Garrymore begin campaign with victory in Ballyhaunis

SENIOR FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP GROUP 4

Ballyhaunis 0-11

Garrymore 3-11

BALLYHAUNIS

GOALS win games and that proved true on Saturday night when Garrymore found the net three times to come away with both points on offer.

Both Keith Higgins and Jack Coyne dropped out of the Ballyhaunis matchday squad before the start and the task ahead of the home side looked daunting from throw-in.

Ballyhaunis can take great heart from getting themselves back into contention after falling seven points behind after just eight minutes, but their inability to create any goal chances was their eventual undoing with Garrymore hitting the net three times.

It was two of those majors, from Shane Nally and Justin Commins, that put the visitors into a commanding lead after five minutes and it looked like Ballyhaunis were in for a long evening of chasing shadows.

The home side eventually grew into the game and could have been closer than the five point half-time deficit as they hit a number of poor wides in the opening half hour.

Placed balls from Eamonn Phillips, Adrian Phillips and Aidan Sloyan saw Ballyhaunis reduce the deficit to two early in the second-half and with momentum behind them it felt like they would reel in their visitors but a Trevor Nally score, which was amazingly flagged as a point despite being a few yards outside the post, woke Garrymore from their slumber.

A run of points between the 47th and 54th minute from Micheal Connolly, Liam Horkan and Cathal Slattery revived their five point cushion and with Ballyhaunis chasing a late goal it was a breakaway goal at the other end from David Dolan that finally ended the home side's hopes of a comeback.

Sloyan, Eamonn Phillips and Eoghan Collins put in good shifts for Peter Warren’s side with Darren Quinn, Shane Nally and Gary Golden impressing for the visitors.

A full report will be published in Tuesday’s Mayo News.