Rangers power past Ballina

WATCHING THE MASTER Nemo Rangers’ James Masters leaves Ballina’s Martin Wynne trailing in his wake last Sunday. Pic: Sportsfile

Rangers power on past Ballina

Semi-final
Nemo Rangers 0-14
Ballina 1-4

Mike finnerty
Ennis

THOSE of us who were anticipating a modern day classic or even a close contest were sorely disappointed last Sunday. Instead this was one of those rare occasions when Ballina Stephenites failed to deliver on the big stage; their customary swagger, confidence and competitive spirit all conspicuous by their absence.
By the end they were reduced to the role of bystanders, swept aside by a Nemo Rangers outfit who arrived in rude health and treated us to an exhibition of disciplined defending, midfield craftsmanship, and attacking excellence. It was as impressive as it was relentless and Ballina had no answer to their opponents’ attitude and application.
In fact, were it not for a fortuitous goal from Enda Devenney in the 59th minute, the Mayo champions would have crashed to an even heavier defeat. The Stephenites were off the pace from the throw-in and an utterly miserable afternoon for them was compounded when Shane Sweeney was red-carded ten minutes from the end.
Ephie Fitzgerald, Nemo’s shrewd manager, had obviously done his homework and knew that blunting the ball-winning influence of Ronan McGarrity, David Brady and Patrick Harte would deliver a telling blow to Ballina’s ambitions of reaching a third All-Ireland club final.
Without this trio imposing themselves on the trend of a game, the Stephenites often look ordinary. They were hardly recognisable by the time Nemo’s midfield diamond of Martin Cronin, Peter Morgan, Maurice McCarthy and Dylan Mehigan had finished their day’s work.
The quartet strangled the life out of Ballina’s well-oiled midfield machine and everything else just seemed to fall into place for the most successful club football team in the country. They moved the ball with pace and precision, won the physical battles, and in James Masters and Paul Kerrigan had the outstanding forwards on view.
This duo wreaked havoc throughout; Ballina’s defensive unit left depleted by the withdrawal of Kenny Golden before the start and Ger Cafferkey after ten minutes (both with hamstring injuries). Martin Wynne was left chasing James Masters for the entire afternoon and will not forget the experience for quite some time.
In the absence of Wynne’s tried and trusted colleagues to cover around him, the mercurial Masters cut loose and kicked six points (four from play) in the first half. These scores helped Nemo Rangers to lead by 0-7 to 0-1 at the interval as the Munster champions made maximum use of the strong wind at their backs.
Ballina were repelled on countless occasions by Nemo Rangers’ well-organised defence and their only score in the opening half came from Stephen Hughes on eleven minutes. A couple of half-hearted shots at goal and plenty of lateral movement constituted the rest of their first half efforts.
Paul McGarry, Eanna Casey and Ger Brady were all unable to find any gaps where Ballina could engineer a few scores to stay in touch and the expected Stephenites revival never materialised after the restart either.
With all the game-breakers struggling, Ballina couldn’t break Nemo Rangers’ hold on the game. Despite playing against the breeze, the Munster champions outscored their lacklustre opponents by 0-7 to 0-3 before Devenney’s late token gesture arrived.
Ballina couldn’t lay a glove on the pacy Paul Kerrigan as he nipped in for three excellent points from play with David Kearney, Dylan Mehigan and Brian O’Regan also availing of the possession being won by the irrepressible Peter Morgan and Maurice McCarthy.
Ballina’s response came in the form of a couple of scores from Liam and David Brady but their situation lurched from bad to worse in the 50th minute when wing-back Shane Sweeney was sent off after a reckless challenge.
The margin stood at ten points with injury-time fast approaching and there was scarcely a murmur from the Ballina crowd when Enda Devenney’s 45 metre free went all the way to the net past a startled Brian Morgan.
David Brady raised a clenched fist as the score registered but, for once, it was merely a hollow call to arms from the Stephenites veteran. Time, and the game, were up.
It is worth noting that when Nemo Rangers are attempting to win their eighth Andy Merrigan Cup on March 17, Ballina will be in Islandeady for the opening round of the Mayo senior league. On that day will the magnitude of this crushing defeat probably dawn on them.