Champions lay down a marker in Ballina

MAYO SENIOR FOOTBALL QUARTER FINAL

Ballina Stephenites 0-8 

Castlebar Mitchels 0-7

BALLINA

THE champions have no intention of relinquishing their crown without an almighty battle. Ballina Stephenites will take a lot of shifting from their perch at the top of the Mayo football tree after this solid, if unspectacular victory over a disappointing Castlebar side in James Stephens Park.

Niall Feeney kicked wind-assisted Ballina in front in the opening minute and they were never headed after that. That said, it wasn't all flowers and rainbows for Niall Heffernan's men.

They lost Padraig O'Hora to a serious-looking head injury after 28 minutes and their transition from back to front was laboured at times in the first half, but after the interval they showed why they're the top team in the county.

Mitchels never got going and were very poor in attack. They didn't trouble the scoreboard until Ethan Gibbons kicked their opening point after 30 minutes and Bob Tuohy doubled their tally a few seconds later to leave them just three behind at the break, 0-2 to 0-5.

That left Mitchels well-positioned to win the game with the wind on their backs after the break, but they couldn't get their forward line to fire and they were still three adrift with five minutes to play.

Late points from Castlebar men created some modicum of excitement as the gap closed to a single white flag in the closing moments, but Ballina with defender David Tighe and midfielder Frank Irwin to the fore all day, held on for a well-deserved win.

Full match report and reaction from Niall Heffernan and Frank Irwin will be carried in Tuesday's Mayo News