Ballycastle hold on as Shamrocks' luck run dry

Mayo JFC ‘B’ Semi-Final 

Ballycastle 1-11 

Kilmovee Shamrocks 0-13  

Fergal Forde was the man Ballycastle had to thank the most, as the Black and Red marched on towards the Mayo junior ‘B’ final.

They are only there by the narrowest of margins as Kilmovee Shamrocks responded brilliantly from a dire first-half performance to lead last Sunday’s semi-final by a point going into the final 20 minutes.

Darren Dunleavy, Eoghan Duffy and Sean and Oisin Horan were incredible for the Shamrocks in that second-half but it wasn’t to be for Kilmovee in the end, as Fergal Forde’s fifth pointed free in the dying moments sent Ballycastle through.

The game was scoreless in the opening five minutes but Forde grabbed the first point with a free from close range.

Forde then pointed a mark from the left after a nice ball into him by centre-forward Ciaran McDonnell before finishing a three-minute scoring blitz with a goal, as Dermot Kelly this time took a short free into Forde who caught the defence napping and strolled through for a cool finish.

Dermot Kelly then curled one off his right foot 25-metres from goal before Harry O’Grady finally got Kilmovee on the scoreboard with a free after ten minutes.

Eoghan Duffy then carried the ball brilliantly up Kilmovee’s right, the wing-forward dancing through a tackle and setting up a close range point by Darren Dunleavy.

Eoin McDonnell converted a right sided free off his left boot in reply for Ballycastle and while Sean Horan cancelled that out, Fionnan Caufield scored an excellent point from right-wing forward for the North Mayo side, curling the ball over the black spot from distance.

Late on in the half, Fergal Forde converted his second free and Kilmovee’s Harry O’Grady had a palmed attempt at goal cleared off the line.

But midfielder Kevin Moffatt ensured Kilmovee would get one more on the board before half-time, converting on the run from 30 metres out. Ballycastle entered the interval up by five points, 1-6 to 0-4.

The second-half began with a long range free from Harry O’Grady just three minutes in and a foul by Kevin Healy on Cathal Horan was deemed enough for a black card by referee Christopher Burke.

Kilmovee would take full advantage of this as they fought back into the reckoning.

It began with Oisin Horan’s fantastic point from 30 metres out, the right-footed effort creeping just inside the right post from left wing. Ten minutes in, Darren Dunleavy got his second point as his dummy allowed him space to fire over close to goal.

Sean Horan struck over a free and suddenly Kilmovee were only one point behind, with Ballycastle going over ten minutes without a score.

Oisin Horan was the next to score after Darren Dunleavy broke Michael Forde’s tackle to set him up on the inside, and Eoghan Duffy gave them the lead for the first time as Dunleavy’s run again opened up space and Duffy took advantage when he curled his shot over.

Now entering the final 20 minutes with no score in sight and just once chance coming from a Forde free, the Ballycastle players had their backs against the wall.

Harry O’Grady’s third pointed free was seemingly sending the Shamrocks through, as it gave them a two point lead.

However, seconds later Ballycastle’s first point of the second-half would finally arrive as McDonnell’s shot dropped slightly short but Fergal Forde punched over.

Then, Kevin Healy set up another Fergal Forde point after which Sean Horan and Forde traded frees.

A Sean Horan free in 58th minute had the teams tied but well into stoppage time, Forde’s close range free confirmed Ballycastle would go through to face Achill in the junior ‘B’ decider.

Scorers – Ballycastle: Fergal Forde 1-8 (5f), Dermot Kelly, Eoin McDonnell (f) and Fionnan Caufield 0-1 each.

Kilmovee Shamrocks: Sean Horan 0-4f, Harry O’Grady 0-3f, Oisin Horan and Darren Dunleavy 0-2, Kevin Moffatt and Eoghan Duffy 0-1 each.

Ballycastle: Jason O’Neill; Liam Óg Barrett, Conor Barrett, Paul Whelan; Michael Tighe, Michael Forde, Andrew Tighe; Kevin Healy, Shane Grier; Finn McDermott Cox, Ciaran McDonnell, Dermot Kelly; Eoin McDonnell, Fergal Forde, Shane Maughan. Subs: Fionnan Caufield, Jordan Clarke, Daniel Breslin.

Kilmovee: Killian Golden; Jonathan Regan, Liam Moffatt, Sean Higgins; Tom Rushe, Tom Horan, Conor Dunleavy; Cathal Horan, Kevin Moffatt; Darren Dunleavy, Oisin Horan, Eoghan Duffy; Harry O’Grady, Sean Horan, Shane Towey. Subs: Coilin Duffy.

REF: Christopher Burke (Hollymount-Carramore)