Ballina pipped on road as focus turns to All-Blacks
Saturday's game ended painfully for Ballina, who were arguably the better side for most of the game against Tuam. Picture: INPHO/Dan Sheridan
Just a week after their late heroics against Creggs, Ballina were unable to repeat the trick and pull off a great comeback in Garraun Park last Sunday afternoon.
Craig McCormick, the man who scored the winning penalty the previous week, had the chance to do so once again but he missed the target from close range and Tuam held on for the win.
It was a painful outcome for Ballina, who were arguably the better side for most of this game but came up against a well-organised Tuam backline. Jonathan Bloomfeild and Ben Matheson were the top performers on the day for the men in green and almost inspired them to another comeback victory. Instead, it was a second league defeat, again in the shape of Galway opposition after losing to Dunmore last month, and they will need to recover quickly ahead of a top-of-the-table showdown against Connemara this Saturday evening in Heffernan Park.
That fightback appeared unlikely as Tuam led 12-0 at half-time. Neither side could make the breakthrough after 20 minutes of play, with both defences on top, but Tuam began to apply the pressure from that point on and Sean Maughan got their first try of the afternoon after Ben Matheson fumbled the ball and Maughan was quickest to react.
Tuam missed a penalty shortly after to extend their lead but Johannes Terblanches got Tuam’s second try after a maul on the line, followed by a successful conversion by Carl Ward, to give Tuam a healthy advantage.
The home side were, however, dealt a blow when Eoin Sweeney was sinbinned after picking up a yellow card. Ballina took full advantage of their extra man as persistent pressure saw them create the opening needed for Jonathan Bloomfeild to get over the try line for Ballina, with the conversion by McCormick.
Tuam had another player in the sinbin later in the half when Andrew Atonio was also shown a yellow card but the hosts were able to extend their lead thanks to a penalty from Carl Ward.
The pressure was mounting on Tuam however, and Daniel Feeney got a second try for Ballina to set up a nerve-wrecking finish. They had the chance to win it through McCormick but the resulting penalty miss meant Tuam held on for the win.
Tuam: Conor O’Shaughnessy, Luke Cronin, Carl Ward, Jonah Culligan, Ian Murphy, Alan Tierney, Seán Brandon, Samus Hurley, Sean Maughan, Andrew Atonio, Daithi Gleeson, Cian Breathnach, Eoin Sweney, Alan Finnerty, Owen Hallon. Replacements: Johannes Terblanches, Luke McManus, Stephen Leo.
Ballina: Ben Matheson, Oisin Smyth-Rouse, Liam Golden, Robert Fridd, Cian Quinn, Craig McCormick, Ronan-Cian Lawerence, Shane Clarke, Brian Boland, Danny Donegan, Gerard McKenna, Thomas Hannigan, Sean O’Connell, Conor Brown, Jonathan Bloomfeild. Replacements: Chris Healy, Liam Jones, Michael McLoughlin, Daniel Feeney.
REF: Cathal Roddy
