Nerveless Irwin denies Westport the title with final kick

BALLINA STEPHENITES are still Mayo senior champions - but only just. It took a nerveless last-second two-point free conversion from Frank Irwin to draw this county senior final which took a while to get motoring before ending in a welter of wild excitement.

The final scoreline of Ballina Stephenites 1-15 Westport 0-18 is just the headline, the real story is one of twists and turns, humps and hollows as both sides threw everything they had at the result.

Ballina were the better team early on and built a seven-point lead before Westport got off the mark. Evan Regan and Mike Murray had both landed two-pointers and the men in green and red looked for all the world like three-in-a-row champions. 

The big talking point of the early minutes was the clash of Padraig O'Hora and Lee Keegan which ended with both of them being helped from the battlefield. The crowd rose to their feet to acclaim two of Mayo's most famous sons as they made their way gingerly to the sideline.

Westport found some momentum in the second quarter and ended the half just four adrift, 0-5 to 0-9.

The gap was out to five after 40 minutes but there was a sense that Westport were on the rise. Ben Doyle, Killian Kilkelly and Pat Lambert closed the gap to one after 50 minutes as the men in blue bossed the middle area at times with Eoghan McLaughlin prominent.

Regan nudged Ballina two in front again eight minutes from the end, but Westport were about to go two-point-crazy. Finbar McLaughlin landed a beauty and then Kilkelly put them two clear before Tom Lambert left three between them five minutes from the end.

It seemed as if Paddy Moclair was headed west at that stage but Ballina are proud champions and when Mike Murray dropped a ball in the square and Regan flicked it to the net the sides were level.

Luke Doherty then kicked the Stephenites in front and the champions were back on top, but Brian McDermott landed a stunning two-pointer from wide out on the right in the following moments and the lead was back with the blues. 

Kilkelly put them two in front after two of the four added minutes and Westport were denied a goal by the ref's whistle when Pat Lambert was said to have fouled an opponent as he punched the ball to the net.

However, the deal seemed to have been sealed at that stage and Ballina's quest for three-in-a-row was teetering on the edge of obscurity. Then, with time almost up, wing-back David Tighe was fouled on the left side of the Stephenites attack. The free was outside the two-point arc, so there was only one man to call for.

Frank Irwin, Ballina's long-range kicker was given the task of saving his side and keeping the three-peat alive. It wasn't an easy task, but he stroked the ball straight and true and punched the air long before it sailed between the posts.

It was a thrilling conclusion and both sides will meet again in MacHale Park next Saturday afternoon to decide the destination of the Moclair Cup.

A full report and reaction will be carried in Tuesday's Mayo News.