Munster JFC: Dominant Ballina march on to semi-final

Hot on the heels of capturing the county title, they travelled to Mountcolllins on Saturday to blow the Limerick representatives out of the provincial series

Ballina 3-12 Mountcollins 0-3

Tipperary champions Ballina's season keeps on growing as they dominated this Munster JFC tie.

Hot on the heels of capturing the county title, they travelled to Mountcolllins on Saturday to blow the Limerick representatives out of the provincial series to qualify for a home semi-final with Waterford's Mount Sion.

Fielding Tipp senior footballer Steven O'Brien as well as county hurling colleagues Willie Connors and Mikey Breen in their lineup, they exploded from the traps to grab a 12-point lead by the first water break and end the clash as a contest. Although Mountcollins steadied after that and held to their opponents to just a handful of scores, the damage was already done before the visitors signed off with a second burst coming up to the final whistle.

Connors set the tone when he breezed up from deep to blast to the net inside 20 seconds. The Mouncollins defence wasn't given the chance to react as a string points from Eoghan Power and a second goal from Breen, collecting the lay-off from Dan O'Meara's high catch, left the Lough Derg men leading 2-6 to no score at the water break.

The Limerick side gathered some shape to their play when play resumed but they knew it wasn't going to be their day when Tom McCarthy, after being footblocked in front of goal, saw his penalty stopped by Martin McKeogh's spectacular save. However, they managed the only score of the second quarter as John O'Connel's point left the half-time score at 2-6 to 0-1.

An unevetful third quarter left the margin unchanged at 2-8 to 0-3 but, with Mountcollins playing the final 10 minutes without the black-carded Jamie Lenihan, Ballina stepped again on the gas with a string of points O'Meara grabbing their third goal from a tight angle after powering in from the corner.

Scorers for Ballina: E Power (0-6); M Breen (1-1); S O'Brien (0-3); W Connors, D O'Meara (1-0 each); F Looney (0-2).

Scorers for Mountcollins: J Brouder (0-2, 2f); J O'Connell (0-1).

BALLINA: M McKeogh; S Loughran, J O'Brien, T O'Halloran; W Connors, T Lee, M Grace; S O'Brien, G Kealy; A Hanley, M Breen, E Power; F Looney, M Power, D O'Meara.

Subs: C Maguire for T Lee (42), J Hanley for A Hanley (48), D King for M Power (52), P O'Hagan for M Breen (55), T O'Meara for F Looney (55).

MOUNTCOLLINS: B Dillane; D Walsh, S Lyons, M O'Connor; T Begley, J Moroney, T Walsh; J O'Connell, J Lenihan; C Moroney, T McCarthy, B McCarthy; E Lacey, J Brouder, C O'Sullivan.

Subs: S Lane for S Lyons (ht), K Keogh for E Lacey (47), M Brouder for J O'Connell (55), M Collins for C Moroney (59), M Lenihan for B McCarthy (61).

Ref: A Lane (Cork).