Ballinrobe squeeze through in unconvincing style
Diarmuid Duffy's goal was a crucial score in the draw that sent Ballinrobe through to the quarter-finals of the Mayo IFC.
Egan Jewellers Mayo IFC Group 1 – Round 3
Ballinrobe 1-9
Lahardane 0-12
Edwin McGreal in St Brendan’s Park, Kilmeena
By the skin of their teeth Ballinrobe secured a quarter-final place after a dramatic finish in an often dour clash in Kilmeena.
A win for Lahardane would have put Eddie Conroy’s men into the knockout stages, Ballinrobe would have finished third and Castlebar Mitchels ‘B’ would be the in relegation play-offs.
But Ballinrobe just about held off and it means it is Lahardane who go into the relegation play-offs by virtue of the head-to-head rule after their defeat to Castlebar Mitchels ‘B’ in the second round.
Indeed, Ballinrobe may thank Ardnaree Sarsfields for beating Mitchels ‘B’. Mitchels led by seven at half-time and had they won, a draw here would have only secured third place for Ballinrobe.
But Ardnaree, wind-backed in the second-half, ended up winning by seven.
At half-time in Kilmeena, it did not look like there would be much doubt about the result here with Ballinrobe taking in a 1-8 to 0-1 lead at half-time.
Lahardane won the toss and opted to play into the strong wind blowing down from the gate goal in Kilmeena.
It looked a smart call approaching half-time. Ballinrobe led by 0-6 to 0-1 after the first quarter, Kevin Quinn and Evan O’Brien both kicking a two pointer and a single. Matthew Maughan scored what would be the only point from play into the gate goal on 14 minutes.
Incredibly, from the 15th minute until right on 30 minutes, there were no more scores. Ballinrobe butchered chances and the game was getting heated too. Jarlath Maughan was black-carded on 20 minutes and there was plenty of little flashpoints all over the field.
With time running out, it did not look near enough of a lead for Ballinrobe but they finished the half in style. Right on the half hour, Ewan Duffy turned down a straightforward point to superbly place brother Diarmuid in on goal and he finished emphatically to the top corner.
Conor O’Brien, who was a good target man inside, added two points in injury time and Ballinrobe’s ten point lead at the break looked like it would be plenty. In the end, it was just about enough.
Within ten minutes of the restart, Lahardane had the gap back to three. Shane Finnerty kicked a single before three successive two-pointers sailed over with room to spare from the boots of Mark Sheerin, James Maughan and Finnerty, a superb free from out near the left sideline.
However, like in the first-half, there was a 15-minute scoreless spell. Ballinrobe huffed and puffed but could not get the scores they sought. But while hard earned possession won by excellent midfielder James Murphy and the outstanding Diarmuid Duffy may not have led to Ballinrobe scores, it limited the possession Lahardane needed.
However, after 55 minutes, Finnerty converted another two-pointer free and the gap was just one point. It was fully 30 minutes into the second-half when Ballinrobe got their first score of the half and it came from their goalkeeper!
Luke Jennings took a ’45 and drilled the ball low and true into the wind, the perfect trajectory, to score what turned out to be a vital point.
Four minutes into injury time, Lahardane leveled when Finnerty converted another two-pointer free. They were lucky that an attempt by James Maughan to solo and go from the free was allowed to be brought back after Maughan ran into traffic.
There was no more time for another attack after that and Ballinrobe breathed a big sigh of relief.
Lahardane must face a mouth-watering relegation play-off against near neighbours Burrishoole. The reward for Ballinrobe is a trip to face Moy Davitts in Foxford. This level of performance will not suffice there.
Scorers – Ballinrobe: Diarmuid Duffy 1-0-0, Evan O’Brien 0-1-1 (1f), Kevin Quinn 0-1-1, Conor O’Brien 0-0-2, Luke Jennings 0-0-1 (’45).
Lahardane: Shane Finnerty 0-3-1 (3tpf, 1f), James Maughan and Mark Sheerin 0-1-0, Matthew Maughan 0-0-1.
Ballinrobe: Luke Jennings; Jason Butler, Aaron McDonnell, Peter Butler; Seán Flannery, Diarmuid Duffy, Sequoyah Duffy; James Murphy, Evan O’Brien; Ryan Corcoran, Ewan Duffy, Liam Burke; Adam Flannery, Conor O’Brien, Kevin Quinn. Subs: Aaron Crowley (for McDonnell ht, inj), Rossa Burke (for Corcoran 43), Cian O’Connell (for Flannery 52), Conor Keane (for P Butler 60, inj).
Lahardane: Barry Leonard; Eoghan McManamon, Jarlath Maughan, Benny Joyce; Ronan Walsh, Kieran Lynn, Jack McHale; Eoin Fergus, Darragh Walsh; Mark Noone, James Maughan, Shane Finnerty; Daire Walsh, Matthew Maughan, Mark Sheerin. Subs: Mickey Murphy (for Daire Walsh 38), Aodan Cronin (for McHale 51), Cathal Finnerty (for R Walsh 55).
REF: Michael Daly (Swinford)
