Ballinrobe shoot down Kilmaine under lights in South Mayo derby

Mayo Intermediate Football Championship Round 2

Ballinrobe 2-16

Kilmaine 0-11

In Ballinrobe

BALLINROBE earned a well-deserved eleven-point win under lights in perfect footballing conditions this evening.

Played in front of a crowd of hundreds in splendid summer sunshine which faded to darkness, Ballinrobe really showed their superiority in the second half against a Kilmaine side that scored only twice from free.

A haul of 2-2 from play from Joe Burke contrasted with nine frees from Kilmaine’s Adam Barrett, who alone was never going to beat last year’s Intermediate championship runners-up.

Indeed, Ballinrobe were unlucky not to have won by more given that at least three clear-cut goal chances went astray.

The opening quarter saw the momentum see-saw from Ballinrobe to Kilmaine, who led very briefly after Adam Barrett knocked over four points in a row.

That lead was extinguished just over a minute later when Peter Butler kicked a clever pass into Joe Burke, who turned and drove her into the top right corner.

Roared on by a large away following, Kilmaine were stuck into Ballinrobe throughout but fell 1-6 0-5 behind at the break having failed to score from play.

Hugh O’Loughlin got Kilmaine’s second half up and running with a point after just ten seconds.

But from then on, it was all Ballinrobe, who looked comfortable in possession and clinical up front.

Peter Ford’s men were already seven points clear when Liam Burke fed his brother Joe for his second green flag at the end of normal time, which put the icing on the cake.

A full report, plus reaction from Ballinrobe’s Kevin Quinn, will be carried in Tuesday’s Mayo News.