Hickey points Ballina to North Junior 'C' title

GAA: North Tipperary Junior ‘C’ Hurling Championship Final

Ballina 0-20

Silvermines 2-9

Report: Joe Scully at St. Michael’s Park, Toomevara

MATCH DIGEST

Player of the Match: David Hickey (Ballina).

SCORERS – Ballina: David Hickey 0-15 (11 frees); Domhnall McKeogh 0-3; Jerry O’Brien, Donncha Houlihan 0-1 each.

Silvermines: Fionn Ryan Mulqueen 0-4 (3frees); Ciaran Timmons 1-1; Shaun Forde (pen), TJ Timmons, David Boland, Kieran Fogarty 0-1 each.

Ballina were crowned North Tipperary Junior ‘C’ Hurling Championship winners after a deserved five-point victory over Silvermines in the final on Saturday.

Despite finishing the game with fourteen men, Ballina were comfortable winners, in the main thanks to a strong second-half performance, where they outscored the Mines 0-11 to 1-4, after going in at the break just one point ahead.

Ballina were always in control of the game and looked the more dangerous team throughout. However, Silvermines will rue a couple of missed opportunities, particularly in being awarded two penalties in the second half but only managed a point from them; the first one saved, and the second one flew over the bar after the ‘Mines keeper Shaun Forde had travelled the length of the pitch to take it.

They will also regret the fact they went 22 minutes either side of half-time without scoring. Ballina had some good performers but none so more than David Hickey who ran the show for the lakesiders, scoring fifteen points, four from play, as well as hitting some monster frees.

Ballina were first off the mark when corner forward Donal McKeogh pointed after being set-up by Jamie Collins. Silvermines were ahead by the fourth minute after two points, firstly from Fionn Ryan Mulqueen from a free, then a super point from halfway by Ciarán Timmons. Mulqueen added his second in the sixth minute after a fine team move to leave his side two points up.

Ballina responded brilliantly and hit the next four scores, all from David Hickey frees, the last two absolute monsters from inside his own half to leave Ballina 0-5 to 0-3 ahead after ten minutes.

Silvermines then hit a purple patch as the game continued to swing back and forth, hitting 1-2, with Mulqueen pointing two frees, before Ciarán Timmons goaled after a fine run and emphatic finish into the top corner in the fifteenth minute. However, this would be their final score until the 48th minute.

Ballina’s response was swift, and Hickey reduced the deficit with a free, before Donncha Houlihan added a point from play, before Hickey again this time with a fine effort from play, with Jerry O’Brien hitting the final score of the half in added time to leave Ballina ahead by one at the break, 0-9 to 1-5.

Ballina came flying out of the blocks at the start of the second half and the game turned into the David Hickey show, hitting the first five points of the half, three from frees, before two fine efforts from play to put his side six ahead after 37 minutes.

TJ Timmons finally got the ‘Mines going again with their first score in 22 minutes from play, but straight from the puckout Ballina’s Donal McKeogh replied with a point. David Boland reduced the gap for Silvermines, but once again from the resultant puckout McKeogh responded with an instant reply to leave it 0-16 to 1-6 after 42 minutes.

It would be five minutes before the games’ next score when David Hickey added another from a free.

Silvermines were awarded a penalty in the 50th minute when Ciarán Timmons was dragged to the ground by Cian Molloy who was shown a second yellow card. Fionn Ryan Mulqueen stood up to take the penalty but mis-controlled the rise of the sliotar and had to strike the ball one-handed, and his effort lacked any real power and was easily saved by Damien Healy in goal.

Kieran Fogarty pointed for the ‘Mines in the 55th minute to leave five in it, but the gap was back at six a minute later through another Hickey effort.

Silvermines had the gap back to three in the first minute of added time when Denis Ryan hit an unstoppable shot to the net after being setup by a quick-thinking free by Sean Quinlan.

David Hickey had the gap back at four in the 63rd minute, before the ‘Mines were awarded another penalty a minute later, which keeper Shaun Forde struck but could only blast it over the bar.

Not surprisingly the final say of the game went to David Hickey with a superb effort from the halfway line.

TEAMS – Ballina: Damien Healy (6); Eoin Ryan (6), Paul Ryan (7), Rody Kennedy (6); Thomas Grace (7), Jerry O’Brien (8), Donal Kent (7); Donncha Houlihan (7), Cian Molloy (6); Eoin Kent (6), David Hickey (9), Domhnall McKeogh (8); Jamie Collins (7), Stephen Stritch (6), Des Morgan (7).

Subs: Michael Kennedy (7) for E Ryan (26); Niall Sheehy (7) for Morgan (HT); TJ O’Connell (NR) for Stritch (58); Ger Coonan (NR) for Houlihan (60+3).

Silvermines: Shaun Forde (6); Mark Leamy (6), Bill Maher (7), Kevin Sheahan (6); Ger Boland (7), Kevin Kennedy (7), Damian Egan (6); TJ Timmons (7), Ciarán Timmons (8), Sean Quinlan (7), David Boland (6), Kieran Fogarty (7); Billy Shanahan (6), Liam Grace (6), Fionn Ryan Mulqueen (7).

Subs: Jack Keays (7) for Sheahan (HT), Aaron Mulqueen (6) for Shanahan (49); Denis Ryan (6) for Grace (44); Michael Young (6) for Ryan Mulqueen (52); Seamus Ryan (NR) for Maher (60).

Referee: Mark Houlihan (Lorrha).