Our Second XV put in a never-say-die display in Galway at the weekend to come away with a crucial and deserved one-point victory from the J1C League clash against Corinthians.
Ballina took advantage of the westerly gale off Galway Bay, playing down the hill at Corinthian Park in the first half. The Ballina team, composed of a mixture of youthful exuberance allied with the experienced old heads, took the game to their opponents. Both sides played expansive rugby in challenging conditions. The Ballina pack dominated the opening scrums with Brian Boland and Jason Duggan proving more than a match for their opposing props.
Conor Connolly converted a penalty after 23 minutes but this was quickly matched by Corinthians.
Ballina piled on the pressure, camped on the Corinthian line. The referee awarded a further penalty to Ballina who opted to kick to the corner. Unfortunately the line-out failed to deliver possession and an opportunity lost. Another penalty was soon awarded by referee Eoin Staunton. Connolly didn’t experiment with this one, kicking the three points on offer to give Ballina a half time lead of 6-3.
Ballina tacked uphill in the second half. Some good attacking play led by Ballina’s Pat Howley and Mark Walker yielded no dividend. Corinthians however, with their heavier pack were now dominating the forward exchanges. They soon crossed the Ballina line, touching down out on the right. The conversion was missed.
A break through the Ballina defence allowed Corinthians to touch down near the posts which was converted, giving Corinthians a 15-6 lead.
However, Ballina were not for throwing in the towel, attacking from left to right, with Jason O’Brien, coming in off his wing, stretching the Corinthian defence. His offload to Craig McCormick was carried forward by Oisin Rouse Smyth who fed Michael Cribben who was stopped just short of the Corinthian line. Connolly, fed quick ball by Michael Moran at scrum-half, broke through to touch down wide on the right.
The conversion from wide right across a strong wind sailed over to bring Ballina back into the game. Corinthians 15 Ballina 13.
The ebb and flow of the game that followed was lit up by a penalty to Ballina wide on the right. Connolly stepped up to kick it in challenging conditions - and with aplomb, he dispatched the ball with laser-guided accuracy to give Ballina a one-point advantage.
Ballina played intelligently, retaining possession for the remainder of the game, depriving Corinthians of any opportunity and successfully closing out the game to win by a solitary, but critical point. Corinthians 15 Ballina 16.
Man of the Match was Oisin Smyth Rouse who led by example.
BALLINA: Michael Cribben, Tomas Rogers, Oisin Smyth Rouse, Craig McCormick, Jason O’Brien, Conor Connolly, Michael Moran, Brian Boland, Jack Murphy, Jason Duggan, Jonathan Epstein, Michael Finnerty, Mark Walker, Gerry McKenna, Pat Howley.
Impact players Aodhan Lynn, Patrick Hogan, Orrey Collins, Michael Collins.
Next up for Ballina Second team is a home fixture versus Claremorris on Sunday next November 2nd at 2.30pm in Heffernan Park in Connacht J1C League.

Ballina Senior team play Castlebar on Saturday evening November 1st @ 5.45pm in Castlebar RFC.

Ireland vs New Zealand in Chicago will be screened on a large screen in the clubhouse at Heffernan Park on Saturday November 1st KO 8.10pm