Match Reports

County Senior Semi Final Replay

by Brian Murphy

October 13th 2018 
Mayo Senior Football Championship Semi-Final
Ballintubber 0-16 Castlebar Mitchels 0-15
It took 160 minutes of blood, sweat, graft and adrenaline, and a scoring tally of 1-38 over the course of two Saturday evenings, but our lads finally slayed the Mitchels footballing machine in McHale this evening. What transpired this evening a contest so absorbing and tenacious that it will no doubt be remembered as one of the highlights of 2018 for CLG Baile An Tobair regardless of the result of the County Final.
The winning score was ultimately dispatched by substitute Joe Geraghty deep into extra time. Better known for his teak-tough defending than his scoring prowess, the man from Cartoonbower was the coolest customer in McHale Park when slotting over our 16th point with his right boot after being fed by Jason Gibbons.
Our victory this evening was as much of a testament to the character as it was to the footballing ability of this group of men. The sight of supporters gathered on the pitch for ten minutes or so after the final whistle despite there being no silverware in the vicinity will be remembered as a unique and surreal experience by all for years to come. 
The Red and White jersey was honoured dutifully by every man that featured this evening. Brendan Walsh remained composed when called into action between the sticks while Brian Murphy and Gary Loftus were brilliant in curtailing the influence of Mitchels danger men Neil Douglas and James Durcan. Jason Gibbons and Diarmuid O’Connor battled valiantly in the engine room while the rest of our middle eight ran tirelessly throughout the eighty minutes while Cillian O’Connor’s superb free taking made up nearly half of our final tally.
It was clear from the opening exchanges that this was going to be yet another incredibly close contest. While a free-flowing shootout never materialised both teams were so evenly matched in terms of talent, fitness and physicality that neither team ever led by more than two throughout the eighty minutes.
While Mitchels pointed the opening two scores we responded with four unanswered points. A point each by Brian Walsh and Alan Dillon right at the end of the first half saw us lead 0-7 to 0-5 at the break. 
A nerve-racking second half then got underway in which Mitchels hit their only real purple patch midway through. Punishing a few sloppy mistakes from our lads, the county champions hit four on the spin though Anthony O’Boyle, Patrick Durcan, Keith Hopkins and Neil Douglas. Indeed had Douglas kept his shot a few feet lower, we might have had a very different outcome to this game.
We came closest to grabbing a goal when Castlebar’s Rory Byrne nearly fumbled Diarmuid O’Connors point attempt over his own goal line in the 49th minute. 
Such as was the nature of the game that trailing by two against this Mitchels team felt like trailing by six against lesser opponents. When David Stenson pointed a free four minutes from the end, it seemed like they would see out the win. However the heart and conviction of the Red and White saw Diarmuid O’Connor pointing in the 60th minute before we were awarded a free on the left hand side in the depths of injury time.
Up stepped Mayo captain Cillian O’Connor who then banished the demons of his missed frees in the 2016 and 2017 All-Ireland finals by sending it straight between the posts from an almost identical position as those two aforementioned dead balls.
With seat belts firmly fastened for extra time, brothers Cillian and “DOC” pointed the first two scores before David Stenson replied with a free, leaving the score at 0-14 0-13 in our favour at the breather. 
Stenson missed a glorious chance to level matters by missing a very kickable free to which responded with a point from the elder O’Connor, Padraic. 
The excellent Neil Douglas rattled off two quick scores to level matters once again as blood pressures spiked and nerves were on the brink of shattering among both sets of supporters.
With both teams running themselves to a standstill in making their final stand, it was the Boys from the Tubber that found the chink in the armour of the Mitchels Panzer tank. Jason Gibbons fisted into space to the newly introduced Joe Geraghty, who dealt the mortal blow.
The undisputed standard bearers of Mayo club football of the past three years summoned one final heroic charge in at the Ballintubber brigade, but the irrepressible Diarmuid O’Connor got a block on Dannu Kirby last-gasp effort which fell into the hands of Michael Plunkett.
John Glavey then blew the whistle, and the rest is history. 
A county final against the next door neighbours Breaffy now beckons for Kevin Johnson’s men. 
Onwards and upwards, Baile An Tobair Abú! 
Ballintubber team that lined out: (1)Brendan Walsh (2)Gary Loftus (0-1) (3)Cathal Hallinan (4)Brendan Murphy (5)Damien Coleman (6)Michael Plunkett (7)Ruaidhri O’Connor (8)Jason Gibbons (0-1) (9)Diarmuid O’Connor (0-2) (10)Ciaran Gavin (11)Alan Dillon (0-1) (12)Alan Plunkett (20)Brian Walsh (0-1) (14)Cillian O’Connor (0-7, 6f) (15)Stephen O’ Malley (0-1)
Substitutions used: Jamsie Finnerty (0-1) for Alan Plunkett, Myles Kelly for Ruaidhri O’Connor, Padraic O’Connor (0-1) for Stephen O’Malley, Declan Larkin for Cathal Hallinan, Joe Geraghty (0-1) for Gary Loftus

Mayo Senior Football Championship Semi-Final

by Brian Murphy
Mayo Senior Football Championship Semi-Final

7th October 2018

Mayo Senior Football Championship Semi-Final

Ballintubber 1-12 Castlebar Mitchels 1-12

After eighty minutes of high-octane, intense football our Senior team will have to do it all again next week. While this clash of the titans of Mayo club football didn’t live up to its box office billing an intriguing, tactical clash was served up from which either team could’ve emerged victorious. With both sides bedecked with a host of current and past representatives of various Mayo panels, neither team could gain a clear foothold in any area of the field. What emerged was a total war of attrition, during the course of which Diarmuid O’Connor in particular nearly ran himself off his feet in salvaging a hard-earned replay.

Such was the nature of the first half that only three scores were registered from play throughout the half hour. A miserly and tenacious Castlebar defence yielded only two points from Cillian O’Connor (one free) and a converted free from Ciaran Gavin before Michael Plunkett found the net in the twenty-third minute. Taking an incisive pass from Cillian, the Moorehall man drove through a rare crevice in the Mitchels’ defence before firing a shot into the far corner of Rory Byrne’s net.

That score would leave us 1-3 to 0-3 ahead before a pair of points from David Stenson brought the County champions back to within a point of us. Mitchels would be dealt a blow two minutes from the break when midfielder Aidan Walsh was sent off for a second yellow card, giving us an extra leg-up heading into the third quarter.

However, as is often the case, playing against fourteen men is far easier said than done. Mitchels signalled their defiance in the third minute, when wing-back Ray O’Malley rifled home a goal very similar to Plunkett’s earlier effort, pushing them two in front. With big Barry Moran despatched from his sweeper role to plug the gap in midfield, scores were as scarce as ever despite our numerical advantage.

With Mitchels massing bodies in defence at times, only Ciaran Gavin split the posts from play in the second half, with the rest of our scores coming from Cillian O’Connor’s free kicks. There were plenty of anxious moments in the final quarter, none more so then when a botched ‘Tubber kick-out went straight to Neil Douglas, who saw his shot saved by Brendan Walsh before settling for a point.

A single from the aforementioned Ciaran Gavin brought us back to within two points, as we went in desperate search of scores. With Mitchels appearing home and hosed in injury time, the irrepressible Diarmuid O’Connor won a free which brother Cillian duly converted. The Cranmore man pointed once again in the final minute of injury time from close range after former Mayo captain Alan Dillon was fouled in a last-ditch attempt to equalize.

Entering into two demanding periods of extra-time, Mitchels were now back playing with fifteen bodies. The county champions spurned a great goal chance when substitute Calum Kyne drove a shot high and wide. Substitute Jamsie Finnerty then poked us in front with a point from close range to leave the score 1-10 to 1-9 in our favour at the end of the first period.

We doubled the lead when Myles Kelly pointed having been introduced late on in normal time. However Mitchels responded with points from Neil Douglas, Anthony O’Boyle, and Barry Moran, putting them ahead by a single point. We equalized again with two minutes remaining when a final lung-bursting run from the heroic Diarmuid O’Connor resulted in a free from which Cillian pointed his eight point of the match. Time ran out eventually and a draw was probably the fairest result for both sides. We go again.

Ballintubber team that lined out: (1)Brendan Walsh (2)Gary Loftus (3)Cathal Hallinan (4)Brian Murphy (5)Damien Coleman (6)Michael Plunkett (1-0) (7)Ruaidhri O’Connor (8)Jason Gibbons (9)Diarmuid O’Connor (10)Ciaran Gavin (0-2, 1f) (11)Alan Dillon (12)Alan Plunkett (20)Brian Walsh (14)Cillian O’Connor (0-8, 7f) (15)Stephen O’Malley

Substitutions used: Jamsie Finnerty (0-1) for Stephen O’Malley, Myles Kelly (0-1) for Ruaidhri O’Connor, Declan Larkin for Gary Loftus, Padraic O’Connor for Alan Plunkett (Black Card), Stephen O’Malley for Padraic O’Connor

Report by Oisin McGovern

Mayo Minor C Championship Final

by Brian Murphy
Mayo Minor C Championship Final

September 30th 2018

Mayo Minor C Championship Final

Ballintubber 4-12 Kiltimagh 6-12

“The game of football was the real winner”, remarked one Kiltimagh supporter at full-time. It couldn’t have been better summed up as both the Ballintubber and Kiltimagh minors served up a ten-goal rollercoaster of a game that was played in a full-blooded, attacking and sporting manner.

The number of heroic individual displays were almost too numerous to name, as every one of our lads left absolutely everything out on the field in Claremorris this afternoon. Alan McHale was a livewire at full-forward, causing havoc for the Kiltimagh defence and either assisted or converted a large chunk of our scores. Matthew Fox, Cillian Redmond buttressed our offensive game with fine displays at wing-back and wing-forward while Niall Staunton (who has lined out in goal for our junior side) made a huge impact after being sprung from the bench at half time. Ciaran Gavin was yet again superb at midfield and looked every inch the regular Senior player he has become this season. However, the Red and White jersey was honoured greatest by our captain Finian Bourke who delivered an absolutely awe-inspiring sixty-minute performance in the backs. In the end though, it was Kiltimagh who had that little bit more and ran out deserved winners.

Alan McHale’s opening fisted score would prove to be the only time we would take the lead as Mayo U16 panellist Aidan Cosgrave goaled twice in the fifth minute before Kiltimagh had even registered their first point. From then on, the East Mayo lads held the lead until the final whistle to prevail by six. Points then followed from captain Liam Boland and the flying Thomas Gillespie to which the Abbeysiders responded with singles from Caolan Burke and Ciaran Gavin.

Our ambitions were dealt a series of sickening blows in the dying minutes of the first half when Kilitimagh goalie Jamie McNicholas pointed a lovely ’45 before lightening struck in the same place twice in the space of two minutes. Thomas Gillespie first found the net after being set up by Liam Boland before Gillespie turned provider a minute later to set up Boland to score an almost identical goal, leaving the score 4-6 to 0-7 at the break.

Needing something colossal to get back into the game, the Boys from the Tubber burst out of the traps when Magnus Malone, Ciarán Gavin and Alan McHale shared a point each within the space of two minutes. Half-time sub Niall Staunton then announced his arrival in the seventh minute when he bagged his side’s first goal. Staunton then turned provider five minutes later when he turned over a ball before setting up Matthew Fox to fire home a second goal. The deficit then stretched back to six when Kiltimagh’s Jordan Henry assisted Aidan Cosgrave for his hat-trick.

With the score now 5-7 to 2-10 at the midway point, both teams were going at it hammer and tongs. Alan McHale had a fascinating individual battle with Kiltimagh centre-back Andrew McDonnell while Finian Bourke was like a man possessed on Liam Boland. The Tooreen hurler was truly a sight to behold, taking lumps out of the opposition with key interventions and leading valiantly from the back. Unfortunately, we let themselves down further up the field with some poor decision-making and some sub-par delivery into our forwards.

Kiltimagh wrapped things up with a minute remaining when Thomas Gillespie slid the ball past Aaron Mannion in a one-on-one position after Niall Staunton had goaled for Ballintubber after a brilliant solo run from Alan McHale. With our lads fighting until the bitter end, Ciarán Gavin struck the bottom of the upright with a wild shot with a minute remaining. Man-of-the-match Finian Bourke had the final say when he nearly burst the net from point blank right at the death after Alan McHale drove a close-range free kick at a wall of Kiltimagh players.

 

Ballintubber team that lined out: Aaron Mannion, Magnus Malone (0-1), Jack Walsh, Adam Lally, Finian Bourke (1-0), Luke Murphy, Cillian Redmond (0-2), Ciaran Gavin (0-3, 2f), Cian Barret, Matthew Fox (1-1), Alan McHale (0-4), Caolan Burke (0-1), Nathan Corbett

Substitutions used: Niall Staunton (2-0) for Caolan Burke, Jack Whiriskey for Luke Murphy, Damien Jennings for Nathan Corbett

Mayo Senior Football Championship Quarter-Final

by Brian Murphy
September 22nd 2018
Mayo Senior Football Championship Quarter-Final
Ballintubber 2-17 Moy Davitts 0-11
Our seniors took another strident step towards the county final as we saw off the challenge of Moy Davitts this evening. While both teams played the game in a spirited and attacking manner we simply had too much firepower for the opposition, leading by eight at half-time courtesy of goals from Alan Plunkett and Alan Dillon. We impressed all over the field, with Cillian O’Connor ever-reliable on the frees while Jason Gibbons ran the show at midfield.
It appeared as if the Moysiders would make a game of it early on , with their marquee forward Brian Reape causing havoc up front early on. Brendan Walsh also saved a goal attempt by Alan Bourke which would’ve given Davitts two-point lead. Both teams landed a triplet of unanswered scores as it appeared as if we had a right good contest on our hands.
However, Alan Plunkett’s goal in the twenty-second minute turned the tide empathically in our favour. Only Cillian knows whether he meant it or not, but nonetheless the Mayo captain somehow headed the ball straight into Plunkett’s path after failing to catch Alan Dillon. Plunkett then made a beeline for the Moy Davitts net and rifled the ball past Christopher McGlynn, putting us two ahead.
Corner-forward Padraig O’Connor then added two points (including a beauty off his left side), before a single score from Plunkett but us five ahead. The men from the Moy then paid a hefty price for underestimating Alan Dillon’s soccer skills as the Mayo veteran dribbled the ball on the ground past two Davitts defenders before finishing a daisy-cutter to the back of the net.
The tempo eased off in the second half, with us not scoring from play until a Padraig O’Connor point in the seventeenth minute. Moy Davitts also lost a key player in Padraic Ruane to a black card midway through the half, while they simply had no answer to Jason Gibbons’ dominance at centre-field.
We would add six more points before the finish, with Stephen O’Malley getting a pair of points while Alan Plunkett added a third to his tally, with Moy Davitt’s only managing three in reply. The return of Brian Walsh to the Red and White jersey in the second half after an injury layoff will be a welcome boost to Kevin Johnson’s charges, as the road ahead will no doubt grow significantly steeper as we seek to reclaim the Moclair Cup for a fourth time.
Ballintubber team that lined out: (1)Brendan Walsh (2)Gary Loftus (3)Cathal Hallinan (4)Brian Murphy (5)Damien Coleman (6)Michael Plunkett (7)Ruaidhri O’Connor (8)Jason Gibbons (0-2) (9)Diarmuid O’Connor (10)Ciaran Gavin (11)Alan Dillon (1-0) (12)Alan Plunkett (1-3) (13)Padraig O’Connor (0-3) (14)Cillian O’Connor (0-7, 6f) (15)Stephen O’’Malley (0-2)
Substitutions used: Brian Walsh for Ciaran Gavin, Myles Kelly for Ruaidhri O’Connor, Declan Larkin for Cathal Hallinan, Joe Geraghty for Damien Coleman
Report by our own Oisín McGovern

Mayo Senior Football League Division 4

by Brian Murphy

September 23rd 2018

Mayo Senior Football League Division 4
Ballintubber 2-11 Killala 1-10 
Our juniors claimed an impressive win over Killala today, coming away with two valuable league points which should steer us clear of relegation to Division 5.
With Clogher under reconstruction, a windswept Ballintubber Resource Centre played host to this twelfth round league clash. In his first start for the Red and White in months due to an injury layoff, Brian Walsh was in fine form at midfield, finishing with a handsome tally of six points. John Kerrigan, Keith Coleman and Finian Bourke were ferocious in the backs while Tom McGing gave an outstanding display between the sticks, thwarting at least 3 clear-cut goal chances. 
The return of veteran defender Paul Early to the Ballintubber jersey in the form of a brief cameo towards the end was also a welcome sight for the home support.
We got off to the perfect start when Eoin Heneghan fisted a Hugh Geraghty pass into the back of the Killala net before Brian Walsh pointed a free. Killala replied with two successive points before Tom McGing produced the first of his superb stops to deny the North Mayo men a goal.
James McGing then produced the pick of the games scores, described by club chairman Sean Hallinan as a “Ciaran McDonald special” which swung sublimely over the bar from the Killawalla man’s right boot.
Brother Tom then pulled off another fine save to deny danger man Darragh Herbert before we pointed five unanswered scores. Three points from Brian Walsh as well as single points from the tireless Keith Coleman and John Kerrigan were enough to give us a comfortable six point cushion at half time.
Eoin Heneghan and Brian Walsh pointed the opening two scores of the second half while Killala continued to threaten the ‘Tubber goal. However, Tom McGing stood resolute, producing a brilliant reflex save to deny Darragh Herbert yet again. 
Herbert and Finian Bourke fought and exciting individual match-up in the second half while the lively Cian O’Dea ran at us constantly.
The visitors did eventually find a way past Tom McGing with a fisted effort from a lofty kick pass shortly after “Bomber” Heneghan had seen a shot smothered down the other end. However we doubled our lead to six shortly afterwards when Brian Walsh set up Noel Geraghty to finish out second goal from close range. 
Killala did point three scores without reply but a final free kick from Brian Walsh was ensured we held out to win by four at full-time.
Ballintubber team that lined out: (1)Tom McGing (2)Oran Scully (3)Kevin Shannon (4)Finian Bourke (5)Gavin Roache (6)Keith Coleman (0-1) (7)John Kerrigan (0-2) (18)David McHale (9)Brian Walsh (0-6, 4f) (10)James McGing (0-1) (11)Hugh Geraghty (12)Seanie Larkin (13)Noel Geraghty (1-0) (14)Eoin Heneghan (1-1) (20)Paddy Burke 
Substitutions used: Alan Larkin for Eoin Heneghan, Paul Earley for James McGing, Luke Murphy for Paddy Burke

Report by Oisín McGovern

U15 League Div 1

by Brian Murphy

September 16th 2018

Mayo U15 League

Division 1 Ballintubber 0-11 Castlebar 2-11

Our U15 team fell short in their first game of the season against Castlebar Mitchels in Ballintubber this afternoon. Despite a good showing from a team under the stewardship of Tony Duffy, Declan Joyce, Damien Flatley, Sean Coyne and Joe Geraghty, it was the goals that won for the Castlebar lads, with green flags in either half proving to be the winning margin at full time. Best for Ballintubber were Josh Mahon who caught plenty of ball at midfield, centre-forward Cillian Joyce who constantly ran at the Mitchels defence, and Stephen Burke who finished with a very impressive haul of five points from centre-back. Darragh Joyce also showed well at full-back while wing-back Darragh Fahrenheit gave a good account if himself against his former club, the highlighted by one superb block in the second half.
The irritating similarity between the two sets of red jerseys meant both teams playing cautiously in the opening stages. Noah Corbett pointed first for the Abbeysiders before Mitchels’ corner-forward David Grealis pointed the first of his five points. We then strung together three unanswered scores through Stephen Burke and Cillian Joyce before Matthew Coyne produced two fabulous saves in the Ballintubber goal.
Shortly after giving his side the lead with a well taken free, Mitchels’ sharpshooter David Grealis put sent an absolute bullet of a shot into the top corner of the ‘Tubber net from close range. Midfielder Eoghan Hughes, a panellist with the Mayo u-16 soccer side, attempted to rattled the net with what would’ve been an outrageous back heel, but his close-range shot trickled harmlessly wide of the goal.
Leading by five at half-time, Mitchels did find the net once more in the second half in the eleventh minute, cancelling out an earlier Josh Mahon free and putting them nine in front. To our credit, we kept plugging away with Josh Mahon pointing five minutes later before the impressive Stephen Burke added a quickfire pair of points.
In the face of a Mitchels full-back line which gave away nothing soft, Caobhlin Flatley and Nathan Gibbons got their names on the scoreboard before full-time, while Burke pointed his fifth. A free from David Grealis and an Eoghan Hughes point left the winning margin at six, which was perhaps an unfair reflection on some of the good football we played.
Ballintubber team that lined out: (1)Matthew Coyne (2)Kieran Heneghan (3)Darragh Joyce (4)Jamsie Lally (5)Darragh Fahy (6)Stephen Burke (0-5) (7)Luke Biggins (8)Josh Mahon (0-2, 1f) (9)James King (10)Sean Duffy (11)Cillian Joyce (12)Dean O’Malley (13)Nathan Gibbons (0-1) (14)Caobhlin Flatley (0-2) (15)Noah Corbett (0-1)
Substitutions used: Colm Reilly for Noah Corbett

Report by Oisín McGovern

Division 1D of the League vs Tourmakeady

by Brian Murphy

Division 1D of the league vs Tourmakeady

September 9th 2018 - Mayo Senior League 2018 
Tourmakeady 0-11 Ballintubber 0-7
On the day that the third round of the Senior and Intermediate championship was cast into the limelight our juniors lost to our neighbours Tourmakeady in Division 4 of the League this afternoon in a battling and at times fiery encounter. With hits both fair and foul being given and taken from the very start, this one had the real feel of a local derby, which meant cards of every colour were brandished by referee Jarlath O’Connor. For us this meant losing David McHale to a black and Liam Feeney to a red late on.
However it was the home side who were that bit more dogged and determined in their play while David Dolan’s five-point haul in the first half meant they could afford to lose the second half by a point and still emerge victorious.
Throughout the entire game, we came up a small bit short in the forward line, only managing three first-half scores through Hugh Geraghty, Aaron Lally and Louis Hoban. The experienced Stephen Broderick got his hands on plenty of ball while our full-back line kept their men scoreless. Losing David McHale to a black card certainly set us back as the Gaeltacht men rattled off four consecutive points before the break.
A pair of frees from full-forward Hugh Geraghty followed by a point from Seanie Larkin brought us back within three points of the home side. However a serious goal chance never materialised and some error-strewn Tourmakeady play went unpunished. What the game lacked in end-to-end scoring it made up for in physicality, with tempers flaring up occasionally both on and off the field. 
Along with Kevin Shannon and Oran Scully, Liam Feeney had been rock-solid prior to his red-card dismissal after which the home side pointed either side of a Hugh Geraghty free. In the end, the win was Tourmakeady’s after a contest that was somewhat closer than the final score would suggest.
Ballintubber team that lined out: (1)Tom McGing (2)Oran Scully (3)Kevin Shannon (4)Liam Feeney (5)Jarlath Staunton (6)Keith Coleman (7)Aaron Lally (0-1) (8)David McHale (9)John Kerrigan (10)James McGing (11)Stephen Broderick (12)Seanie Larkin (0-1) (13)Noel Geraghty (14)Hugh Geraghty (0-4, 4f) (15)Louis Hoban (0-1)
Substitutions used: Eoin Heneghan for David McHale (Black Card), Paddy Burke for James McGing

REPORT BY OISIN MCGOVERN

West Mayo U16B Semi Final

by Brian Murphy
September 3rd 2018 West Mayo U16B Semi-final
Ballintubber 2-11 Kilmeena 1-15
Our 16s saw their interest in the West Mayo championship ended by Kilmeena this evening in a contest which came to a thrilling conclusion but from which the better came out victorious. Best for Ballintubber was free-scoring wing-forward Bobbie Reilly while Diarmuid Heneghan gave a gutsy display at centre-back and also got a goal before going off injured.
It was Kilmeena who hit the ground running and played the better football in the first half. The West Mayo men were composed and confident in possession and found the net in the tenth minute to cancel out earlier points from Damien Jennings and Bobby Reilly. Centre-forward Stephen Burke then pointed a fine score before Kilmeena rattled off three unanswered points.
Our lads found the net before half time when corner-forward Robbie Finnerty gathered a breaking ball in the square before rifling home a low shot to bring us back within two points of the visitors.
We missed a chance to take the lead early in the second half when Bobby Reilly hit the bottom of the upright with a penalty kick that Damien Jennings had won. In a show of character, Reilly pointed two unanswered scores to bring us back within a point. At the other end, Kilmeena had a goal cancelled out for a square ball while their No.15 came very close to hitting the net minutes later. Man-of-the-match Ronan O’Donnell pointed three unanswered scores before the heroic Diarmuid Heneghan shook the Kilmeena net in the fiftieth minute after gathering a long ball from Robbie Finnerty.
The final ten minutes tested the nerves of the both sets of supporters, as blood pressures spiked and roars of encouragement grew louder. Bobbie Reilly’s equalizer set up a grandstand finish as both teams put the foot to the floor in pursuit of victory. Ballintubber ‘stopper Matthew Coyne was forced into the most dramatic pair of double saves during a frantic period of play which lasted about twenty second but felt like five minutes. 
Both teams pointed a free each, but with injury time looming Kilmeena were awarded a free on the left-hand side which Ronan O’Donnell sent straight between the posts. With nearly forty minutes played due to two lengthy injury stoppages time ran simply ran out for our lads, but Kilmeena were arguably that bit better over the course of the match.
Ballintubber team: (1)Matthew Coyne (2)Cillian Joyce (3)Darragh Joyce (4)Ciaran Heneghan (5)Jamsie Lally (6)Diarmuid Heneghan (1-0) (7)Darragh Fahey (8)Magnus Malone-Skolemestre (0-1) (9)James King (10)Josh Mahon (11)Stephen Burke (0-2) (12)Bobby Reilly (0-6, 2f) (13)Robbie Finnerty (1-0) (14)Kaobhlinn Flatley (0-1) (15)Damien Jennings (0-1) 
Substitutions used: Colm Larkin for Diarmuid Heneghan

League Div 1 Ballintubber v Hollymount/Carramore

by Brian Murphy
League Div 1 Ballintubber v Hollymount/Carramore

August 19th 2018 Mayo Senior League

Ballintubber 2-16 Hollymount/Carramore 0-13

An under-strength Ballintubber side saw off the challenge of neighbours’ Hollymount/Carramore in warm, humid conditions in Clogher today. In the absence of three of the O’Connors and both the Plunketts, young guns Stephen O’Malley and Jamsie Finnerty stood up to the plate, amassing over half of the scores for the Red and White. Darren Coen and Kevin Feerick in particular impressed in the early stages for the visitors but it was Alan Dillon and Jamsie Finnerty’s second-half goals proved absolutely crucial in securing the two points for the boys from The ‘Tubber. A strong final ten minute spell sets us up perfectly for a mouth-watering clash with local rivals Breaffy on Saturday evening.

The away side took two-point lead early in the second half through points from cousins Darren and Stephen Coen. However we replied with a goal from Mayo legend Alan Dillon which rolled into the net in an almost accidental manner after Padraic O’Connor and the former Mayo captain threw random fists at the ball. The home side added a second when Jason Gibbons set up spritely corner-forward Jamsie Finnerty to finish a low shot into the back of the net, stretching their lead to four mid-way through the second half. The electric Kevin Feerick missed a great chance to raise green flag for the visitors in the final minutes but by then Ballintubber had already raced seven points ahead through points from Stephen O’Malley, Alan Dillon and Noel Geraghty.

Both sides had been quite evenly matched in the opening two quarters with seven points apiece by the half-time whistle. Ballintubber had five different point-scorers while Kevin Feerick and Darren Coen shared six between them, with Coen blazing an effort narrowly over the bar in the twenty-second minute. A typically dogged Hollymount/Carramore outfit were ruthlessly efficient in turning over ball, with all seven of their first-half scores coming from sloppy play and unforced errors on the part of the home side.

The Abbeysiders did gain more composure in the second half, as Jason Gibbons came into the game more and helped his side to gain a foothold in midfield. Bar a pair of quick-fire scores from second-half substitute Conor Keane to bring his side’s points tally to thirteen, Hollymount failed to register a score in the final ten minutes. At this point Jamsie Finnerty and Alan Dillon had also raised green flags for the home side, leaving the visitors chasing a three point deficit before we clocked up six unanswered points.

Only slightly too old for Minor, Ballintubber’s youthful trio of Jamsie Finnerty, Stephen O’Malley and Ciarán Gavin did the lion’s share of the second half scoring, kicking some impressive scores off their stronger and weaker boots. The more experienced heads of centre-forward Alan Dillon and team captain Damien Coleman added singles to ensure we saw off this game comfortably.

Ballintubber team: (1)Brendan Walsh (2)Gary Loftus (0-1) (3)Cathal Hallinan (4)Declan Larkin (5)Myles Kelly (6)Brian Murphy (7)Damien Coleman (0-1) (8)Jason Gibbons (9)Joe Geraghty (10)Ciaran Gavin (0-2) (11)Alan Dillon (1-2) (12)Sean Larkin (13)Jamsie Finnerty (1-2) (14)Padraic O’Connor (15)Stephen O’Malley (0-7, 4f)

Subs used: Darragh McGovern for Joe Geraghty, Noel Geraghty (0-1) for Seanie Larkin, Hugh Geraghty for Darragh McGovern

June 24th 2018 Mayo Senior League Division ,1 Ballintubber 4-15 Kiltimagh 2-10

by Brian Murphy
June 24th 2018 Mayo Senior League Division ,1 Ballintubber 4-15 Kiltimagh 2-10

June 24th 2018 Mayo Senior League Division 1

Ballintubber 4-15 Kiltimagh 2-10

As reported by Oisín McGovern

The blazing summer heat certainly didn’t suffocate either Ballintubber or Kiltimagh as both teams played out a high-scoring and fast-paced encounter in Clogher on Sunday. That a Kiltimagh side deprived of around ten players chalked up a final tally that would win most games spoke volumes about how open and free-scoring this league fixture was. With our lads in particular badly in need of both points they clinically exploited the East Mayo men who left their defence far too open, as we had nine unique scorers by the final whistle, including all our starting forwards. 
A severely depleted Kiltimagh outfit gave as good as they got for the opening twenty-five minutes, with the teams level on three occasions. Veteran forward Ronan Malee gave Ballintubber’s Gary Loftus plenty to think about early on as both sides were somewhat wasteful in the opening stages. Indeed the visitors almost took a four-point lead when wing-forward Owen Carroll forced an early save from Ballintubber stopper Brendan Walsh. However the Red and White took the game firmly by the scruff of the neck when Mayo veteran Alan Dillon found full-forward Padraic O’Connor unmarked with a lobbed pass before the eldest of the O’Connor brothers slotted home the opening goal. A point from Kiltimagh midfielder Liam Kelly was then cancelled out by Tubber’s Jamsie Finnerty who dummied before threading the ball through the eye of a needle past Jamie McNicholas to raise a second green flag for the hosts. The Abbeysiders scuppered two more clear-cut chances before the break but there was little doubt as to who was on top.
Chasing an eight-point deficit the away side moved TJ Byrne back to midfield to battle the impressive duo of Jason Gibbons and Ruadhri O’Connor while centre-forward Eoin Lavin pointed an absolute rocket from a distance which almost beggared belief. A shot into the roof of the Ballintubber net by wing-back Conor Gallagher sent out a clear message that this almost second-string Kiltimagh outfit weren’t going home without a fight. Nonetheless, Ballintubber’s forward lines kept the scoreboard ticking over before top scorer Alan Plunkett netted our third goal from close range to extend the home side’s lead to ten points.
Tubber’s Brendan Walsh was again called into action to save from Owen Carroll as the visitors continued to battle bravely but Ballintubber only pulled further in front, with Alan Plunkett leading an impressive ‘Tubber attack with two more unanswered points. Damien Coleman pointed for the second time before Ruadhri O’Connor capped a fine performance when the impressive Ciaran Gavin laid the ball into the path of the London-based expat who blasted a low shot into the Kiltimagh net.
The games sixth goal came in the form of a daisy-cutter from former Mayo minor captain Donavan Cosgrave which took some of the dirty look off the final score. All things considered, it was the best that the East Mayo men could’ve mustered with so many absentees in the face of such effective Ballintubber firepower.

Ballintubber team: (1)Brendan Walsh (2)Gary Loftus (3)Cathal Hallinan (4)Declan Larkin (5)Myles Kelly (6)Joe Geraghty (7)Damien Coleman (0-2) (8)Jason Gibbons (0-1) (9)Ruadhri O’Connor (1-0) (10)Ciaran Gavin (0-2) (11)Alan Plunkett (1-4) (12)Brian Walsh (0-1) (13)Jamsie Finnerty (1-0) (14)Padraic O’Connor (1-2) (15)Alan Dillon (0-2, 1f) 
Substitutions used: Noel Geraghty (0-1) for Jamsie Finnerty, David McHale for Myles Kelly Sean Larkin for Alan Dillon, Jarlath Staunton for Joe Geraghty

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