‘Tubber minors survive late Ballina onslaught
Goalscorer Richie Finnerty breaks forward for Balllintubber. Picture: Conor McKeown
A purple patch at the bridging point of the third and fourth quarters was significant in Ballintubber fashioning victory over Ballina Stephenites in Saturday’s high quality minor ‘B’ championship final. Indeed given the lopsided nature of the ‘A’ final that was to follow, either of these teams might have fancied themselves to give ‘A’ champions Westport a sterner test than what was received from Castlebar Mitchels.
The sides had been level on six occasions in the first-half but it was Ballina Stephenites, with midfielder Conor Jordan in particular catching the eye, who held a two points advantage after 42 minutes before the game took a decisive swing in Ballintubber’s direction. A goal and four points on the bounce by the West Mayo side might have meant all their scoring was done as early as the 51st minute but it gave them just enough daylight, with a dozen of their players on the goal-line as the full-time whistle sounded having kept out a trio of Ballina attempts to score an equalising goal and force the match to extra-time.
Conor Hoban was the star man for the winners, finishing with eleven points, including four inside the opening nine minutes. Hoban, operating at full-forward, had preceded a wonderful two pointer off his left boot with two points from frees which along with an Oran Murphy single from play, gave the Clogher-based side a 0-5 to 0-2 lead.
Mark Leonard and Eoin Golden had struck the points down the other end before Ballina levelled matters through a wonderfully taken goal by Oisin McCann. Leonard’s lightning quick flick to Jordan had been crucial in the build-up while McCann displayed ice-cool composure to give Ballintubber goalkeeper Noah Murphy the eyes and curl the ball into the far right corner.
McCann and Conor Mayock kicked a point apiece for Ballina shortly after, both from frees, while Mark Leonard fisted over to double his account, leaving the Green and Red 1-5 to 0-5 ahead. However, parity came in the 19th minute when Richie Finnerty was on hand to flash the rebound to the net after Ballina goalkeeper Blake O’Hora had saved Oran Murphy’s initial strike on goal.
The back and forth nature continued until half-time, with McCann and Hoban trading three points each, two pointers from frees included, while on the stroke of half-time Conor Jordan also negated Hoban’s eighth point of the half, to leave the sides deadlocked at 1-9 apiece.
Ballintubber came within inches of bagging a second goal just two minutes into the second-half when Cillian Reilly, a late addition to the starting team, played a give and go with midfielder Finnian Brady before pulling on a ball that smacked against the butt of the left upright. Instead of going three points in front they were three points behind by the 34th minute as Conor Casey and Conor Mayock, a two point free, split the posts for Ballina down at the other end. The margin was maintained when Conor Jordan, taking off on a wonderful solo run, replied to a Noah Donnelly point, but an excellent two point free by Conor Hoban – his third orange flag of the day – was strong evidence that Ballintubber weren’t going away.
Oisin McCann did hit back with a one point free for Ballina but the turning point came towards the end of the third quarter when the Red and White eventually struck for their second goal.
Cillian Reilly, the man denied by the woodwork earlier in the half, wasn’t to be thwarted again when he sent a left-foot screamer to the roof of the net past O’Hora. Oran Murphy then earned a free from which Hoban struck his eleventh point (eight from frees) while Murphy himself fired over points in the 49th, 50th and 51st minutes, all from play, to leave Ballintubber 2-16 to 1-14 ahead.
Ballina Stephenites had opportunities to get themselves back into contention but in between points from Conor Mayock, the first a free, the second a goal chance that flew over, came three failed two point efforts, not to mention a goal chance that Mark Leonard drilled across the square into the grateful arms of Ballintubber defender Tom Murray.
In the final play of stoppage time and with three points the difference, a foul on Ballina’s Oisin McCann offered Conor Jordan a shot at goal from the 13 metre line. His free was blocked by Ballintubber’s wall of bodies, so too two pulls at the rebound by substitute Craig Ferguson, after which referee Barry McDonnell’s long whistle signalled another famous win for the Ballintubber club.
Scorers – Ballintubber: Conor Hoban 0-3-5 (2tpf, 2f), Richie Finnerty and Cillian Reilly 1-0-0 each, Oran Murphy 0-0-4, Noah Donnelly 0-0-1.
Ballina: Oisin McCann 1-1-3 (1tpf, 1f), Conor Mayock 0-1-3 (1tpf, 2f), Mark Leonard and Conor Jordan (1f) 0-0-2 each, Eoin Golden and Conor Casey 0-0-1 each.
Ballintubber: Noah Murphy; Padraig Kilcoyne, Ciaran Earley, Tom Murray; Mattias Dolan, Timmy Quinn, Rory McGreal; Jack Diffily, Finnian Brady; Cillian Reilly, Richie Finnerty, Noah Donnelly; Oran Murphy, Conor Hoban, Sean Feerick.
Ballina Stephenites: Blake O’Hora; Sam O’Connell, Diarmuid Duggan, Oscar Moore; Mark Healy, Robert Young, Sean Fleming; Andrew Barrett, Conor Jordan; Michael Carolan, Conor Mayock, Eoin Golden; Conor Casey, Oisin McCann, Mark Leonard. Subs used: Ronan Brennan, Craig Ferguson.
REF: Barry McDonnell (Moy Davitts)
