Brilliant Balla undone by McDermott brilliance in All-Ireland final defeat
Balla goalscorer Charlie Fallon is closely marked by St. Ciaran’s Sean McCann during the All-Ireland PPS Senior “C” Football Championship final at Ballyshannon this afternoon. Picture: David Farrell Photography
A superb performance by Balla Secondary School was ultimately in vain as they fell in extra-time to a Shea McDermott-inspired St Ciaran's in the All-Ireland PPS Senior 'C' Football final this afternoon.
Playing with the wind in the first half, Balla had a dream start, keeping St Ciaran's scoreless in the first 28 minutes of the half. By that stage, Balla had nine points on the board, which included a fabulous two-pointer by Mark Jennings and a pair of two-point frees from the right boot of Liam Glynn.
The plan was going perfectly, until Shea McDermott, who finished with 1-10, raised a green flag in the final stages of the first half, as well tagging on his first point, to reduce the gap to five at the break.
Glynn got Balla up and running two minutes into the second half, but St Ciaran's, who now had the breeze, would score seven of the next eight points to draw level on 47 minutes. Three of those points came from McDermott, including a two-pointer, while Callum McWilliam also raised an orange flag in the hot patch for the Ulster champions.
Balla got back in front with the next two points but another McDermott two-pointer got St Ciaran's level for a second time. Charlie Fallon nudged Balla back in front with six minutes of normal time to go but Balla were soon reduced to 14 men temporarily after Sean McCann was shown a black card.
He committed the foul almost 55 metres from goal and near the sideline, but it did not stop McDermott from firing over an incredible two-point free to put St Ciaran's in front for the first time. Jude Curran looked to have got the insurance score for the Tyrone side but Glynn's two-point free in injury-time sent this final into extra-time.
The first period was one to forget as Balla failed to score while St Ciaran's struck 1-3, the goal coming from Darren McAnespie following a driving run by McDermott. Charlie Fallon responded early in the second period with a goal of his own but Elliot Kerr and McDermott extended St Ciaran's lead to five. A fourth two-point free by Glynn and a point from Dara Patten gave Balla hope with two minutes remaining, but a second goal was not forthcoming as St Ciaran's held on to win the All-Ireland title.
