Regan rolls back the years but Stephenites are held

Mayo SFL Division 1A – Round 1

Breaffy 0-15 

Ballina Stephenites 1-12 

Mike Kelly in Breaffy 

In contrast to their last meeting in the 2023 Mayo SFC Final, Breaffy and Ballina Stephenites played out an entertaining draw beneath Saturday’s evening sun to open their Division 1A campaigns.

The West Mayo men, led by the impressive Conor O’Shea, held the lead for the majority of this contest but couldn’t shake off a determined Ballina side for whom Evan Regan was in inspired form.

The former Mayo corner-forward hit 1-8, his goal a great piece of individual skill after Rory Morrin’s long-range shot dropped short which Regan gathered before firing to the net from close range.

By the 22nd minute the sides had already surpassed their totals in last year’s county final, after Regan’s goal left the scoreboard reading 0-6 to 1-2.

Evan Regan had opened the scoring with a free in the first minute before the hosts had the game’s first goal chance in only the second minute. Paul McDermott was played through but although his shot slipped under Ballina goalkeeper David Clarke, the ball was cleared off the line.

Breaffy did fire over a barrage of points without reply through Ben Murphy, two, McDermott, Pierce Deane and Joe Mellett, and while Regan responded with a mark in the 11th minute, two minutes later Paul McDermott had another chance at goal having been played in one-on-one with Clarke. The former Mayo stopper’s big frame was enough to put the attacker off and his tame shot was easily saved.

James Minogue hit an excellent point from distance to push the Breaffy lead back out to four points in the 21st minute but a minute later Regan collected Morrin’s dropped shot and fired past Jack Livingstone from close range to leave just one between the sides.

Gavyn McManamon and Davitt Neary traded points with Regan before Conor O’Shea hit two excellent long range singles in first-half stoppage time, the pick of them from out by the sideline on the ’45, leaving three between the teams at the break.

Luke Jordan closed the gap straight from the throw-in and Regan brought it back to the minimum again with a point from play two minutes later. However, two quickfire points from Pierce Deane pushed the Breaffy lead back to three in the 34th minute.

Mark Birrane became the first Ballina forward other than Regan to score when he followed a free by the corner-forward with a point from play, thus closing the gap to one again, but the home side, through David Livingstone, always seemed to be able to push the gap back out again.

Ballina were finally level in the 42nd minute when Evan Regan hit two points, one from a free and one from play, before Rory Morrin edged the visitors into the lead for the first time since the opening minute when he fired over on 46 minutes.

Murphy and Birrane swapped points as Ballina held the lead entering the final ten. However, a 51st minute point from Livingstone would level the game and would also prove to be the last score of a gripping contest. O’Shea uncharacteristically missed two scorable frees with Mark Birrane also seeing a chance drift wide for the North Mayo men deep into stoppage-time.

Scorers – Breaffy: Pierce Deane and Ben Murphy (1m) 0-3 each, David Livingstone and Conor O’Shea 0-2 each, James Minogue, Gavyn McManamon, Davitt Neary, Paul McDermott and Joe Mellett (f) 0-1 each.

Ballina: Evan Regan 1-8 (0-5f, 1m), Mark Birrane 0-2, Luke Jordan and Rory Morrin 0-1 each.

Breaffy: Jack Livingstone; Conor Golden, Conor Beirne, Mark Ward; David Livingstone, James Minogue, Keith Mulchrone; Conor O’Shea, Gavyn McManamon; Robbie Fadden, Davitt Neary, Paul McDermott; Joe Mellett, Ben Murphy, Pierce Deane. Subs: Stephen McDermott, Aidan Cunningham.

Ballina Stephenites: David Clarke; Tomas Doherty, Luca Duggan, Stephen Mullins; Aodan McCann, David Tighe, Cylan Neary; Luke Jordan, Mikey Murray; Thomas Leonard, Kevin Newell, Niall Feeney; Evan Regan, Rory Morrin, Mark Birrane. Subs: Ben Thornton, Niall Treacy, Daniel Winters.

REF: Kevin Connelly (Hollymount-Carramore)