Ballina through Intermediate Football final

GAA: FBD Insurance County Intermediate Football Championship Semi-Final

Ballina 2-11

Grangemockler/Ballyneale 0-12

Report: Joe Scully in Littleton

Ballina qualified for the Tipperary Intermediate Football final in just their first year at the grade, thanks to a richly deserved five-point victory over Grangemockler/Ballyneale on Saturday.

A strong opening quarter laid the foundations for the victory, one in which they lead by 2-5 to 0-3 after eighteen minutes. The win was based on a strong defensive performance, and been more clinical with their finishing, a fact borne out by Ballina scoring with 72% of their efforts on goal, compared to just 44% from Grangemockler. The South side will certainly look back on the game as a missed opportunity as they missed a number of chances throughout the game.

Ballina were quickest out of the traps and were four points to no score up inside eleven minutes, thanks to scores from Steven O’Brien (2), Eoghan Power and a free from goalkeeper Jack Brady.

Grangemockler got off the mark two minutes later through a Jamie Walsh effort from play, which was followed up by a Mikie Lyons free in the 15th minute to leave it at 0-4 to 0-2.

Ballina replied with their first goal a minute later from the penalty spot with Steven O’Brien finishing empathically, and although the keeper got a hand to the ball couldn’t keep it out.

Grangemockler replied with a Lyons point from a free to leave four points in it. However, Ballina had their second goal a minute later, as the Grangemockler defence went missing as Michael Breen got the ball at midfield in acres of space and picked out Jack O’Mahoney, who ran at the defence before finishing smartly. Jack Brady then added his second free to leave Ballina ahead 2-5 to 0-3 after twenty minutes and looking in complete control.

However, Grangemockler started to take control of proceedings for the rest of the half, as Ballina struggled to get out of their own half, and the South side would score the final three points, with a John Lyons effort from play sandwiched in between two Mikie Lyons frees, to leave the halftime score 2-5 to 0-6 in favour of Ballina.

Ballina had the lead back out to six points within the a minute of the restart from an Steven O’Brien free. Grangemockler, though, would once again take control and would score the next four points, all from play. The first was a John Lyons effort, which was followed by another by Jamie Walsh with the goal at his mercy but he blasted over the bar from close range. Manus McFadden got the next point after a good team move, and them Colm Lyons again after Jack Brady lost possession coming out with the ball.

Steven O’Brien would reply for Ballina with another free to leave his side three ahead, but Grangemockler replied with two scores from Jamie Walsh from play and a Mikie Lyons a free to leave just one point in it on 43 minutes.

However, that would be their last score as Ballina once again regained control of the game, in the main thanks to an inspirational score from Ben King from out by the side-line in the 46th minute, a score which seemed to really lift his side.

This was followed up by another huge point in the 51st minute from a Jack Brady free from 45 metres out near the side-line again.

A big moment came in the 57th minute when Grangemockler’s Mikie Lyons missed a free straight in front of the goal from the 21-metre line, a miss he was punished for within a matter of seconds when Ben King scored from play again. The final say went to Steven O’Brien with another score from play after Ballina caught Grangemockler on the break after a free had falling short.

It means Ballina take on Mullinahone in the final on the weekend of 15-16 October with a place in the senior ranks at stake. Best for Ballina were, Josh Egan, Conor Power, Ben King, Tom Lee and Steven O’Brien.

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

Ballina: Jack Brady (0-3f, 7); Paddy O’Donovan (6), Josh Egan (7), Terry O’Halloran (7); Conor Power (8), James Hanley (7), Sam Loughran (6); Conor Maguire (6) Michael Breen (6); Ben King (0-2, 7), Steven O’Brien (1-5, 1-0 pen, 0-2f) 9), Jack O’Mahoney (1-0, 6), Eoghan Power (0-1, 7), David Grace (7), Tom Lee (7)

Subs: Matthew Power (6) for E Power (37), Dara King (6) for Loughran (39), Braoin Cleary (6) for O’Mahoney (52).

Grangemockler/Ballyneale: David Power (6), Conor Hahessy (7), Michael Meagher (6), Darragh Shelly (6), Sean Daly (6), Joey Lyons (7), Manus McFadden (0-1, 8), Ben Comerford (6), Michael Maney (6), Leon Kennedy (6), John Lyons (0-3, 8), Mark O’Meara (7), Sean O’Meara (6), Mikie Lyons (0-5f, 7), Jamie Walsh (0-3, 7).

Sub: Ian Brett (NR) for Joey Lyons (57).

Referee: John Butler (Upperchurch/Drombane)