Sligo champions set to test Ballina Stephenites credentials

AIB Connacht club SFC semi-final 

Ballina Stephenites v Coolera/Strandhill 

Sunday, November 17 

1.30pm in Markievicz Park 

The word ‘workmanlike’ was an apt description used by Ballina Stephenites manager Niall Heffernan for their victory over London senior champions North London Shamrocks in Ruislip last Saturday afternoon.

Ballina were not at their imperious best by any means. Indeed, they had to deal with a disciplined defensive display by NLS, who got bodies back quickly when Ballina were on the attack. But when chances presented themselves, Ballina took them as Evan Regan, Frank Irwin, Luke Doherty, Mikey Murray, Niall Feeney and man of the match Padraig O’Hora all found their range, while only hitting two wides, to give them the platform needed to go on and secure victory in the second half. Very much a case of job done but Heffernan knows there is much room to improve.

“It was a workmanlike performance. Would I be happy with the lot of what we did? No, but we got the result, 15-9, that's what we came out here to do and we move on now to playing Coolera/Strandhill next Sunday,” Heffernan told the Western People shortly after full-time against NLS.

Ballina appeared comfortable early on but they coughed up two goal opportunities in the first half. Michael Carroll missed a penalty while a blistering run by Ciaran Diver did not reap the reward it should have, his shot going well over. Sam Callinan, in particular, looked an isolated figure at times in defence but whatever was said at half-time did the trick.

The Stephenites looked much tighter and snuffed out any goal threat that NLS offered in the second half.

“We identified (tightening up). I mean, you could see they had two great goal chances, the penalty and the one that's put over the bar. So that was a problem, that we just weren't kind of getting the numbers back to cover the runners. We're leaving Sam a little bit exposed one on one inside on a very good player, and there’s a lot of very good players with Shamrocks.

“We knew we needed to get our shape better and get our work rate up a bit more, and then to force them because we felt our fitness, our condition would really trouble them. You could see that near to half-time, and in second half that we were a bit better and stronger on them.” 

The aforementioned Ballina attack roared on in the second half to victory, and the gap could have been bigger were it not for a number of late wides. Heffernan was happy with the conversion rate overall but knows more will be required this Sunday.

“The second half, we left two or three chances behind us which we shouldn't have. But look, that's given us something to work on during the week as we get ready for next week.” 

With the exception of former Mayo All-Star Ger Cafferkey, who missed the win over NLS due to an injury picked up in the Mayo senior final against Knockmore, it’s a clean bill of health ahead of the game against Sigo champions Coolera/Standhill in Markievicz Park this Sunday. As to whether he’ll be back form this Sunday, it will be case of ‘wait and see’ for Heffernan.

In the Sligo senior final, Coolera/Strandhill were taken to a replay by St Molaise Gaels but the Owen B Hunt Cup remains in west Sligo after a 0-8 to 0-7 win in the return encounter. Keelan Cawley, Niall Murphy, Keelan Harte and Peter Laffey were part of Tony McEntee’s Sligo squad this year. Murphy is one of the top forwards in the Yeats County and will require special attention by the Ballina backline.

A stiffer test will be expected for Ballina on this occasion, but it is one they should get through nonetheless.

Verdict: Ballina Stephenites