Ballina minors complete North ‘A’ Football set

GAA: North Tipperary Coiste na nOg Minor ‘A’ Football Final

Ballina 2-11

Moneygall/Clonakenny 3-5

Report: Liam Hogan in UL

Ballina defeated Moneygall/Clonakenny in the delayed North Tipperary Minor ‘A’ Football final played at a wet floodlit University of Limerick venue last Wednesday evening.

The victory completes a great year for Ballina who added this under 17 title to their under 19 & 21 North ‘A’ football victories while also completing a double over Moneygall/Clonakenny in the under 17 and 19 divisional finals.

This latest win could have been much easier as Ballina missed two goal opportunities in the first half and yet, with the help of a stiff diagonal breeze, led by six at half time, 1-8 to 1-2.

Ballina didn’t waste time in gaining a foothold with Thomas Shanahan scoring twice inside the opening three minutes. The fleet-footed Sean Lyons was the target man at right corner forward and in the fifth minute he weaved through the Moneygall cover to score a great goal. Enda Tormey’s point a minute later had the blues six clear in as many minutes.

However, Tadgh Whyte got Moneygall/Clonakenny off the mark with a point a minute later which helped them settle to a point as the Ballina defence held firm with one of their trademark breakaway moves edging them six clear through Luke Power in the fourteenth minute.

Shay Gleeson replied for the combo who began to match their opponent’s step by step and in the 20th minute centre back Adam O’Brien scored a goal after his low shot deceived Ballina keeper Donnacha Morgan.

The concession of the goal was in fact a spur to Ballina who finished the half with four unanswered points thanks to Luke Power (2), Sean Lyons and Luke McKeogh.

Encouraged by the help of the breeze, Moneygall/Clonakenny were back in the game with the excellent Cian Ryan had the ball in the back of the Ballina net in the 34th minute.

However, Ballina were quick to respond when Luke Power scored his third point within thirty seconds. The next six minutes saw both sides toying with each other before Ballina broke the deadlock in the 40th minute when Billy Collins managed to find the net from inside the small square.

Enda Tormey increased Ballina’s lead to eight before Cian Ryan replied for Moneygall in the 47th minute. As time moved on, a free by Charlie Grace increased their lead to eight points Yet, Moneygall/Clonakenny had enough heart to continue the fight and points by Shay Gleeson and a Tadgh Whyte free had the margin back to six with three minutes remaining.

Ballina had by then emptied their bench, but Moneygall/Clonakenny continued to fight on with Cian Ryan’s second goal, three minutes into injury time, proving too little too late.

Best for Ballina were Paul McKeogh, Jack Grace, Cillian Ryan, and Enda Tormey in defence. Both Charlie Grace and Thomas Shanahan held the upper hand at midfield while Paul McKeogh, Luke Power and Sean Lyons were best in attack.

Both Tadgh Whyte and Cian Ryan never gave up the fight for Moneygall/Clonakenny with Shay Gleeson, Sean Maher, Adam O’Brien, Killian Toohey and Sean Stapleton refusing to yield.

Ballina: Donnacha Morgan; Evan Molloy, Paul McKeogh jnr, Ronan Coughlan; Jack Grace, Cillian Ryan, Enda Tormey (0-2); Thomas Shanahan (0-2), Charlie Grace (0-1f); Luke Power (0-3), Luke McKeogh (0-2), Donal Houlihan; Garry Slevin, Billy Collins (1-0), Sean Lyons (1-1).

Subs: Tadgh McKeogh for Coughlan (45); Eoin Burke for Slevin (51); Liam Shaughnessy for Houlihan (56); William Bennett for L McKeogh (6); Davy Nolan for Power (60).

Moneygall/Clonakenny: Liam Delaney; Bobby Gleeson, Sean Stapleton, Ronan Coughlan; Sean Maher, Adam O’Brien (1-0), Killian Toohey; Cian Ryan (2-1), Shay Gleeson (0-2); Cormac Hoolan, Keelan Ryan, Oisin Dwyer; Dylan Saoghan, Jack Whyte (0-2, 1f), Brian Toohey.

Subs: Sam Carey for Ryan (36); Timothy Cleary for Saoghan (51).

Referee: Mark Houlihan (Lorrha).