Surging finish sees Knockmore lift Sweeney silverware
The Knockmore senior football squad after Friday evening's win against Ballina Stephenites in the replay of the North Mayo Sweeney Cup Final at St Joseph's Park in Knockmore.
Knockmore won the replayed final of the North Mayo Sweeney Cup on Friday when scoring the final nine points of the game to come from behind and overcome neighbouring Ballina Stephenites in very wet and windy conditions at St Joseph’s Park.
The weather in the first-half in particular was atrocious, with a strong wind blowing across the field and heavy rain throughout, along with heavy showers of hail. They were tough elements for both sides to have to play into.
They did their best however, and it was a tight affair throughout the first-half.
Ballina Stephenites got the first score of the evening with Niall Feeney kicking a two-pointer inside the opening minute. This was quickly followed up with a point from the boot of Knockmore corner-back – and captain – Sean Holmes.
Connell Dempsey got on the board to level the scores by kicking a free for the home side but Feeney responded with a free of his own to restore a slender lead for Ballina.
With just nine minutes on the clock Knockmore were forced into making their first substitute when Pearse Ruttledge was replaced by Billy Ruane after picking up a lower leg injury.
It would take six minutes for the next score to come as both sides tried to manage the tough conditions. Knockmore levelled proceedings when Ronan Melvin fired over a point from play and this was followed with points from Declan Melvin and Caolan Hopkins, as the hosts led for the first time. A great catch at midfield by Fergal Keane saw him pass to Caolan Hopkins who found Adam Battle. Battle passed back to Keane who finished with a fine score from an acute angle and Knockmore led by three points, 0-6 to 0-3.
After a 15-minute spell with no score, Ballina Stephenites hit a point via the boot of Patrick Carr and this was quickly followed up with a two-pointer from Ben Thornton to level the scores at 0-6 apiece. Dempsey responded for the home side with two points while Hopkins scored his second of the half to give Knockmore a three-point lead, 0-9 to 0-6.
There was a decent response from Ballina forthcoming however, as after a point from Conor McStay, wing-back Aodán McCann then fired to the back of the Knockmore net after a great bit of team play to hand the Stephenites a one-point lead at the break, 1-7 to 0-9.
The visitors started the second-half brightly too, with a two pointer from Mike Murray but as he had done in the first-half, Sean Holmes kicked over Knockmore’s opening point of the second-half too.
A second point of the game for Patrick Carr meant Ballina Stephenites still led by three points, 1-10 to 0-10, but little was anyone to know that Carr’s was the final score for the away side.
Knockmore, who had lost to Ballina in last season’s Mayo SFC semi-final, grew into the game in the second-half with Connell Dempsey in particular finding his rhythm. He hit a point from play and a free before hitting a fine two-pointer from play. Liam Durcan also added a single before Dempsey finished off the scoring with a pair of two-pointers from frees to give Knockmore a six points win.
Scorers – Knockmore: Connell Dempsey 0-3-5 (2tpf, 2f), Sean Holmes and Caolan Hopkins 0-0-2 each, Ronan Melvin, Declan Melvin, Fergal Keane and Liam Durcan 0-0-1 each.
Ballina:
Ballina Stephenites: Niall Feeney 0-1-1 (1f), Aodán McCann 1-0-0, Ben Thornton and Mike Murray 0-1-0 each, Patrick Carr 0-0-2, Conor McStay 0-0-1.
Knockmore: Brian McMahon; Sean Holmes, Adam Naughton, Keith Langan; Declan Melvin, Keith Ormsby, Fergal Keane; Pearse Ruttledge, Tom Clarke; Adam Battle, Ronan Melvin, Darragh Holmes, Conor Guckian, Caolan Hopkins, Connell Dempsey. Subs: Billy Ruane (for Ruttledge 9, inj), Liam Durcan, Martin Orme (for Langan ht), Conor Flynn (for Guckian 53), Daniel Breslin (for Ormsby 49).
Ballina Stephenites: David Clarke; Jimmy Doherty, Luke Jordan, Seán Treacy; Stephen Mullins, Ciaran Boland, Aodán McCann; Dylan Neary, Luke Feeney; Patrick Carr, Conor McStay, Niall Feeney; Matthew Leonard, Mike Murray, Ben Thornton. Subs: Oisin McCann (for Treacy 39), Mikey Caden (for A McCann 42).
REF: Kenny Durcan (Bonniconlon)
