Balla and Louisburgh to clash in Mayo decider

FOLLOWING respective wins over over Kilmeena and Ballycastle at Elverys MacHale Park, Castlebar, Louisburgh and Balla will contest this year's Mayo Junior A football championship final.

MATCH REPORTS

Louisburgh 0-15

Kilmeena  1-5

Louisburgh proved too strongh for Kilmeena in this all west Mayo semi-final. They dominated for long periods i nthe game and were well worth their seven-point victory.

The winners laid the foundation for their victory in the opening half where they outscored their opponents by nine points to one.

To their credit Kilmeena never threw in the towel and despite fighting an uphill battle in the second half they made Louisburgh work hard right to the final whistle. But in the end there was no denying Louisburgh were by far the better side.

Louisburgh: D. O'Malley, E. O'Malley, M. O'Malley, P. O'Grady, S. Corrigan (0-2), T. Dawson, A. Moran, S. O'Grady, P. Prendergast (0-4), J. Gibbons, K. Gibbons (04), P. McDonnell, O. Lally, A. O'Malley, M. Gibbons (0-1).

Subs used: J. Dowd (0-4), E. Ball, R. Prendergast, E. O'Toole, J. O'Reilly.

Kilmeena: P. Groden, P. Keane, S. Staunton, D. Stenson, S. Ryder (0-1), C. Madden, P. O'Malley, L. Heanue, P. Moran, K. O'Malley, D. Keaveney (0-2), R. Keane, A.Ryan (0-1), B. O'Donnell, N. Ryan.

Subs used: R.Feehan (1-0), N. Feehan (0-1), T. Gill, R. Mullen.

Referee: L. Higgins.

Man of the match: Padraic Prendergast, Louisburgh...directed everything from midfield and also chipped in with four points.

 

Balla       2-11

Ballycastle 2-7

 

Pre-match favourites Balla had to pull out all the stops before seeing off their north Mayo rivals, Ballycastle, in this highly entertaining and hard fought semi-final.

Ballycastle got off to the perfect start as there was just over a minute gone when they had troubled both umpires after scoring a goal and a point. However, despite this early set back, Balla bounced back to score seven points in the half and go in at the break on level terms.

The game really came to life in the final seven or eight minutes. Balla looked to be home and dry when Mayo Under 21 star goalkeeper Matthew Flanagan fired home a great goal to put Balla four in front with four minutes remaining.

However, before normal time was up, Flanagan was picking the ball out of the back of the net at the other end of the field after he had made the lo g jouney upfield to take the goalkeeping duties after Ballycastle were awarded a penalty which was brilliantly finished by Fergal Forde.

But three minute into injury time it was game, set and match to Balla after Gary McHale dispatched a penalty kick awarded to the west Mayo side.

Balla: M. O'Connor, G. Holian, J. Dempsey, S. Burke, B. Duffy, G. Flanagan, E. O'Neill (0-4), B. Freyne, V. Roughneen (0-3), D. Giblin, C. Walsh (0-2), C. Kilkenny, C. Connor, M. Flanagan (1-1), G. McHale (1-1).

Subs used: D. Sweeney, O. Earley, C. Murphy.

Ballycastle: J. O'Neill, S. McHale, B. McHale, J. Tigue, J. Carey, K. Healy, I. McNulty (0-1), M. Forde (0-3), A. Tigue, D. Kelly, F. Forde (1-1), P. Tigue, S. Healy (0-2), S. Forde (1-0), D. Caulfield.

Subs used: P. Whelan, D. McDonnell, J. P. Guiheen.

Referee: M. Murphy.

Man of the match: Eoin O'Neill, Balla...the wing back drove at the opposition at every opportunity and scored four great points.