Ballyhaunis beaten in thrilling wind-swept colleges battle

CONNACHT PPS SENIOR B CHAMPIONSHIP

St Attracta's Tubbercurry 2-10

Ballyhaunis Community School 1-10

In Tubbercurry

CHAMPIONSHIP football is all about the result and that was the case in Tubbercurry this morning when the boys from St Attracta's struck late to win this thrill-a-minute battle.

The strong, bitter wind blowing straight down the St Attracta's school pitch ensured it fell into the 'game of two halves' territory, but that didn't hinder the home boys who hit two late goals to claim a memorable victory.

Ballyhaunis took a long time to find their rhythm and seemed unsettled by the aggression and intensity of the home side, but when the guests located their mojo they stormed into a four-point lead late in the game and looked destined for victory.

However, Attracta's took no heed of that presumption and with centre-half-back, Conor McDonagh, carrying the ball forward time and time again, they powered back into it before goals from Luke Durkin and Ben Durcan won it.

The home side had the gale behind them in the first half and built up a five-point lead coming into half time, 0-8 to 0-3. However, a foul on Dylan Greally saw the Mayo students awarded a penalty a minute into injury time.

Michael Glavey's ace forward Kealan Flynn hit a perfect penalty, low and hard into the corner but Ruaere Gillespie pulled off a superb save before, amazingly, getting up twice more to save two follow-up efforts from Flynn.

That left the Sligo students five ahead at the change of ends, but one wondered was the gap large enough to hold off Ballyhaunis who would have the gale behind them.

After the resumption, Attracta's powered forward for Jason Davey to kick them six clear as Ballyhaunis took time to get their attack firing.

Eventually, Mark Feeney landed a point and that set off the red and black touch-paper. Adam Kelly kicked some stunning two-pointers and when wing-back Kyle Burke ran through and buried a goal they were four clear and moving away from the home side.

Attracta's were in real bother but they stayed in the game and when Durkin fired home through a sea of bodies they were back in the hunt. Time was against the boys in black but they kept driving forward and Ballyhaunis couldn't get quality possession.

Then, after 59 minutes Durcan found room in front of the posts and drove the ball to the net to unleash scenes of wild celebration and when the same player added a late pointed free the home side had sealed the deal.

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