Bally’ boys prove worth of points in face of Coleman hat-trick

Connacht PPS Senior ‘C’ Football Championship semi-final 

Ballyhaunis CS 1-20 

St Joseph’s, Foxford 4-8 

Stuart Tynan at Connacht GAA Air Dome 

In a rip-roaring contest at the Connacht GAA Air Dome, Ballyhaunis Community School held off a late rally by St Joseph’s of Foxford to book their place in the Connacht PPS senior ‘C’ football championship final.

Goals may win games most of the time yet it would be the accuracy of Ballyhaunis in between the taller posts that ultimately proved the difference. Half of the East Mayo school’s starting fifteen found their mark, with Senan Guilfoyle, a member of Mayo’s Connacht minor championship winning team last year, kicking nine points, including six frees, en route to victory.

The result will be a cruel blow for St Joseph’s, particularly for Dylan Coleman after he scored all but five points of their tally. But they came up against a well-drilled and organised Ballyhaunis backline who suffocated the Foxford attack, with another Mayo minor Jamie Clarke held to two solitary points, both in the first-half.

Ballyhaunis started brightly and outscored St Joseph’s 0-3 to 0-1 in the opening exchanges through Shane Clarke, Guilfoyle, a free, and Adam Kelly, with the sole response for St Joesph’s coming through Daragh Staunton. But they quickly drew level on four minutes as a punt into the large rectangle was gathered by Dylan Coleman and he fired a piledriver into the net.

He would not have to wait long for his second green flag either, as Jordan Langan’s long range attempt dropped short and Coleman won the ball before being fouled by the Ballyhaunis goalkeeper inside the area. Referee John Gilmartin spread his arms and Coleman, a highly talented soccer player with S&F United, put those skills to good use to fire in from the penalty spot on seven minutes.

Their next score would not come for another ten minutes though, as Ballyhaunis kicked five points on the spin through two Guilfoyle frees and singles by Conor Grogan, Conor Henry and Oisin Kelly. The sides exchanged two points apiece through Guilfoyle, one from a free, and Jamie Clarke for parity but Derry Óg Cox’s thunderous strike past Shane Moyles gave Ballyhaunis the lead at the interval, 1-10 to 2-3.

Eight minutes into the second-half, St Joseph’s were back to within two through points by Tomas Bourke, Dylan Coleman and Jordan Gaughan, a free, while it was Guilfoyle who got Ballyhaunis off the mark in the new period.

The combination of Guilfoyle and Óg Cox continued to cause havoc and both fired over a brace to counter a pair of frees by Coleman with nine minutes left to play.

Daniel Hagney was unfortunate not kill the game off as his wonderful attempt on goal was brilliantly tipped over the bar by Shane Moyles and it was the start of four unanswered points as Óg Cox, Grogan and Guilfoyle’s sixth free put eight between the sides entering stoppage time.

Conor Henry’s second point, shortly after Coleman’s third goal (and second from the penalty spot), looked to be enough. Incredibly, St Joseph’s were awarded another penalty after a Ballyhaunis defender picked the ball of the ground and Coleman made it a hat-trick of penalties to leave three between them. But that was the final action as Gilmartin blew the whistle to send the Black and Red forth to a provincial final. St Joesph’s were understandably crestfallen at the end, but these young men have an incredibly bright future in the game.

Ballyhaunis CS will face Mayo rivals Gortnor Abbey in the Connacht PPS senior ‘C’ final which is due to take place on Saturday, February 10.

Scorers – Ballyhaunis CS: Senan Guilfoyle 0-9 (6f), Derry Óg Cox 1-3, Daniel Hagney and Conor Grogan 0-2 each, Shane Clarke, Adam Kelly, Oisin Kelly and Conor Henry 0-1 each.

St Joseph’s, Foxford: Dylan Coleman 4-3 (3-0 pen, 0-2f), Jamie Clarke 0-2, Tomás Bourke, Daragh Staunton and Jordan Gaughan (f) 0-1 each.

Ballyhaunis CS: James Flynn; Fionn Delaney, Michéal Finnegan, Shane Clarke; Jarlath Concannon, Jake Glavey, Sean Keadin; Conor Henry, Daniel Hagney; Adam Kelly, Senan Guilfoyle, Derry Óg Cox; Conor Grogan, Oisin Kelly, Charlie Johnston. Subs: PJ Greally, Sean Lynskey (for O Kelly 56), Sean Lynskey (for A Kelly 60+2, inj).

St Joseph’s, Foxford: Shane Moyles; Kevin Moylette, Adrian Sotoparra, Tomás Bourke, Oran Timlin, Ajay McGrath, Keith Langan; Daragh Staunton, Cian Fahy; Mark Fahy, Conor Ryder, Ryan Gaughan; Jordan Langan, Dylan Coleman, Jamie Clarke. Subs: Anthony McHale (Gaughan 44), Kian Clarke (for Bourke 55).

REF: John Gilmartin (Sligo)