Balla defeat Gortnor to win Connacht title, Gerald's and Muredach's re-fixed for next week
Balla’s Liam Glynn races past Gortnor Abbey’s Eoin Dyra during a heavy shower of sleet in the Connacht PPS Senior 'C' football final at Bekan last Saturday. Picture: David Farrell Photography
Only one of the Connacht PPS schools finals double-header in the Connacht Centre of Excellence yesterday (Saturday) afternoon went ahead as a result of the inclement wintry weather in Bekan.
That final saw Balla Secondary School crowned Connacht PPS Senior 'C' champions, defeating Gortnor Abbey, Crossmolina, 0-12 to 0-7.
Balla made full use of the wind in the first half, opening up a 0-7 to 0-2 lead with 18 minutes played thanks to points from Dara Patten Oran Murphy, Liam Glynn, Patrick McHale and a two-pointer from Ryan O'Donnell.
Kobe McDonald scored four of Gortnor's five-point haul in the first half, including a beautifully struck two-point free off the carpet but Balla defended well as they led 0-9 to 0-5 at half-time, with Mark Jennings raising his own orange flag on 27 minutes.
While Gortnor had the wind in the second half, the snow began to hammer down and both teams struggled to manifest scoring opportunities. The Crossmolina school could not get any closer than within three points of their opponents, with Balla defending heroically, and Liam Glynn's stunning two-point free in injury-time sealed a famous win for Balla, who now progress to an All-Ireland semi-final on the weekend of February 28.
The second of the scheduled finals, the Senior 'A' final between St Gerald's College, Castlebar, and St Muredach's College, Ballina, was cancelled following a pitch inspection and will now be played next Friday, February 20, at 7pm in Bekan.
