Battling Ballina fall just short to high-flying Galwegians

All Ireland League Division 2C 

Galwegians 27 

Ballina 18 

In Crowley Park, Galway 

Brave, bustling Ballina gave Galwegians an almighty scare on Saturday in Crowley Park before a three-try blitz midway through the second-half helped the home side over the line.

This All Ireland League game bristled and buzzed from first whistle to last and kept the healthy crowd richly entertained with seven tries from two teams determined to attack at every opportunity.

Balllina are hovering near the foot of the league table after a slow start to the season while the Galway men are top of the table, so many seasoned observers expected a routine win for the home side, but nothing could be further from the truth.

The Moysiders took the game to the hosts from the off and were six points clear early in the second-half before the concession of three quick tries got the men in blue on top and despite some exciting Ballina play the guests couldn’t get their noses in front again.

Cody Cilcott kicked an early penalty for Ballina who started on the front foot. However, Galwegians hit back almost immediately. They mauled their way over for a try courtesy of hooker Ryan Smith and Tiarnan Neville added the conversion.

Ballina failed to be rattled by the concession and carried ball upfield with the wind on their backs. Slick handling and a classy switch-play between Chilcott and Calum Quinn sent Bradly Nealon racing through but when the winger was held up, the ball was recycled and second-row Thomas Hannigan crashed over.

Chilcott added the extras and Ballina were 10-7 clear.

The second quarter saw Galwegians enjoy most of the possession and territory but Ballina’s ferocity in the tackle and their well-organised defence repelled the blues time and time again with Sean Hopkins, Alex Corduff, Conor Boyce and Blayze Molloy among those catching the eye, while scrum-half Cian Quinn was arguably his side’s best player.

The second-half began well for Ballina with Chilcott kicking a penalty to extend the lead to 13-7, but Galwegians grew into the game and were winning a large number of penalties which penned the guests into their own half.

The pressure told after 54 minutes when big back-row Hugo Gens got in for a try. There was a moment of hesitation before the try was awarded as the referee considered a suspicion of ‘crossing’ but the score was chalked up and the gap was down to a single point.

Ballina were hit with a severe blow in the next phase of play when full-back Darragh Whyte was sin-binned and the tide was certainly turning.

Winger Joshua Munn got over the whitewash in the right corner after 57 minutes following fine play from scrum-half Andrew Sherlock and when his colleague Oisin McKey touched down in the other corner five minutes later, it was looking ominous for Ballina.

It seemed as if the home boys were about to streak away and add to their 22-13 advantage, but Ballina refused to fade away.

They powered their way into the opposition half and following waves of pressure, Chilcott kicked a perfect cross-field pass for Ian West to gather and touch down. That score took Ballina into losing bonus-point territory, but Galwegians hit back with a breakaway try from Sherlock two minutes from the end.

Once again, Ballina refused to give in and following fine play from Calum Quinn, Bradley Nealon streaked down the left wing in the last minute only to be held up inches from the line.

Ballina were disappointed not to have brought at least a point north with them from the shores of Galway Bay but will take great heart from many aspects of their performance, while also acutely aware of the areas where improvement is required.

Galwegians: D Kennedy, J Munn, R Deacy, M McGiff, O McKey, T Nevills, A Sherlock; J Winters, R Smith, G Daniel, M Loughlin, O Halpin, H Gens, D Keane, L Angerman. Replacements: C Joyce, J Quinn, J Vaafusuaga, R Roche, C Farrell.

Ballina: D Whyte, L Golden, Calum Quinn, J Murphy, B Nealon, C Chilcott, Cian Quinn; S Hopkins, C Mason, G Kavanagh, T Hannigan, H Regan, A Corduff, C Boyce, B Molloy. Replacements: B Boland, S O'Connell, C Hopkins, I West, N Keane.