O’Heslins prove just too strong for Molaise Gaels
ST. Molaise Gaels’ brave challenge to claim a Connacht intermediate championship final place just fell short in Carrick- on- Shannon on Sunday when Ballinamore survived to win this closely contested semi- final.
A first half misjudgement of a dropping ball by Gaels ‘ keeper John Gilsenan gifted Ballinamore and Peter Reynolds the game’s only goal and put the Leitrim side in a commanding position until near the finish.
BALLINAMORE was reduced to 14 men with some 11 minutes left after Anthony McTague received a straight red. A determined St. Molaise Gaels fight back after that saw them whittle down Ballinamore’s 0 – 5 lead to a single point but the Leitrim men held out. SOME wayward St. Molaise Gaels shooting in the second half cost them dearly in their bid to turn the tables on their rivals. The Gaels hit seven wides as against Ballinamore’s two in the final 30 minutes.
Playing against a strong breeze, St. Molaise Gaels started very nervously and did not settle down in the opening quarter. In this period Ballinamore grabbed an 0 – 5 to 0 – 0 lead with Dean McGovern putting over two points while Johnny McWeeney, Luke Murphy and Wayne McKeon ( free) added a point each.
Alan McLoughlin opened St. Molaise Gaels account when he put over a 16th minute free. This score settled the Gaels down and over the next five minutes they reduced the deficit with Ballinamore to just 0 – 2 after Keelan Watters and McLoughlin ( free) pointed.
Ballinamore replied with a 23rd minute Johnny McWeeney point from play and during the next three minutes they increased their advantage over St. Molaise Gaels with a pointed Wayne McKeon free and a Peter Reynolds goal.
Before the break St. Molaise Gaels replied with two Alan McLoughlin free conversions and a McLoughlin point from play that left Ballinamore leading by 1 – 7 to 0 – 6 at halftime.
Ballinamore stretched their lead with a Dean McGovern point within 18 seconds of the restart. St. Molaise Gaels responded with three unanswered points over the next four minutes to close the gap with Ballinamore to 0 – 2 after Cathal Herron, Keelan Watters and Darren Gilsenan all hit the target.
Ballinamore responded with three points without reply from Wayne McKeon, Keelan McHugh and Mark McGrory by the 39th minute to go back into a 0 – 4 lead.
Over the next twelve minutes the status quo remained with St. Molaise’s Gaels Alan McLoughlin ( free) trading a point with Ballinamore’s Luke Murphy.
An Alan McLoughlin 52nd point from play initiated a final St. Molaise Gaels rally that saw the Sligo champions close the gap on their rivals to just a point over the next six minutes.
In this period a long range Cathal Herron point for St. Molaise Gaels was followed by two Alan McLoughlin free conversions that put Ballinamore on the ropes and the Sligo visitors agonisingly close to snatching a draw and forcing extra time.
But a late Ballinamore point by sub James McWeeney denied that possibility for St. Molaise Gaels.
Ballinamore/ Sean O’Heslin’s: Philip Farrelly; Keelan McHugh 0 – 1; Oisin McCaffrey, Conor Moran; Donal Feely, Liam Ferguson, Brian Leydon; Wayne McKeon 0 – 3( 2fs), Dean McGovern 0 – 4; Mark McGrory 0 – 1, Peter Reynolds 1 – 0, Luke Murphy 0 – 1; Niall McGovern, Johnny McWeeney 0 – 2, Anthony McTague. Subs: Shane Murphy for McWeeney ( 46); James McWeeney for McGrory ( BC 54); Shane McWeeney 0 – 1 for L. Murphy ( 60).
St. Molaise Gaels: John Gilsenan; Daniel Keaney, Gavin Gilsenan, Liam Kennedy; Conor Watters, Mark Quinn, Darragh Fallon; Cathal Burns, Peter Wilson; James Brennan, Keelan Watters 0 – 2, Alan McLoughlin 0 – 9( 7fs); Dara Elliott, Darren Gilsenan 0 – 1, Cathal Herron 0 – 2. Subs: Niall McLoughlin for Brennan ( 20); Jamie McLoughlin for Wilson ( 43). REFEREE: James Molloy ( Galway)