Tooreen boost for Mayo hurling

CONNACHT CLUB IHC FINAL SHANE BOLAND scored seven points for Tooreen as the Mayo champions claimed the Connacht club intermediate hurling final with victory over Ballinderreen at Athleague.

It was the first time since the second-tier competition began in 2005 that a Galway team has failed to come out successful in the provincial competition.

The huge boost for Mayo hurling was delivered with a superb display from Tooreen against the Galway champions.

It was 1-8 to 1-7 at half-time as Cathal Freeman scored a goal from a penalty for Tooreen in the tenth minute.

But Freeman was blocked down by Shane Larkin in the 15th minute, and Larkin finished to the net for Ballinderreen.

The decisive moment in the game came just before half-time, when referee Paud O’Dwyer from Carlow sent off Ballinderreen full-forward David O’Connor following an off-the-ball incident.

That left Ballinderreen a man down and having to play against the breeze in the second half against a Tooreen side who knew they were in with a great chance of an upset.

Shane Boland levelled the game straight away as Tooreen upped their game against the fancied side from south Galway.

Oisin Burke scored his third point for Ballinderreen but then Ciaran Charlton replied for the Mayo men to level the scores late on.

That was the break that the Mayo champions needed and they regrouped and set about claiming the crown with a great finish.

Two points from Kenny Feeney set them on the road to victory and Fergal Boland also found the range as they sealed the Connacht title and a massive boost for hurling in Mayo.

SCORERS – Tooreen: S Boland 0-7 (4f), K Feeney 0-4 (1f, 1 65, 1 sl), C Freeman 1-0 (pen), F Boland 0-3, C Charlton 0-1. Ballinderreen: S Larkin 1-1, K Lane 0-4 (1 65), O Burke 0-3, R Lane 0-2, D O’Connor 0-1.

TOOREEN – S Lenehan; D Huane, M Morley, A Henry; C Henry, C Freeman, D Kenny; S Coyne, C English; B Morley, F Boland, S Boland; S Regan, K Feeney, S Kenny.

BALLINDERREEN – R Foy; B Burke, C Meehan, K Meehan; K Helebert, S Collins, K Gill; R Lane, K Lane; S Coen, S Larkin, O Burke; R Lane, D O’Connor, C Gill.

REF – P O’Dwyer (Carlow)