Visitors are Dun’ for as Moysiders march into final

Cawley Cup Semi-Final 

Ballina 20 

Dunmore 12 

At Heffernan Park, Ballina 

The early-season momentum continued for Ballina on Sunday in Heffernan Park when the Moysiders powered past their tenacious Galway opponents in front of a vocal following.

Ballina started explosively and were fourteen points clear by half-time. They continued their hardworking approach after the break and were never in danger, despite conceding two second-half tries to the resilient guests.

Team captain Blayze Molloy, full-back Paul Brennan and scrum-half Cian Quinn took the ball deep into opposition territory and when Oisin Smyth Rouse fielded a Dunmore clearance on the right wing, he put in train a move which led to the first try.

Billy McVann, Paul Brennan, Ronan Molloy and Cian Anderson carried deep and when Molloy won a lineout near the line, the onrushing Pat Howley and Sean O’Connell paved way for McVann to crash over the whitewash.

Anderson added the extras and Ballina were off and running after twelve minutes.

The Galway men countered after Smyth Rouse was yellow-carded for what was interpreted as a slap-down by referee Siobhan Daly. Euan Groenwald, Max Immelman and Ronan Mullin were prominent but the home pack, with Gary Kavanagh and Sean O’Connell to the forefront, were proving too hot to handle for the Dunmore forwards.

Dunmore launched multiple drives at the Ballina line but big tackles by Kavanagh, Conor Boyce and Dan Molloy kept the Ballina line intact. The pressure continued and the guests looked to drive over from a penalty under the posts but Mick Finnerty, Brian Donohoe and the Ballina boiler-house repelled the advance.

The home side drove up the pitch with Dan Molloy and Calum Quinn making ground before a neat kick through the defence from Anderson turned the Dunmore backs.

Full-back Josh Rowland tried to clear but the flying Eddy Dodd charged down the kick and won the race to touch down over the line. Anderson added the conversion and Ballina led 14-0 at the break.

The home side continued where they left off after the resumption. The tenacity of scrum-half Cian Quinn won a penalty which Anderson converted for a 17-0 lead.

It seemed as if the Mayo men had victory wrapped up at that stage, but poor tackling and determined Dunmore play halted the home side's gallop.

Visiting prop, Jamie Geraghty, crashed over for a try to open their account and the guests were back in the game.

They powered forward looking for another score but big tackles from Danny Donegan and Ronan Molloy knocked them back.

Teenage scrum-half Billy Ruane came on to make his debut and showed great bravery to touch down a Dunmore kick-through when a try looked probable.

Dunmore continued their assault but Ballina refused to wilt and great work from Finnerty and a steal by Ruane in the ruck allowed the home side exit.

Once again, Dumore came flying back at Ballina but a thunderous tackle by Calum Quinn on the Dunmore centre, Cathal Evans relieved the pressure once more as the home crowd roared on their team.

Ruane, Dan Molloy, Calum Quinn and Conor Boyce helped work the home side up the pitch and when Anderson sent a penalty between the sticks the scoreboard read 20-5 after 77 minutes.

To their credit, Dunmore refused to fade away and responded immediately with a try from Evans. That gave them renewed hope and they powered forward but were repelled by super tackles from Michael Collins and Andy Rowe, both of whom had come in to strengthen the Ballina defence.

The victory puts the Moysiders into the final where they will face Creggs on Saturday November 8. The two teams will also meet next Saturday evening at 7.30pm in Creggs in the opening round of the Connacht J1A League.

Ballina: P Brennan, O Smyth Rouse, Calum Quinn, R Molloy, E Dodd, C Anderson, Cian Quinn; G Kavanagh, B McVann, S O'Connell, B Donohoe, P Howley, D Molloy, C Boyce, B Molloy. Replacements; D Donnegan, M Finnerty, B Ruane, M Collins, A Rowe.

Dunmore: J Rowland, C Walsh, B Hughes, C Evans, A McDonagh, C Bruns, GJ Coetzee; M Gavin, E Groenwald, A Doherty, G Duffy, M Immelman, R Mullin, J Geraghty, C Donlon. Replacements; S O'Toole, O Takechi, M Mannion, J Duvenage, F O'Reilly.

REF: S Daly