Ballina Stephenites survive London scare to advance in Connacht

It doesn't matter how you win them; it matters that you win them.

The age-old adage may be a cliché, but it was borne out once more at the Connacht GAA Centre of Excellence on Saturday evening.

Time after time, the Mayo kings were left frustrated as they sent shot after shot off target with accuracy that would make a statistician weep.

North London Shamrocks, though, were licking their lips. Going down the home stretch, they were neck and neck, and the impossible seemed to be manifesting.

Then, Ballina came alive in devastating fashion in the dying minutes.

Frank Irwin, Mike Murray, and sub Ben Thornton found their shooting boots, and then some. Three two-pointers had their side soaring.

For the Londoners, it was game over. They'd fought valiantly and had Ballina on the ropes for long periods.

For Peter Witherow and his London champions, though, their 2025 is over, having won back-to-back county titles.

The men from across the Irish Sea were more than a match for their Mayo adversaries, with the likes of St Mary's Convoy man Joe McGill proving a major thorn in the Stephenites' side.

In fact, had the post been a millimetre to the right, there was every chance that the exiles would have opened up a three-point lead.

However, Ballina headed in two to the good at the changeover courtesy of Conor McStay and Murray.

A quick-fire pair of scores had the scales balanced once more, and an exchange of singles as the final quarter loomed had the tie delicately poised coming down the home stretch.

However, Niall Heffernan's green and red troops came to the rescue and the two-pointers kept flowing.

In the end, the gap stood at seven. The Stephenites march on, where the stern challenge of Roscommon champions St Brigid's await. The Shamrocks, head back to England empty handed, though not without giving the Ballina a might fright.

A full report, plus reaction, will be carried in Tuesdays edition of The Mayo News.