Sarsfields rocked by stunning Ballyhaunis display
The evergreen Keith Higgins comes away with the ball watched by his Ballyhaunis teammates Cormac Phillips and Adrian Phillips, while Charlestown's Patrick Lenehan sets off in pursuit. Picture: John Corless
A dominant second-half display, in which they outscored their hosts Charlestown Sarfields by eight points to one, propelled Ballyhaunis to what could yet prove to be a very important victory in Group 4 of this season’s senior championship.
The home side showed early intent and Paul Towey opened the scoring from a free, following a foul on Matthew Lenehan. Their advantage was soon doubled as Patrick Goldrick and Towey combined to set up Ruairi Cullen to split the posts. Eamonn Phillips dusted himself down following Niall Drudy’s foul to get Ballyhaunis up and running, but this was very quickly cancelled out by another free from Towey.
The Red and Black, very much the underdogs heading into this match, were starting to work their way into the game and despite a couple of wides, they eventually managed to draw themselves level, as first Phillips claimed and converted a mark, before Conor Henry launched over from distance. Towey was punishing every indiscretion in the Ballyhaunis defence however, and he again clipped over, after a foul on Patrick Lenehan. But the visitors were about to hit a purple patch and would reel off four points in as many minutes. First, Jason Coyne landed a monster score from way out the field. Then, Aidan Sloyan opened his account with a peach, before quickly adding his second and third points from placed balls.
Charlestown were in need of a score and they were thrown a massive lifeline when Towey picked out Patrick Lenehan inside and he was dragged back, as he bore down on goal. Towey cooly dispatched the penalty, to level proceedings once more.
The momentum was with the Sarsfields and Towey quickly tacked on another free, before they then struck for their second major. A slick move started by good work from Cullen in midfield and involving the Lenehan brothers, Matthew and Patrick, saw the ball worked to Jack Mahon, who dinked a lovely chipped finish over the Ballyhaunis goalkeeper and into the back of the net. From three up to four down, but Peter Warren’s charges refused to panic and they would have the final say in the half, as Phillips converted a late free to leave it 2-5 to 0-8 at the break.
Whatever was said in the away dressing room at half-time clearly had the desired effect, as Ballyhaunis were a team transformed in the second-half. With full-forward Eamonn Phillips to the fore, they quickly set about overturning the deficit and he struck for two points in the first three minutes, the first a free, the second, first time on the turn. Phillips then became provider in setting up Jason Coyne to equalise, before converting another free himself. A long range free from goalkeeper Adrian Phillips was answered by one from Towey, but that Sarsfields’ only score in the second-half.
From there to the finish, it was all Ballyhaunis, as Charlestown struggled to stem the tide, with Jack Coyne helping himself to two late points, either side of one from substitute Joe Sutton. The only blot on the Ballyhaunis copybook was the red card shown to the Mayo defender late on for a needless push on Towey, having been booked in the first-half for an off the ball foul on his county colleague. But it mattered little as Ballyhaunis claimed the victory and the East Mayo bragging rights.
Scorers – Ballyhaunis: Eamonn Phillips 0-6 (4f, 1m), Aidan Sloyan 0-3 (2f), Jason Coyne and Jack Coyne 0-2 each, Conor Henry, Adrian Phillips (f) and Joe Sutton 0-1 each.
Charlestown: Paul Towey 1-5 (1-0p, 5f), Jack Mahon 1-0, Ruairi Cullen 0-1.
Charlestown Sarsfields: Patrick Walsh; Niall Drudy, Tomas Goldrick, Fergal Quinn; Ben Conway, Jack Corley, Ruairi Cullen; Gareth O’Donnell, Patrick Goldrick; Alan Woods, Jack Mahon, Matthew Lenehan; Patrick Lenehan, Paul Towey, Michael Marren. Subs: Owen Flannery and David Caffrey (for Marren and Woods 50), Tadgh Horkan (for P Lenehan 59).
Ballyhaunis: Adrian Phillips; Liam Herr, John Cunnane, Brian O’Neill; Jarlath Carney, Jack Coyne, Patrick Kiely; Kevin Byrne, Cormac Phillips; Conor Henry, Eoghan Collins, Keith Higgins; Aidan Sloyan, Eamonn Phillips, Jason Coyne. Subs: Joe Sutton (for Henry 38), Josh Webb (for Jason Coyne 43), Brian Hunt (for O’Neill 58).
REF: Declan Corcoran (Islandeady)
