Garrymore crowned the kings of south Mayo
Garrymore team after winning the South Mayo Junior A final in Ballinrobe last Friday evening. Pictures: Conor McKeown
Despite the heavy and dense fog that engulfed Flanagan Park on Friday night, Ballinrobe and Garrymore served up a cracking wintertime encounter that was in the melting pot right up to the bitter end.
Ballinrobe made a positive start with Adam Flannery before Garrymore countered through the lively David Dolan.
The hosts were laborious in some of their build-up play during the first half; however, a fine score from the influential Darren McDonnell on five minutes regained the initiative for the Robesiders.
But Garrymore looked much the sharper and hit three on the spin from Colm O’Neill, Mark Tierney and a fine Jimmy Killeen free, to open up a 0-4 to 0-2 lead.
Sandwiched in between points from Tierney and Liam Óg Horkan, Garrymore’s Dolan almost shook the back of Stephen O’Connor’s net, but his drive flashed wide.
However, Ballinrobe didn’t heed the warning signs and the leaders bagged a major after 25 minutes. Killeen spotted the timely run of O’Neill and the latter fired home a cracking effort past the goalkeeper.
Towards the end of the half, points from McDonnell, a free, and the effervescent Owen Corcoran proved to be just the tonic that Ballinrobe needed at the break, as they trailed 1-6 to 0-4.
The home side started the second half well as Gary Mellett Connolly guided over a peach of a point before McDonnell added another free.
Garrymore responded through O’Neill, a free, and Micheál Connolly when Ballinrobe’s rampaging wing-back James Marrey belied his defensive berth by guiding over a peach of a sliced long-range effort on 36 minutes.
Garrymore were eager to keep their opponents at arm’s length and a fine single from Óg Horkan garnered a 1-9 to 0-7 lead for Pat Hession’s troops after 41 minutes.
However, the earlier introduction of Joe Burke proved to be an inspirational move by the Ballinrobe management as on 43 minutes, an intricate Ballinrobe attacking foray culminated in Burke collecting possession and his superlative dipping strike nestled into the net.
Soon after, Ballinrobe’s Flannery guided over a close-range free and the game was right back in the melting pot. The hosts refused to bend the knee and they could well have pilfered a goal on 51 minutes, but the under-pressure Peter Finnerty saw his close range effort diverted behind for a ‘45’, from which McDonnell exquisitely levelled matters at 1-9 apiece.
The tie was becoming an enthralling battle and both sides swapped scores through Garrymore’s Tierney, a free, and his opposite number McDonnell.
Neither side deserved to lose this winter classic, however, on 59 minutes; Garrymore’s Colm O’Neill struck over a long-range effort to seal the deal for his team-mates and collect some much sought after silverware.
