U14's topple cup holders

Ballinasloe 17-28 Ballina

Ballina U14s traveled to Ballinasloe on Sunday for the semi final of the cup in rude health, determined to win the match and secure passage to the cup final.
The guests were looking to banish memories of their last trip to Ballinasloe and to level the score between the teams while also gaining a place in the final.
The home team, on the other hand, were still smarting after their only defeat in two seasons at the hands of the visitors in the league in January and were also defending their title of cup winners, so the scene was set for a Titanic struggle and the spectators were not disappointed .

The Moy boys took to the field steely-eyed and grim. The referee blew for the start and battle began. Ballina received the kick off and were attacking down the left side when a loose pass was intercepted and the home side scored against the run of play for an early 7-0 lead.
There was disbelief all round but still almost the entire game was still to be played and Ballina tore into the opposition, turned over the ball and were working their way up the field when disaster struck again.
In the seventh minute Ballinasloe hacked through a dropped pass and won the race to touch down to the left of the post. The conversion was missed but the hosts were 12-0 up.

Lesser teams would have crumbled at that stage, but not these boys; they have what is called ‘the dog ‘ in them and will fight.
No one was blamed, there were no recriminations and the game restarted.

Once again, the teams tried to gain control of the game. Ballina settled themselves and when the home side came looking for the killer score, the visitors repelled the onslaught, made all the right decisions and it was then that management knew that the ship had righted itself.

It was the usual arm wrestle of a match until the 20th minute when Ballina intercepted a pass and Harry West sprinted half the pitch to score and convert 12-7.
Doubt crept into the home team at that stage and two minutes later that doubt was rampant as Sam Callinan ran outside the defence and touched down between the posts. The try was converted and it was 12-14 at half time.

After the break the visitors went looking for more points but the home side are a fine outfit so the game ebbed and flowed but slowly the boys in green drove up the field and following a move off a scrum, Alex Hennigan barged his way over the line and when the conversion followed it was 12-21.

Time and time again Ballinsloe tried to break up the field but the Moy boys were having none of it and wanted to close the game out.
A quick turnover and some good phases ended with Sam Callinan reaching out and placing the ball on the line. The conversion made it 12-28 with 15 minutes to go.

At that stage, the home side took out the kitchen sink and tore into the game and were rewarded with a try which was not converted, 17-28, with eight minutes to go.
It was time for cool heads the visitors knew that they had to keep the home side as far away from their own half as they could and although Ballinasloe tried, they could not break down the defence,

Time ran out and the visitors were overjoyed at the final whistle while the home side were devastated.

This was a true team effort with the forwards dominant in the scrums and lording it in the lineouts while the back line was ferocious in defence and inventive in attack and the whole team were highly supportive of each other .

On to the final in two weeks in the Sportsground where the lads will meet Galwegians in the decider

BALLINA: Patrick Morrin, Darragh Walsh, Daniel Boland, Sean Murphy, Jack Gawley (Capt), Alex Hennigan, Ciaran Boland, Fiachna Barrett, David Feeney, Harry West, Liam Golden, Sam Callinan, John Ginty, Seamus Mason, Paul Brennan, Mark Barrett, Micheal McHale, Iarla Quinn, Kian Meyerink, Alex Moran, Aaron O’Malley, Tadgh Staunton, Ronan McLoughlin, Liam Connor, James Rafter.