THERE really is nothing like Connacht junior rugby. Throw in a breathless match between two evenly-matched teams played under lights in front of sidelines packed to overflowing with passionate supporters and one gets a hint of the excitement in Heffernan Park on Saturday night as Ballina defeated Creggs 23-22.
Ballina, back in junior rugby after a number of seasons in the All-Ireland League fielded a young team with a sprinkling of men who have rich experience. They came up against a Creggs team looking to continue their rise through Connacht rugby and it made for a thrilling and entertaining encounter.
The match doubled as the Kieran Cawley Cup Final, a match to honour a much-loved young husband and father who passed away in recent years. Kieran played for both Ballina and Creggs so both teams were determined to get their hands on the gleaming trophy.
Ballina began explosively and Golden, making his first appearance of the season after starring for Ballina Stephenites as they won the county title, took just a minute to get over for a try after fine play from McCormick and Jones.
Matheson kicked the conversion from out wide and the home side were buzzing. They powered forward looking to add to their advantage with Hannigan, Bloomfield, Fridd, McKenna, Smyth Rouse and Boland prominent.
However, Creggs were lethal with ball in hand and they were awarded a penalty-try when McCormick was said to have deliberately knocked-on when a score seemed imminent. The Ballina out-half was sin-binned, but it didn't hinder the home side who powered forward with props Clarke and Donohoe superb in tight and loose play.
Their adventurous approach paid off after 23 minutes when fine play from Brown, O'Connell and Bloomfield sent scrum-half Lawrence over for a try which was warmly greeted by the big home crowd.
Once again, Creggs roared back with out-half Purcell kicking well and moving the ball smartly while powerful forward Diffley and Kiripati made ground in attack.
They balanced the scores after 30 minutes when Kiripati touched down in the corner after an effective maul off a line-out.
The see-saw nature of the match continued eight minutes later when great work from the Ballina pack ended with Hannigan bursting over the line and the home side looked like taking a 17-12 lead to the break, but Creggs had other ideas.
The guests went forward and mauled over the line for Diffley to touch down and Purcell addd with conversion for a 19-17 lead at the interval.
Creggs dominated a lot of the territory in the second half but the defensive work of Ballina was beyond reproach. The tackling of Quinn, Clarke, Bloomfield and their colleagues stopped attackers in their tracks and try as they might, Creggs couldn't add to their tally.
Ballina powered forward, looking for the lead and got it when McCormick slotted a 70th minute penalty but Purcell did likewise at the other end to put Creggs 22-20 clear with time almost up.
Ballina were boosted throughout the game by the inter-change of Donegan, Duffy, Hennigan, Quinn and Dodd. The character shown by the entire match-day squad was commendable.
As thee 80th minute arrived Creggs were two points clear, however, Ballina refused to yield and they carried the ball into enemy territory as injury time ticked away.
They probed and teased the Creggs cover and when the guests wandered offside, a penalty was awarded and McCormick held his nerve to split the sticks and secure a well-earned and richly-celebrated win for the Moysiders.
BALLINA
B Matheson, L Golden, O Smyth Rouse, R Fridd, L Jones, C McCormick, R Lawrence; S Clarke, B Boland, B Donohoe, T Hannigan, G McKenna, S O'Connell, C Brown, J Bloomfield
Replacements; D Donegan, A Duffy, A Hennigan, C Quinn, E Dodd
CREGGS
D Gately, T Devine, M Purcell, M Kilcommons, C Duignan, S Purcell, M Dowd; T O'Brien, K Kiripati, E Cahill, R Cahill, X Taval, L Kilcoyne, J Brandon, B Diffley
Replacements; S Óg Higgins, T Farrell, C Purcell, C Dolan, P Geraghty
Referee: R Deacon (Leinster)