Ballina’s momentous year concluded in perfect fashion on Saturday when a hard-earned road-victory secured their place at the top of the AIL table and extended their lead over nearest challengers, Midleton.
The 26-7 win in Derry was a perfect example of why this band of brothers has enjoyed a year of unprecedented success – mixing flair-driven fast-paced attacking rugby with a hugely determined defensive display, which frustrated the home side massively in the second half.
Ballina were backed by the gale-force breeze in the opening half and had 26 points and four tries to their name by the interval. There was a spring in their step and a sense of excitement in their play, which had served them well all year.
Kieran Lindsay was the first man over the whitewash after eight minutes when interplay between forwards and backs worked the ball to Mickey Murphy on the edge of the ’22. He found his half-back colleague Lindsay on his shoulder with the back division ranged across the pitch.
Lindsay dummied a pass, stepped inside one tackler, stepped outside two more and raced in under the posts. That sent a drive of adrenaline through the Ballina men and they powered forward for the impressive Andrew West to touch down in the right corner. Lindsay added the conversion from the touchline and the gap was out to 14-0.
Derry tried to get back into it and were brave and buoyant in their approach, but Ballina were on fire. After 25 minutes the excellent Murphy sent Bradley Nealon through and when the Kilglass flyer was about to dive on the ball he was tackled illegaly and a penalty try was awarded.
That intervention saw Derry reduced to 14 men for their second sin-binning of the day but it didn’t dampen their liking for battle. They powered forward looking to get back into the game and threatened to score until Chris O’Neill intercepted a pass on his own line and took off like a runaway train.
He was as unstoppable as tears at a funeral and streaked the length of the pitch to make it 26-0 at the break.
Derry were a different team after the break. They were backed by the gale blowing straight down the pitch and looked for an avenue back into contention.
That is the moment Ballina showed the other side of their game – their disciplined defensive play. They tackled and tackled and tackled with Darragh Whyte, Neal Moylett, Shane Clarke, Calum Quinn, Alex Corduff, Fergal Tully and Luke Sweeney to the fore.
John Keaveney, Conor Mason and Tim Wallace put body and soul on the line and half-time replacement Dylan Prendergast was excellent, showing why he is now an Irish U19 international.
Derry pounded the Ballina line but were rocked back time and time again as Billy McVann, Brian Boland, Henry Hewson and Craig McCormick came off the bench to stand in their way.
The yellow cards kept coming as the game became an absolute war of attrition and after continuous pressure, Gerard Doherty got over for a Derry try in the 72nd minute which was converted by Matthew Orr.
That gave Derry added impetus and they powered forward, but Ballina refused to yield, even when reduced to 13 players when Conor Mason and Brian Boland were sin-binned in the closing stages.
Fergal Tully marshalled his troops and stood in the way of huge Derry pressure and when the final whistle sounded Ballina were top of the league at the end of a momentous year.
It was time for Christmas to come calling. It was time to celebrate.

DERRY: J. Perry, D. Graham, D. Lapsley, D. Posternak T. Cole, A. McDonnell, S. Logue; J. Hamilton, D. Ferguson, S. Duffy, A. Bratton, G. Doherty, C. Huey, S. Carr, C. Lamberton
BALLINA: C. O’Neill, D. Whyte, C. Quinn, A. Corduff, B. Nealon, K. Lindsay, M. Murphy; C. Mason, J. Keaveney, S. Clarke, A. West, T. Wallace, F. Tully, L. Sweeney, N. Moylett
Replacements; B. McVann, B. Boland, H. Hewson, C. McCormick, D. Prendergast
REF: G. Sheridan (Leinster)