Back
Top of the league and home semi-final secured
Michael Gallagher26 Jan - 12:24
BALLINA 51-26 DUNMORE
A Ballina team still smarting after their Junior Cup exit at the hands of Tuam were back on their own patch on Sunday to face Dunmore, their nearest rivals for the league title.
The home side powered to a 25-point win and secured a home draw in the upcoming league semi-final.
Ballina went into the game with an unbeaten league record, but knew they faced a huge challenge from the Galway men. Mickey Murphy named a strong squad for the clash and sent out a team sprinkled with experience and youth.
Any concerns that the recent cup defeat would dampen Ballina spirits were soon dispelled when Craig McCormick stoked over an early penalty.
That advantage was extended when Ian West capitalised on some strong running from the Ballina backline to blaze over for a fine try. Ten minutes later, the hard-working Conor Boyce profited from enterprising play. A multiphase sequence took the ball from one touch line to the other, backs and forwards handling with ease. Dan Molloy made inroads and tied in some Dunmore cover before feeding Brian Donohue who set Boyce off on the right wing to touchdown. McCormick converted to give Ballina a 15-point lead.
The home side were buzzing at that stage and the big crowd were roaring them on. Thomas Hannigan was the next try-scorer when he carried on from a Gary Kavanagh drive to get over for a score of his own, bulldozing through the centre of the Dunmore defence to score under the posts. McCormick added the extras.
There was no stopping the runaway Ballina train at that stage and Billy McVann guaranteed the bonus point when scoring from a very effective rolling maul by the Ballina forwards where captain Luke Sweeney and Sean O’Connell were leading the way.
However, Dunmore ensured that it wasn’t all one way traffic by getting over for a score just before halftime to leave the score at the break at 29-7.
Dunmore were boosted by their try and continued their resurgence after the break scoring two further converted tries in response to a penalty for Ballina. Max Immelman, Malachy Joe Gavin, Euan Groenwewald and their colleagues drove forward time and time again but Ballina, with Sean O'Connell to the fore, halted the revival.
Liam Jones got the Ballina bandwagon rolling again with a fine score when released by Paul Brennan after a burst by Dan Feeney who opened the Dunmore defence.
Ballina coaches, Murphy, McNulty and Morrow made a sequence of substitutions at that stage. Jack Murphy was next to power over the whitewash, Conor Connolly converting to give Ballina a 44-21 lead with the final whistle looming.
With five minutes remaining, Billy Ruane, popped an exquisite pass to Calum Quinn who found a clear path through the Dunmore defence to become the seventh try scorer for Ballina.
Dunmore ensured that they would not go home empty handed by scoring a fourth try to gain a bonus point.
The victory assured Ballina of top spot in the league and a home league semi-final on the weekend of February 21/22. Other games remain to be played in the Connacht J1A league to determine their opponents.
(Our picture shows Man of the Match Sean O'Connell receiving his award from Ballina RFC President Daragh Quinn.)
BALLINA: P Brennan, I West, Calum Quinn, R Molloy, L Jones, C McCormick, B Matheson; S O'Connell, B McVann, G Kavanagh, B Donohoe, T Hannigan, C Boyce, L Sweeney, D Molloy.
Replacements: D Donegan, D Rice, B Molloy, J Murphy, G McKenna, C Connolly, B Ruane, C Anderson, D Feeney, Cian Quinn.
DUNMORE: E Reddington, C Walsh, B Hughes, C Burns, D Brady, G J Coetzee, J Coen; C Dolan, J Geraghty, R Mullin, M Immelman, G Duffy, MJ Gavin, A Doherty, E Groenewald.
Replacements; C McDonagh, A Glynn, S O'Toole, C Fahy, S Burns, J Duvenage, C Evans, J Meehan.
Referee: S Campbell
The home side powered to a 25-point win and secured a home draw in the upcoming league semi-final.
Ballina went into the game with an unbeaten league record, but knew they faced a huge challenge from the Galway men. Mickey Murphy named a strong squad for the clash and sent out a team sprinkled with experience and youth.
Any concerns that the recent cup defeat would dampen Ballina spirits were soon dispelled when Craig McCormick stoked over an early penalty.
That advantage was extended when Ian West capitalised on some strong running from the Ballina backline to blaze over for a fine try. Ten minutes later, the hard-working Conor Boyce profited from enterprising play. A multiphase sequence took the ball from one touch line to the other, backs and forwards handling with ease. Dan Molloy made inroads and tied in some Dunmore cover before feeding Brian Donohue who set Boyce off on the right wing to touchdown. McCormick converted to give Ballina a 15-point lead.
The home side were buzzing at that stage and the big crowd were roaring them on. Thomas Hannigan was the next try-scorer when he carried on from a Gary Kavanagh drive to get over for a score of his own, bulldozing through the centre of the Dunmore defence to score under the posts. McCormick added the extras.
There was no stopping the runaway Ballina train at that stage and Billy McVann guaranteed the bonus point when scoring from a very effective rolling maul by the Ballina forwards where captain Luke Sweeney and Sean O’Connell were leading the way.
However, Dunmore ensured that it wasn’t all one way traffic by getting over for a score just before halftime to leave the score at the break at 29-7.
Dunmore were boosted by their try and continued their resurgence after the break scoring two further converted tries in response to a penalty for Ballina. Max Immelman, Malachy Joe Gavin, Euan Groenwewald and their colleagues drove forward time and time again but Ballina, with Sean O'Connell to the fore, halted the revival.
Liam Jones got the Ballina bandwagon rolling again with a fine score when released by Paul Brennan after a burst by Dan Feeney who opened the Dunmore defence.
Ballina coaches, Murphy, McNulty and Morrow made a sequence of substitutions at that stage. Jack Murphy was next to power over the whitewash, Conor Connolly converting to give Ballina a 44-21 lead with the final whistle looming.
With five minutes remaining, Billy Ruane, popped an exquisite pass to Calum Quinn who found a clear path through the Dunmore defence to become the seventh try scorer for Ballina.
Dunmore ensured that they would not go home empty handed by scoring a fourth try to gain a bonus point.
The victory assured Ballina of top spot in the league and a home league semi-final on the weekend of February 21/22. Other games remain to be played in the Connacht J1A league to determine their opponents.
(Our picture shows Man of the Match Sean O'Connell receiving his award from Ballina RFC President Daragh Quinn.)
BALLINA: P Brennan, I West, Calum Quinn, R Molloy, L Jones, C McCormick, B Matheson; S O'Connell, B McVann, G Kavanagh, B Donohoe, T Hannigan, C Boyce, L Sweeney, D Molloy.
Replacements: D Donegan, D Rice, B Molloy, J Murphy, G McKenna, C Connolly, B Ruane, C Anderson, D Feeney, Cian Quinn.
DUNMORE: E Reddington, C Walsh, B Hughes, C Burns, D Brady, G J Coetzee, J Coen; C Dolan, J Geraghty, R Mullin, M Immelman, G Duffy, MJ Gavin, A Doherty, E Groenewald.
Replacements; C McDonagh, A Glynn, S O'Toole, C Fahy, S Burns, J Duvenage, C Evans, J Meehan.
Referee: S Campbell
Further reading