Ballina cruise to Junior ‘A’ Football title

GAA: FBD Insurance County Junior ‘A’ Football Championship Final

Ballina 3-10

Knockavilla Kickhams 1-2

Report: James Hayden in Kilcommon

MATCH DIGEST

Player of the Match: Steven O’Brien (Ballina)

SCORERS – Ballina: Finn Looney 0-5 (3 frees); Steven O’Brien (1-0 pen, 0-1 45), Matthew Power 1-2 each; Dan O’Meara 1-0; Ben King 0-1.

Knockavilla Kickhams: Conor Horgan 1-2 (1-1 frees).

Ballina were crowned County Junior 'A' football champions following a comfortable victory over Knockavilla Kickhams on Saturday.

This final proved an utter cakewalk for the North champions and despite a gutsy Kickhams effort it was clearly evident they were totally out of their depth from a very early stage.

Ballina virtually owned the ball for the entire sixty minutes with Knockavilla failing to register a score from play with their tally of 1-2 coming from placed balls. They failed to register at all in the opening half, trailing 1-5 to no score with Conor Horgan flighting over 45th & 58th minute frees before a late-long range free sneaked into the Ballina net served to put a kinder look on the scoreboard for the West champions.

You would have to feel some semblance of pity for the Kickhams side such was the manner of the defeat but credit to each and every one of the Knockavilla players they battled right to the end and never allowed their discipline to slip despite battling against the odds from the very get-go.

Ballina dominated throughout and playing with the slight fall of the pitch to their advantage in the opening half they racked up a decent tally of 1-5, although it could have been far more, with a number of glaring goal and point-scoring opportunities going abegging.

Ballina signalled their intentions with David Grace blazing an effort wide in the first minute before Matthew Power pounced for the opening goal less than sixty seconds later. The North champions continued to heap early pressure on the Knockavilla defence with Power popping up again in the sixth minute for his side’s opening point.

Kickhams were dealt an injury blow when Joe Fitzgerald was forced off with a leg injury and had to re-jig their side and introduce substitute Stephen Browne earlier than they had anticipated. Ballina were dominating in all sectors though with the hugely impressive Matthew Power adding a third point on ten minutes.

Fifteen minutes had elapsed before Knockavilla had a shot in anger, but it was Kevin Byrne’s side who were in total control and led 1-3 to no score at the water break. Ballina were also dealt a blow with Eoghan Power introduced into the fray for the injured Ray McGinley, but Ballina boasted a strong bench and had no problems in coping with his loss.

Finn Looney pointed a free straight after the re-start but with the heavy mist enveloping the pitch underfoot conditions became decidedly slippery and the ball was more akin to a bar of soap for both sides, factors that contributed to three wides on the trot for the men in blue and white between the 21st & 31st minutes.

Knockavilla did their best to stem the blue tide and kept plugging away with Conor Horgan unlucky not to bisect the uprights on the cusp of half-time. Derek Breen in the Knockavilla goal also pulled off a fine save deep in injury time to afford Kickhams some semblance of hope for the second half, but the interval scoreline of 1-5 to 0-0 weighed heavily in favour of a Ballina victory.

Ballina quickly put pay to any aspirations of a Knockavilla comeback though with Finn Looney linking up well with Eoghan Power and Dan O’Meara for Ballina’s sixth point. The excellent Steven O’Brien fired over a point to put Ballina ten points clear before a 37th Finn Looney point heaped further misery upon Tommy Landers’ side.

With twenty minutes remaining Knockavilla emptied their bench in a bid to salvage some pride, with four subs introduced in the 41st minute and finally they registered a score thanks to well-taken Conor Horgan free on 45 minutes. Ballina responded with another Finn Looney free before Steven O’Brien netted a 47th minute penalty to put Ballina 2-9 to 0-1 clear.

As the game trundled to an inevitable conclusion, Ballina’s Dan O’Meara fired home a third goal on 53 minutes before Conor Horgan added a 58th minute point for Kickhams.

Ballina substitute Ben King fired over on 59 minutes to complete the scoring for his side but there was some consolation for Knockavilla in the closing stages after Conor Horgan’s close-range free managed to find the back of the net.

Ballina were full value for their victory and had impressive performances all round but will undoubtedly face a far stiffer test in the guise of Limerick champions, Mountcollins in the Munster junior club quarter-final in the first weekend in December.

Impressive for Ballina were Sam Loughran, Steven O’Brien, George Kealy, Tom Lee, Michael Breen, Willie Connors, Matthew Power, Finn Looney, and Eoghan Power while Conor Horgan, Derek Breen, Lorcan Carr and Eddie Daly were to the fore for Knockavilla Kickhams.

TEAMS - Ballina: Martin McKeogh (7), Sam Loughran (7), Jerry O’Brien (7), Terry O’Halloran (7); Willie Connors (7), Tom Lee (8), Michael Grace (7); Steven O’Brien (8), George Kealy (7); Ray McGinley (NR), Michael Breen (7), David Grace (7); Finn Looney (8), Dan O’Meara (7), Matthew Power (8).

Subs: Eoghan Power (7) for McGinley (21 inj); Aidan Hanly (6) for D Grace (40); Phelim O’Hagan (6) for Power (42); Conor Maguire (6) for Hanly (44 inj); Paddy Donovan (6) for Loughran (53); Ben King (6) for O’Meara (54); Dara King (6) for Breen (54).

Knockavilla-Donaskeigh Kickhams: Derek Breen (7), Conor Farrell (6), Michael Shanahan (6), Shane Farrell (6); Lorcan Carr (6), Eddie Daly, (7), Eoin McCormack (6); Michael McCormack (6), Elliot Thompson (6); Jamie Duncan (6), Conor Horgan (7), Dean Thompson (6); David Butler (6), Walter O’Carroll (6), Joe Fitzgerald (NR).

Subs: Stephen Brown (6) for Fitzgerald (6 inj); Paudie O’Carroll (6) for Shanahan (41); Ger O’Dwyer for C Farrell (41); Conor O’Mahony (6) for Thompson (42); Ben Ryan (6) for O’Carroll (42).

Referee: Sean Everard (Moyne/Templetuohy).