Early goals seal the deal for impressive Ballina over Aherlow

GAA: FBD Insurance Tipperary Senior Football Championship Group 1

Ballina 3-2-11 (24)

Aherlow 0-0-9 (9)

Report: Noel Dundon in Drombane

Three goals in the first twenty minutes helped Ballina on their way to a comprehensive victory over a disappointing Aherlow side in a one-sided County Senior Football Championship opener on Friday evening.

Curiously, though they were in arrears by 3-11 to 0-4 at the interval, the men from the west actually won the second half when they played down the hill and managed to outscore their opponents by 0-5 to 0-4.

But the game was well over as a contest by the break and Ballina had the luxury of getting five subs on the field of play before the end of the game, in what was a really good start to their campaign.

Ballina showed plenty of appetite for the game and they cut through the Aherlow defence time and again in the first half, hitting them on the break having won numerous turnovers.

Mind you, they had gotten off to a flier when midfielder and county panellist JP Mbokha Tansia pointed after just twenty seconds. And, before two minutes of play had materialised, they had the ball in the Aherlow net when Dara King took his chance well to go alongside a Steven O’Brien two pointer from a free – Aherlow were 1-3 to no score down after five minutes, and the scenario didn’t get much better for them either.

A second Ballina goal in the seventh minute from Tansia left Aherlow in total disarray and points from Kings Charlie & Dara (2) further extended the lead and highlighted the gulf in standard between the two sides.

Aherlow were suffocating all over the field and but for the scores of Aaron Brasil (3) and Diarmuid Looby they would have been in a very sorry state by the break. They were just unable to compete with the Ballina lads who were rampant all over the field and it was inevitable that further scores would materialise for them as they made the most of the momentum they had.

A third goal from Dara King in the 20th minute was followed by O’Brien, Charlie King and Eoghan Power scores to leave Ballina with an insurmountable sixteen-point interval advantage.

There was little doubt as to who was going to win at this departure and even allowing for the fact that they would play down into the scoring goals and with the slight breeze at their backs, Aherlow surely knew that their race was run as they trudged back out for the second half. It didn’t stop them from fighting back though and credit to them, they kept probing Ballina for the second half, even though they knew they were fighting a losing battle.

Brasil kicked two further scores for them in the second half, while Sean Burke, Liam Carey and substitute Anthony Murphy were also on target – the introduction of the experiences Mark Russell and Laurence Coskeran at the break helping to bring experience and composure to the team.

Aherlow also kicked six wides in the second half as their desire for two-pointers got the better of them but ultimately proved fruitless to their cause.

For Ballina, Steven O’Brien, Matthew Power and Ben King (2 frees) were on target in the second half and they left Drombane well satisfied with their performance. They showed a lot of energy and composure throughout the game and had real pace when they hit Aherlow on the break, cutting through and creating points.

The showings of Charlie King, Steven O’Brien, James Hanly, Dara King, JP Mbokha Tansia, and Kian Donnelly were particularly impressive in an outing in which they showed what they can do. The trick for them now will be to follow up on it in round 2.

Aherlow were disappointing and disappointed with their performance. From the very off they were on the back foot and they were simply unable to stay with Ballina’s pace and energy. In contrast to their opponents, their approach play was laboured and slow, thereby allowing Ballina to get men behind the ball and settle into the rhythm of defending when they needed to.

Aherlow will need to up the ante considerably for the next round and they will be hoping that Tadhg Carew, Diarmuid Looby, Gary Quirke, Aaron Brasil, and Mark Russell can repeat their performances, while others will have to improve considerably if they are to make any impact on the championship.

Player of the Match: Charlie King (Ballina)

Ballina: Conor Shanahan (6); Cillian Ryan (7), Kian Donnelly (7), David Coughlan (7), James Hanly (8), Charlie King (0-2, 9), Thomas Shanahan (7), Sam Loughran (7), JP Mbokha Tansia (1-1, 7), Eoghan Power (0-1, 7), Steven O’Brien (0-7, 2x2play, 3f) 8), Dara King (2-2, 8), Ben King (0-2f, 7), David Grace (6), Finn Looney (7).

Subs: Matthew Power (7) for Loughran (HT); Paddy Bradley (7) for Coughlan (47); Paddy O’Donovan (6) for Looney (47); Conor Burke (6) for O’Brien (53); Ronan Coughlan (6) for Shanahan (53).

Aherlow: Jack Whelton (6); Paddy Chapman (6), Raymond Hennessy (7), Moss O’Brien (6), Tadhg Carew (6), Diarmuid Looby (0-1, 8), Darragh O’Brien (6), Stephen Carey (7), Gary Quirke (6), Ben Carey (6), Liam Carew (0-1, 7), Padraic O’Brien (6), Aaron Brasil (0-5, 4f, 7), Jack O’Halloran (7), Sean Burke (0-1, 6).

Subs: Mark Russell (7) for Sean Carey (HT); Laurence Coskeran (7) for M O’Brien (HT); Cathal Dillon (6) for O’Halloran (45); Max Reardon (6) for Carey (50); Andrew Murphy (0-1, 7) for Brasil (57 Mins).

Referee: Shane O’Neill (Clonmel Commercials).