Cross goal machine downs the champions
Crossmolina’s Patrick Leddy gathers the ball ahead of Ballina Stephenites Dylan Thornton during the Mayo SFC Round 2 game at St. Tiernan’s GAA Park last Sunday. Pictures: David Farrell Photography
Crossmolina Deel Rovers and Ballina Stephenites’ rolled back the years on Deelside on a sun splashed Sunday afternoon and when the final whistle was blown, it was the home side who were clutching the two points after a thriller that will have nobody complaining if these two meet again later down the road.
When Dylan Thornton looked to have been the man to get the final touch to Ballina’s fourth goal of the day with 47 minutes gone, it was easy to think there was only going to be one winner. That three-pointer put his side 4-9 to 0-16 up, but Crossmolina are made of stern stuff these days and they reeled off three goals of their own before the final whistle to run out 3-20 to 4-10 winners.
The game started in blistering style, with Evan Regan coming in off the wing to sling over a two-pointer with 30 seconds gone. Crossmolina didn’t blink and were level inside three minutes thanks to points from Oisin Deane and Patrick Leady. Regan nudged the visitors back in front from a free, before Kobe McDonald made his first intervention of the day to square it up again.
Crossmolina then hit a little run of form with reeled off three points on the spin through Jordan Flynn, James Maheady and another Leady effort.
Sam Callinan and Frank Irwin cut the gap back to a single point just after the quarter of an hour mark, before Maheady made pushed the Deel Rovers a couple of points in front again.
Ten minutes from the short whistle, the first goal of seven on the day arrived through the palms of Mikey Murray who got in to finish off from close range. McDonald responded quickly after a driving run through the heart of the Ballina rearguard to leave it all tied up again.
Parity didn’t last long though; Dylan Thornton rose high to claim a kick out and found Ciaran Tracey in behind his man with a raking pass and Tracey made no mistake firing the ball past Patrick Loftus to put his side three to the good.
Crossmolina were far from rattled though and McDonald drove over a two point free with ease and Dylan Flynn pointed to leave it all square at the half-time whistle on a score of 0-11 to 2-5.
The second half erupted into life when McDonald put the head down and burst for goal only for his effort to come crashing back off the post. Frank Irwin pointed a 45’ not long after and then the third goal of the day came on 36 minutes. Evan Regan found Tracey and he was in for his second goal of the afternoon to put his team four to the good.
Crossmolina were next to trouble the scoreboard thanks to a Oisin Deane effort, as the tension ratcheted up amongst the massive crowd who had made their way to see this clash of last years senior and intermediate champions.
Crossmolina kept coming and Dylan Flynn cut the gap back to two, then Niall Coggins made it a one-point game. That man McDonald showed calmness and precision to edge his side back in front on 43 minutes through another wonderful two point free on a score of 0-16 to 3-6.
Ballina haven’t won the last two senior titles for no reason, and they hit back in style, Evan Regan levelled it up from plan and then he was in the right place at the right time to pick the ball up on the loop and drain another two-pointer to put his side ahead once more.
Regan was involved again not long after when his two-point effort fell short at the back post and it looked like the last touch went to Thorton to put his side 4-9 to 0-16 up with less than 15 minutes remaining.
But far from break the Crossmolina spirit, that score just spurred them on even more. McDonald burst through to point, then Niall Coggins got in to get his sides first goal of the day and round off a fine more – it was game on once more. Two minutes later and of all players Crossmolina full-back Kevin Mulhern found himself the furthest man forward to collect the final pass and put it by David Clarke to the delirium of the home crowd and his side into a 2-17 to 4-9 lead.
If things weren’t frantic and tensions high before that, the atmosphere on and off the field raised another couple of degrees as the clock began to tick down. Frank Irwin cut the gap to single points with five to go in normal time – but that was to be his sides last score of the day as Crossmolina drove for home.
James Maheady pointed a free, Jordan Flynn tagged on another and with a minute of normal time to go Conor Loftus rounded Clarke and finished to the net from close range to send the home fans wild, and there was still time for Leddy to get the final point of the day and seal a famous win.
All those who were in attendance will be quite happy to see a repeat of this paring going toe to toe later on in the championship if it comes to pass. What a game.
