SEMI-FINAL PREVIEW: North Mayo heavyweights to go toe-to-toe

Ballina Stephenites v Knockmore

St Tiernan’s Park, Crossmolina

Sunday, October 5, 1.30 pm

As the famous MC Michael Buffer famously says, ‘Let’s get ready to rumble’. The battle of North Mayo, the battle of the heavyweights, who will rise and come out on top on the Crossmolina turf? They’ll be coming from all over to witness this, and with a spot in the finale up for grabs, an epic battle is expected.

The Stephenites are the favourites as they aim to complete the famous and rare occurrence of claiming three Moclair Cups in a row - a remarkable achievement that has only been completed by Castlebar Mitchels, Garrymore, and the Stephenites themselves back in the day.

Niall Heffernan’s troops have been ticking along nicely all year, and now they look to topple their near neighbours from down the road.

The experienced presence of David Clarke in goal, the freshness of Luke Jordan, the anchors that are Sam Callinan and Padraig O’Hora, the machines that are the Irwin brothers, the fielding of Mikey Murray and Dylan Thornton, the creativity of Conor Mc Stay, and the deadly finishing of Evan Regan, all show that the Ballina boys are an impressive unit stacked with balance, class and skill.

The reigning and defending Champs started off with a statement win over Ballyhaunis in the group stage before having a minor blip in round two as they tasted defeat to Crossmolina. Anybody who knows machinery, knows that there is no such thing as a perfect machine.

Engines fail, wheels go flat but one thing is for sure if you can get on the road and go again, it could take something monumental to break down that machine. It looks like Ballina are well and truly on the road, but the road was always going to be a bumpy ride and now they are met with one hell of an obstacle as a huge challenge awaits.

FORM

‘Form goes out the window in a local derby’. Those are nine words, nine words that are often true, not always, but the majority of the time, yes. Many people would argue that Ballina hold the advantage in terms of form. To overcome Ballaghaderreen in their own backyard is no easy task, but Heffernan’s charges did so in relatively comprehensive fashion. Knockmore, on the other hand, came up against a tough, steady, reliable Ballintubber team.

However, the manner that quarter final was played in was dire, a real borefest with the negativity on show leaving many with questions and disappointment. Ray Dempsey’s men got two fortunate goals during that outing, but in the end, the only thing that mattered was the outcome.

In the group stages, the saffron and blue topped the group as they ran out convincing winners over Balla and Mayo Gaels while engaging in a stalemate with Westport, who are one of the remaining sharks left in the pool. Now their biggest test of the season awaits. One that they could potentially relish.

St Tiernan’s Park in Crossmolina is a massive pitch, an old school ground that can cater for a whopper crowd. On Sunday afternoon, there’s an expectation that around 4,000 spectators will flock to one of the epicenters of North Mayo.

The question is now, who can rise and put themselves in the elite bracket while making that step, the step closer to glory? Whether it be U-10 or adult grade, almost all of these players would be familiar with the Crossmolina venue.

THE BATTLE

One thing is for certain: if Knockmore want to win this, 3-6 (their total in the quarter-final) is not going to cut it.

Dempsey’s men will need more contributions from attacking players, with Darren McHale, Peter Naughton, and Aidan Orme all needing big games.

One massive positive against Ballintubber was the way Knockmore played around the middle; they really bossed the midfield battle, which was impressive considering that they had to deal with the presence of Jason Gibbons.

Connell Dempsey is a hugely talented player, and with the likes of Kevin McLoughlin in the ranks, the men from St Joseph’s Park sure do have flair.

Young, exciting players like Charlie Bourke, Conor Flynn, Oliver Armstrong, and Dylan Coleman are real assets who can cause any defence problems, while McHale, Naughton, and Orme are real clinical finishers.

The midfield area is sure to be a fascinating one, as Ballina have monsters with the likes of Mikey Murray, Dylan Thornton, and the Irwin brothers, Jack and Frank, operating in that area.

Up top, Evan Regan has been clocking up impressive scores as the new rules seem to be working a treat for him. One of Knockmore's warriors will attempt to stop him, and it’ll more than likely be David McHale, who has, over the years, proved he can man-mark the very best.

They have met many, many times, and last year’s Final springs to mind. Is revenge on the scene for Knockmore, or are the men in those famous red and green jerseys going to march on?

It should be a fascinating watch, but it seems that the Stephenites have the weapons in their arsenal to progress. A good spine in a team is ever so crucial, and it’s plain to see that Ballina have that. They can edge it and grind out a victory, but it won’t be easy, as is always the case when their noisy neighbours battle it out.

Expect fireworks on the pitch, in the terraces, on the sideline, and around North Mayo.

VERDICT: BALLINA STEPHENITES