Rip-roaring draw leaves food for thought

Rip-roaring draw leaves food for thought


QUARTER-FINAL
Ballintubber 1-12
Ballagh’ 1-12

Seán Rice
Castlebar


ONLY minutes remained of this rip-roaring contest and the shock waves of an upset had already begun to tinkle mobile phones in every pocket of the county. It seemed another outsider was about to knock Ballaghaderreen senseless.
More than a minute of injury time had been played and Ballintubber were ahead by two points, defending their lead with customary battling character. The game was over bar the shouting. Only one last attack remained to be dealt with. Midfielder Barry Kelly curled the ball speculatively in towards the goal. For once the low trajectory flight deceived the defence, and for once Andy Moran was in the right place for a rare opportunity. In an instant the ball was hugging the net.
Two minutes of extra time had elapsed and Ballaghaderreen were ahead for the first time. The stunned silence of one knot of supporters had turned to ecstasy for another.  And when a slim chance by Ray Geraghty fell wide, you felt Ballintubber had left it behind.
No final whistle greeted the kickout, however. A residue of hope willed Ruaidhrí O’Connor to grab possession and thunder goalwards. Sixty metres out, the determined half-back was fouled. As a reprimand for dissent, referee Martin Murphy made the free easier for Alan Dillon, who climaxed a brilliant performance with the equalising point.
In the end justice was done. But the feeling of being denied a shock win on the line will have left Ballintubber gutted. Not for one minute of the hour had they spared themselves.
Ballaghaderreen live to fight another day. Without the suspended Kilcullen brothers, they unwrapped their best kept secret in the 16th minute – the introduction of Pearce Hanley all the way from his AFL base in Brisbane.If that fillip was meant to compensate for the loss of the Kilcullens, it did not deter the Abbey men.
Like a hurricane, they swept into attack from the beginning against the sharp wind. Dillon from a free and Micheál Hoban had their two opening points by the fifth minute. A minute later Damien McGing heaved them further ahead with the goal that was to separate them up to the last seconds. The full-forward gathered the ball near the left corner flag delivered by Dillon, wormed his way goalwards, and punted a shot suitable for an inrushing forward. But the ball hit the far upright and bounced back into the net, a fortuitous score in many ways.
Ballaghaderreen knew they were in a tight spot. Their outstanding full-forward Barry Regan raised their first flag from a free in the seventh minute and Andy Moran, who had been closely policed by Liam Tunney and Cathal Hallinan in turn, added another.
But that goal was to haunt the East Mayo men. Forced to release their ace Pearce Hanley early because of the splendid midfield work of Micheál Hoban and Jason Gibbons, they were still unable to come to terms with the passion of Ballintubber.
Points by Pádraig O’Connor, McGing and Dillon stretched their lead to six points, and although Regan’s accuracy from frees hauled Ballaghaderreen back to three points, McGing from the most acute of angles, put four between them, 1-6 to 0-5 at the interval.
The second half was riveting. Pearce Hanley and Barry Kelly grew more influential in midfield and substitute Gary Conway brought more life to the attack. Dillon, O’Connor and McGing swapped points with Regan who bagged a total of nine, six from frees.
Inspired scores by Michael Nestor and Jason Gibbons had the West Mayo side four ahead with five minutes remaining.  The thought of defeat was Ballaghaderreen’s spur. The effective work of Stephen Drake, Thomas Regan and Noel Tuohy in defence sustained their growing pressure, and the lead had been cut to two by Andy Hanley and Moran when the Mayo star struck with his late, late goal.

Ballintubber
N Gibbons; L Tunney, J Feeney, C Hallinan; M Nestor (0-1), P Earley, R O’Connor; M Hoban (0-1), J Gibbons (0-1); G Dillon, A Dillon (0-5, 5f), A Plunkett; D Coleman, D McGing (1-3), P O’Connor (0-1f). Subs used: R Geraghty for D Coleman; D Gavin for D McGing.
Ballaghaderreen
P Sharkey; S Drake, D McGarry, D Loftus; N Tuohy, J McCann, T Regan; B Kelly, D Keegan; M Solan, A Hanley (0-1), G Conway; A Moran (1-2), B Regan (0-9, 6f), J Dillon. Subs used: P Hanley for M Solan; Gary Conway for G Conway; D Drake for J Dillon; P Kelly for A Hanley.

Referee: M Murphy (Ballinrobe)