Ballina Stephenites win dour affair to reclaim Mayo crown

Breaffy came up short in the decider for the fifth time in 10 years.

Sun, 29 Oct, 2023 - 20:40

Mike Finnerty

Mayo SFC Final: Ballina Stephenites 0-6 Breaffy 0-4

THE past masters of Mayo club football returned to the throne in solid more than spectacular fashion after Ballina Stephenites won a war of attrition in Sunday’s error-ridden decider at Hastings Insurance MacHale Park in Castlebar.

The most successful team in the history of the competition to win their 37th title after getting the better of a Breaffy side who came up short for the fifth time in 10 years.

The Stephenites came out on top after a dour affair with a late point from man of the match Luke Feeney sealing victory and denying Breaffy a first ever Moclair Cup.

The game was a disappointing spectacle for the large crowd who turned out, but that won’t bother Ballina after they ended a 16-year wait for championship glory.

Niall Heffernan’s side bounced back from the disappointment of losing last year’s final despite only scoring two points from play, the second of which arrived in the fourth minute of added time.

Luke Feeney’s late score broke Breaffy’s hearts as Konrad Coghill’s team failed to score in the last 23 minutes and shot 11 wides over the course of this latest loss.

Breaffy’s main man Aidan O’Shea was well policed by Mayo team-mates Sam Callinan and Padraig O’Hora and the team’s top scorer only managed one point from a free.

Ballina had led at the end of an underwhelming first half by 0-4 to 0-1.

Breaffy’s only score came from a Conor O’Shea free in the second minute.

Up at the other end two frees from Evan Regan and a fine score from play from Conor McStay meant that the Stephenites led at the end of the first quarter by 0-3 to 0-1.

The only other white flag raised by either side before the break came from the boot of the aforementioned Luke Feeney, who converted a close-range mark.

Breaffy, who had gone 33 minutes without registering a score, upped the ante after the restart and shot two quickfire points from Conor O’Shea (free) and substitute James Minogue (their only score from play) to close the gap to the bare minimum.

But Conor O’Shea then missed a gilt-edged chance to level the game for only the second time from a free and Ballina hit back with a well-struck ‘45 from Frank Irwin to give themselves a little breathing space in the 37th minute.

Remarkably, that was to be their last score until the fourth minute of added time.

Breaffy’s final score of the game came in the 42nd minute from an Aidan O’Shea free (his only score of the contest) as the underdogs were unable to draw level at any stage.

They did create a goal chance in the 48th minute, but Davitt Neary was denied by a good save by two-time All Star goalkeeper, David Clarke.

Ballina also had two opportunities to score goals that would have broken Breaffy’s resolve, but both Evan Regan and Dylan Thornton were denied by Jack Livingstone stops.

So the Stephenites were still clinging to a one point lead when Aidan O’Shea was off target with a 50m free in the closing stages.

Ballina’s defence held firm in the dramatic closing stages, with Ger Cafferkey using all his experience wisely, and teenager Luke Feeney fired over the insurance score deep in added time.

BALLINA D Clarke; L Golden, G Cafferkey, P O'Hora; C Boland, S Callinan, D Tighe; F Irwin (0-1, ‘45), D Thornton; N Feeney, M Birrane, J Irwin; E Regan (0-2, 2fs), L Feeney (0-2, 1 mark), C McStay (0-1).

Subs used: S Regan for Golden; M Murray for Thornton; C Treacy for Birrane; B Collins for J Irwin.

BREAFFY J Livingstone; C Beirne, M Dervan, C Melly; D Livingstone, M Hall, D Morrin; C O’Shea (0-2, 2fs), M Ruane; D Neary, R Fadden, R Martyn; T O’Reilly, A O’Shea (0-1, 1f), O Tunney.

Subs used: J Minogue (0-1) for Tunney; C Flynn for Neary; C Golden for O’Reilly; P Deane for D Livingstone.

Referee: G McMahon (Davitts)