The “Boys of County Mayo” rang out in Heffernan Park at 4pm on Saturday at the end of a pulsating game where the outcome was never assured until referee Shane Tuohy signalled the end of this enthralling fixture.
Tullamore attacked the first half from the clubhouse end with the wind at their backs in this return fixture from last week when Tullamore prevailed at home in the Midlands.
Ballina had same starting 15 players for the first time this season - disruptions due to injury, work and other commitments have hampered the campaign to date. Tullamore had a number of changes in personnel and positions.
Which management team would learn most from last week's encounter and apply the lessons learned was the big question waiting to be answered.

Ballina soaked up the early pressure. The defence working well. The early exchanges were traded equally. The Tullamore scrum which had been dominant in Spollanstown last week, was met with equal ferocity this week. The Ballina front row of Evan Creavan, Billy McVann and Gary Kavanagh attacked the scrum from the start. No backward step was taken.
Tullamore were penalised after 10 minutes for a ruck infringement, giving young Ben Matheson, the first opportunity to kick for points which he did with assurance to put the home boys 3-0 in front.
The Ballina wingers, Ian West and Darragh Whyte, supported by fullback, Bradley Nealon fielded the kicked ball well and ran back to clear any danger.
Using the wind to their advantage, Tullamore out-half, Craig Strong, kicked well into the Ballina half, pinning back the home side. Alex Corduff and Aiden McNulty were both outstanding with thunderous charges out of defence minimising any gains achieved by the Tullamore attack.

From a line out, the Tullamore forwards drove forward only to be stopped illegally by Ballina. Tullamore centre, Connor Dunne, slotted the penalty to tie the scores at 3-3 on 28 minutes and four minutes later he repeated his score from a second penalty to leave it 3-6 in favour of the Tulliers.

A wind assisted Garryowen from Tullamore full back, Brian Geraghty, out of defence descended towards his Ballina opposite number, Bradley Nealon, who detected the wind buffeting the ball as it descended, decided to trap the ball, soccer style to avoid a knock on. Under pressure he scooped the ball off the deck, stepped right, stepped left and launched a carving run, slaloming through the Tullamore defence only to be stopped by a last gasp tackle from his opposite number. The Ballina support quickly arrived to recycle the ball.
A penalty to the corner resulted in hooker, Billy McVann, throwing a measured ball to the highflying Aidan McNulty who guided it back to scrum-half, Cian Quinn. The onrushing Erris Express, Conor Mason, back from an ankle injury sustained in October, made the hard yards, powering onwards towards the try line. Tullamore tackles halted his gallop, but quickly recycled, the ball was moved right to the onrushing Ballina captain, Calum Quinn, to power over under the posts. A great team try. As cool as the prevailing weather, Ben Matheson, slotted over the conversion to give Ballina a 10-6 lead going into halftime.

The Arctic weather continued to course up the river Moy, the rain and sleet now pelting the players as Ballina kicked off the second half.
Ballina launched their assault on the Tullamore line with serious intent. Brian Boland and Sean Hopkins were introduced into the front row at halftime, re-energising the Ballina attack. A surging break by Ronan Molloy supported by Thomas Hannigan brought Ballina up to the Tullamore 22 where they strayed offside. Penalty to Ballina. Up stepped Ben, who converted it. Ballina 13 Tullamore 6.
A second long range penalty was wind assisted but superbly guided by Matheson to split the posts. Ballina 16 Tullamore 6.
The momentum was with Arctic gale powering Ballina on.
A fine cross kick by Calum Quinn brought Ballina close to the Tullamore line. Brad O’Leary poached the Tullamore throw but the bobbling ball was retrieved by the Tullamore hooker, Cathal Feighery. A minor difference of opinion between the respective packs was resolved by the referee, Shane Tuohy. But the resultant penalty to Tullamore was followed by two further penalties, bringing the guests onto the Ballina line where a sequence of pick and drives, inspired by Conor Dunne, who had moved to from centre to scrum half hoping to up the tempo for the Midlanders. Barry Bracken powered over under the posts for Tullamore despute an immense defensive effort by Ballina. Dunne added the extra two points. Ballina 16 Tullamore 13
With time marching on, Conor Boyce and Harry Regan, introduced after half time introduced into the Ballina back row, were making life difficult for Tullamore, poaching ruck ball and launching threatening breaks at the Tullamore midfield. Again Tullamore infringed and on 72 minutes, Matheson added a further three points. Ballina 19 Tullamore 13.
The Midlanders, second in the division, were not going down without a fight. They launched repeated waves of attack on the Ballina line. A tremendous defensive effort from Ballina was eventually breached by the Tullamore winger in the 78th minute at the corner flag to leave just one between the teams, Ballina 19 Tullamore 18.
Conor Dunne had the chance to win it with the conversaion and lined up his kick from the touch line into the Mayo Gale blowing up the River Moy. The silent exhortations of the Ballina support were answered. Dunne’s kick drifted wide.
Ballina had to manage the last two minutes to guarantee success. The kick off was fielded by Tullamore, driven forward repeatedly to within metres of the Ballina line. An exquisite jackal by Bradley O’Leary extracted the ball from the hands of a tackled Tullamore player, from where it was moved to Ian West who cleared the ball into touch launching great cheers from the home supporters.
The Ballina management team of Joe McDonnnell and Mickey Murphy get top marks for an excellent squad display.
Hot showers were badly needed by both sets of players after a wholehearted effort by all players in Arctic conditions. But not before a collective rendition of the Boys of County Mayo by players and supporters.
‘Boys stick together in all kinds of weather,
Don’t show the white feather wherever you go,
Just be like a brother, and love one another,
Like the stout hearted men from County Mayo.’