rim, were one of the few scorers in play for the Castlebar side, likewise Kyle Armstrong, from the three, and Ruari Smyth for Merry Monk. The Ballina club had the better of the exchanges though, and led by thirteen, 59-46, by the end of the penultimate period.
After Rory Upton converted a layup through McGarrity’s steal, Meteors embarked on an 8-0 scoring run through Daniel Nyland, McHale, Crowley and Colin McNicholas. Ronan McGarrity’s free-throw ended the run, but McHale came down the other end straight away with a shot off the backboard and through. With foul trouble again rearing its head, the visitors had the margin narrowed to three but free-throws from Popplewell sealed the deal for Merry Monk.
The Ballina side will hope to maintain their winning ways when they host Donegal Town this Saturday at 7pm.
Team Merry Monk: Ronan McGarrity (25), Ronan O’Malley (13), Rory Upton (5), Theo Daly (6), Darragh McGovern, Stephen Popplewell (10), Ruari Smyth (6), Kyle Armstrong (3), David Marrey (5), Connor Burke, Aiden Tighe.
Mayo Meteors: Matthew McHale (19), Alex Evans (9), Colm Hegarty (2), Hermann Heyl (14), Stephen Crowley (13), Colin McNicholas (2), Daniel Nyland (5), James McManaman (4), Paddy Walsh, Adam Battle.
