O’Shea goal is the difference on Moyside

AbbVie Mayo SFL Division 1A – Round 1 

Breaffy 1-11 

Ballina Stephenites 0-12 

Anthony Hennigan in James Stephens Park, Ballina 

Locals were able to count to double digits, the number of first-team players who were unavailable to Ballina Stephenites for last Saturday’s opening game of the 2025 Mayo Senior Football League. And their absence was sorely felt as the defending county senior champions fell to a two points defeat to Breaffy at a sun-splashed James Stephens Park.

Of course, the visitors were without several heavy hitters too, three of whom were on championship duty with Mayo less than 24 hours later, but Sean Deane’s side managed just fine without Messrs O’Shea, Ruane and Neary, and in truth they should have run out far more comfortable winners.

Conor O’Shea scored the game’s only goal after just four minutes but Breaffy could easily have had four more by the 21st minute, as they identified a weakness down the middle of Ballina’s defence. But the home side, dogged until the last, remained in this game right up until referee Paul Lydon’s full-time whistle, despite also going the first twenty minutes of the second-half without scoring.

Niall Heffernan’s team had begun brightly enough, with Keith Tighe and Ben Thornton scoring a point apiece inside two minutes before Conor O’Shea’s goal got Breaffy off the mark. David Clarke had already saved low to his right from Aidan Cunningham but could do nothing when Joe Mellett hand-passed across the goalmouth to give former Mayo attacker O’Shea the easiest of palmed finished.

Breaffy very nearly had another goal in the sixth minute when Tommy O’Reilly stormed through. Just as he was about to pull the trigger, the retreating Ben Thornton got a timely hand in, but even that had Clarke scrambling to claw the ball off his line. Clarke’s opposite number, Jack Livingstone, drove over the resultant ’45 and Breaffy were now 1-1 to 0-2 ahead.

Mark Birrane traded a point with Mellett and Niall Feeney did likewise with Conor Beirne, the Breaffy centre-back, who was unfortunate to see his attempted lob of David Clarke drop just over the crossbar. And still that wasn’t the end of the Breaffy goal chances, with Pierce Deane smacking a shot against the corner where post meets crossbar, while Conor O’Shea was also denied a point by the woodwork.

It was a source of some wonderment then, when a point by corner-forward Matthew Leonard and a two-pointer by Ben Thornton somehow had Ballina Stephenites one point in front after 26 minutes. And there they remained at half-time too, 0-8 to 1-4, after a late exchange between Conor O’Shea, who fisted over for Breaffy, and Luke Jordan, after a give-and-go with Birrane.

O’Shea brought his tally for the evening to 1-2 when scoring an equalising point just seventeen seconds into the second-half, and further points followed from Joe Mellett, a free, Pierce Deane, Jack Livingstone, another ’45, and Deane again, this time from a free, to see the West Mayo outfit lead 1-9 to 0-8 after 47 minutes.

That last point was the result of Ballina failing to keep three players in the attacking half of the pitch, which was the only major transgression of the new rules committed during the game. Another transgression was not converting the only goal chance they created, when wing-back Brendan Collins’ pass inside released Ben Thornton who dragged his shot just past the far left post at the town end in the 49th minute.

Thornton, in fairness, was one of Ballina brightest lights throughout the match and he did nail two more excellent points from play in response to a Pierce Deane free, meaning Breaffy only led 1-10 to 0-11 with five minutes plus stoppage time left to play.

Luke Jordan tried to level matters but his two pointer drifted wide and in the third added minute, a counterattack resulted in a point for Breaffy substitute Oisin Costello. Ballina needed a goal to force a draw but the best they could muster was a point by Jordan.

The Green and Red will aim to pick up their first win when travelling to Ballinrobe next Saturday evening. Breaffy, meanwhile, will have home advantage for the visit of Ballina’s neighbours, Ardnaree Sarsfields. Both games throw-in at 7pm.

Scorers – Breaffy: Conor O’Shea 1-0-2, Pierce Deane 0-0-3 (2f), Jack Livingstone (2 ’45) and Joe Mellett (1f) 0-0-2 each, Conor Beirne and Oisin Costello 0-0-1 each.

Ballina: Ben Thornton 0-1-3, Luke Jordan 0-0-2, Mark Birrane, Niall Feeney, Keith Tighe, Matthew Leonard and Ciaran Boland 0-0-1 each.

Ballina Stephenites: David Clarke; Stephen Mullins, Luca Duggan, James Doherty; Brendan Collins, David Tighe, Ciaran Boland; Luke Jordan, Ciaran Sweeney; Keith Tighe, Niall Feeney, Ben Thornton; Mark Birrane, Adam McAndrew, Matthew Leonard. Subs: Mike Caden (for Duggan 28), Dylan Neary and Daniel Feeney (for McAndrew and Duggan, inj, 41), Patrick Carr (for Leonard 50), Aodán McCann (for N Feeney 54).

Breaffy: Jack Livingstone; Conor Melly, Mark Dervan, Mark Ward; Conor Golden, Conor Birrane, Daire Morrin; Niall Carter, Oisin Tunney; Tommy O’Reilly, Pierce Deane, Aidan Cunningham; Joe Mellett, Conor O’Shea, Ben Murphy. Subs: John Deane (for Tunney 14-19, inj), Oisin Costello (for Murphy ht), Niall McDermott and Paul McDermott (for Mellett and Cunningham 45), Gavyn McManamon (for Tunney 46), David Livingstone (for Golden 59).

REF: Paul Lydon (Kiltimagh)