Extra effort keeps cup dream alive for Ballina
Oisin McNicholas was a first-half try scorer for Ballina who were taken to extra-time before eventually getting the better of Corinthians in the Connacht Junior Cup. Picture: INPHO/James Lawlor
In a game as tight as this, you can break down any number of key decisions as potential turning points.
On three separate occasions in the second-half, Corinthians had three big opportunities to break through a resolute Ballina defence but knock-ons cost them the chance. But the biggest moment came 10 minutes into the second-half when an infringement inside the Ballina 22 allowed what appeared a scorable penalty kick for Ross Doogan to blast between the posts to bring the gap to nine. Instead, he kicked it to the sideline to force an opportunity for Corinthians to go for the try.
As the second-half progressed, Corinthians got a second try and then Doogan himself got a try deep in second-half injury time to level it. However, he fluffed his conversion. It went to extra-time and Ballina’s greater physicality got them over the line in the end. Had Doogan opted to kick the penalty earlier on, there would not have been two extra periods to worry about.
Many in attendance would likely have preferred that, especially given the frosty and foggy conditions in Ballina last Saturday night, but Ballina will not care in the end and they showed tremendous heart and desire to get over the line and advance to the next round of the Connacht Junior Cup.
Craig McCormick put Ballina ahead inside three minutes with a penalty from close range and he was involved in Ballina’s first try minutes later as he fed Oisin Smyth Rouse and ran through to stretch their early lead to 8-0.
McCormick missed his conversion and Corinthians were on the board with a penalty of their own through Doogan but Ballina got their second try as persistence from the Ballina attack paid off and Jonathan Bloomfeild bundled the oval over the line, with McCormick successfully converting on this occasion.
It appeared that Ballina were going to run away with it and Oisin McNicholas scored a spectacular try as he evaded three challenges on his way to the line. But Corinthians gave themselves a lifeline before half-time as Luke Walsh got the visitors first try of the evening, with Doogan successfully converting, to leave it 22-10 in Ballina’s favour at the break.
Corinthians were a different animal in the second-half as they camped inside the Ballina half for the majority of the 40-plus minutes. The hosts defended heroically however, and it looked like they would hold firm but Corinthians guaranteed a nervous finale when Peter Rainsford broke the line and kicked the ball forward into the try zone and touched down, followed by a successful conversion by Doogan to bring the gap to five. Doogan then levelled it with a stunning try when he evaded four tackles, but he scuffed a chance to win it from the conversion and the game entered extra-time.
Despite minds and bodies tiring from an exhausting 80 minutes of play, Ballina got a crucial fourth try as Liam Jones broke through to score to huge roars across Heffernan Park. McCormick converted and it was that man again who nailed a stunning penalty from 30-metres in the second period of extra-time to bring the curtain down on a thriller.
Ballina: Ben Matheson, Liam Jones, Oisin Smyth Rouse, Robert Fridd, Eddy Dodd, Craig McCormick, Ronan-Cian Lawrence, Sean O’Connell, Conor Brown, Brian Boland, Gerard McKenna, Alan Duffy, Oisin McNicholas, Conor Boyce, Jonathan Bloomfeild. Replacements: Danny Donegan, Michael McLoughlin, Neil Molloy, Cian Anderson, Daniel Feeney.
Corinthians: Jacob Phipps, Jack Burns, Eoghan Flannery, Luke Walsh, Dylan Joyce, Ross Doogan, Peter Rainsford, Jonothon Flynn, Charlie Patrick Leonard, Alex Burke, Dillon McAuliffe, Michael Donohue, Sam Concannon, Jex Nicholson-Kelly, Adam Nash. Replacements: Ben Butler, Domhnall Ó Braonáin, Matthew Zander, Séaghan Ó Braonáin.
REF: Siobhán Daly
