Ruthless Stephenites condemn Blues to defeat
Ballina Stephenites debuted their new strip in Saturday’s clash with Claremorris after the club held a jersey design competition among local national schools, co-ordinated by senior team goalkeeper David Clarke. The overall winners were Charlie McGuire of Quay NS and Noah Cawley of Culleens NS (pictured) who officially presented the new jerseys to the team at training last Friday evening. The club has expressed its gratitude to all the schools, teachers, students and parents who supported the competition, and John Healy Construction and Dunleavy Meats for sponsoring the jerseys.
On a fresh Saturday evening in Claremorris, it was the away side who grabbed the initiative to remain clear leaders at the top of the Division 1 table. Both sides left no stone unturned with hard hits and a tremendous exhibition of two-point scoring on display, but Ballina Stephenites were the deserving winners.
The home side had got their noses in front early in the contest with James Shaughnessy converting a free. Shaughnessy added swiftly to his account with another pointed free, as Claremorris made some early use of the breeze.
Both sides were on the front foot and kept hunting for early scores from the get-go. The outstanding Frank Irwin got Ballina on the board before Dara Hurley managed to get in behind the Stephenites backline but was thwarted a goal by the big frame of David Clarke.
That save buoyed the county champions and Ben Thornton found the on-rushing Barry Walsh, who steamed forward like a train and bulldozed his effort into the roof the net to raise the first green flag of the evening on seven minutes.
Stephenites continued their assault on the Blues and Mikey Murray split the uprights. Shaughnessy cancelled out Murray’s score with a delicious two point free and while Sean Treacy slotted over a free at the other end, Shaughnessy curled over his second two point free to keep the Blues in touch.
Ballina’s answer to the two quality scores from Shaughnessy was emphatic. A booming Clarke kickout cleared the middle third and bounced between men before Irwin collected possession and knifed his way through Claremorris bodies before rifling into the net on 25 minutes.
The Stephenites were beginning to take control of proceedings and were fetching clean breaks aplenty. The busy Frank Irwin teed up Murray on the swivel for another point.
Ballina kept up their charge at the Blues defence and yet another quality two-point gambit was struck this time from the boot of Thornton under the Claremorris stand which sailed beautifully over the black spot to leave the away side five to the good at the interval.
Claremorris needed a response quickly after the Stephenites barrage and Shaugnessy provided the answer with a well-worked point.
The Stephenites were up for the task however as David Tighe fed Ciaran Boland who added his name to the list of two point scorers on the day with a fantastic score.
Sloppy play in the Claremorris half shortly after Boland’s score led to Irwin cashing in on another placed ball score which was meat and drink to the Stephenites captain and helped to confirm his side’s dominance.
Irwin demonstrated his qualities in quick succession as he found the target again for another orange flag from a free on 38 minutes.
Niall Hurley popped over a close-in free which then inspired Padraig Cummins to put the finishing touches to a well-worked Claremorris move after good work from Craig Cassidy.
Irwin replied with another bomb which kept the scoreboard ticking over for the rampant away side who were still firmly in the driving seat.
Cathal Joyce fisted over from a tight angle but that point for the hosts was swatted away at the other end by Luke Jordan after a quick Stephenites counter.
Joyce added another free to his account on 45 minutes but Luke Feeney slotted over a free of his own shortly after.
Referee Shane Corcoran began to dish out yellow cards to both sides in the next few minutes after some over-exuberant challenges went flying in as the Blues looked for ways to get back into contention. They chased some scores from outside the arc to draw themselves back but wild shots tailed briskly away.
The wasteful shooting was punished by the final two-point score of the evening through Mikey Murray who tailed over a monster from 45 yards for Ballina who were more efficient in front of goal.
Niall Hurley converted a consolation free but Irwin brought the curtain down on his swelling tally for the evening with another placed ball.
Niall Hurley went for goal from his free but was met with stiff resistance from a Ballina defence – which has the best stats in the division so far – as they blocked the ball away before Hurley made do with a point.
Ballina ended up good value for their win with a nine-point margin being the correct result on the evidence of play. Claremorris will hope to bounce back with a derby against Garrymore on the horizon next weekend.
Scorers – Ballina Stephenites: Frank Irwin 1-1-5 (1tpf, 4f), Mikey Murray 0-1-2, Barry Walsh 1-0-0, Ben Thornton and Ciaran Boland 0-1-0 each, Sean Treacy, Luke Jordan, Luke Feeney (f) 0-0-1 each.
Claremorris: James Shaughnessy 0-3-3 (3tpf, 2f), Niall Hurley 0-0-3 (1f), Cathal Joyce 0-0-2 (1f), Padraig Cummins 0-0-1.
Claremorris: Darragh Fallon; Stefan Petkovic, Darragh Fitzpatrick, David Slattery; Johnny Cummins, Rio Mortimer, Padraig Cummins; Matthew Macken, Craig Cassidy; David O’Reilly, James Shaughnessy, Cathal Joyce; Dara Hurley, Stephen Gill, Niall Hurley. Subs: Harry Smyth (for Gill 30), Sean O’Connell (for Shaughnessy 41), Conor O’Brien (for Mortimer 46), Jack Noone (for Macken 49).
Ballina Stephenites: David Clarke; Luke Jordan, David Tighe, Mikey Caden; Frank Irwin, Barry Walsh, Ciaran Boland; Mikey Murray, Ben Thornton; Luke Feeney, Conor Jordan, Niall Treacy; Sean Treacy, Ciaran Treacy, Mattie Leonard. Subs: Dylan Neary (for N Treacy 42), Oisin McCann (for S Treacy 45), Stephen Mullins (for Caden 48), James Doherty (for Walsh 48), Aodhan McCann (for Thornton 49).
REF: Shane Corcoran (Islandeady)
