Glory day for Ballinasloe at Croke Park

By JIM CARNEY Ballinasloe .0-14 Kenmare .0-10 A BRILLIANT VICTORY by Galway and Connacht Junior football champions Ballinasloe at Croke Park on Sunday was embellished by the sparkling quality of the winnersâ€â„¢ performance. To win was fantastic; to win in style, with the emphasis on skill and slick teamwork, made it a glorious achievement. There was pre-match drama, too: the Ballinasloe players had travelled by coach to Dublin on the morning of the big match when it was discovered that the large bag which contained the playersâ€â„¢ jerseys had been left behind. By the time they were brought to Croke Park, the players were wearing the Na Fianna, Dublin jerseys (primrose and blue). The Glasnevin clubâ€â„¢s two best known names are Dessie Farrell and Jason Sherlock. I understand that Ballinasloe also got an offer of a set of jerseys from Joe Kernan, manager of the Ulster team who won the second of the two football games at Croke Park on Sunday, the inter-provincial final against Leinster. Joe, former Galway manager, was helpful to the Ballinasloe team in other ways too, I believe. He had a keen interest in their appearance on the big stage as his late mother (she died in 2007) was Joan Ward from The Square, Ballinasloe; she was a sister of a Galway county footballer of the early 1950s, Seán (Gordie) Ward, who won a Connacht S.F.C. medal in 1954. Gordie, who worked in the public sector in Dublin for most of his adult life, was a well-known steward at the Canal End of Croke Park on days of big matches after his playing career finished. One of Joanâ€â„¢s five sisters, Maureen, was a noted opera singer. Happily, the Ballinasloe players did not lose their focus in the hours before the throw-in and happily, too, they were able to change into their own jerseys for the photographs taken out on the hallowed turf of Croke Park after their very talented and inspirational captain Keith Kelly received the AIB J.F.C. Cup from G.A.A. president Liam Oâ€â„¢Neill. Tactically, Ballinasloe boss Seán Riddell and his management team did everything right. In sharp contrast, Kenmare Shamrocks got their tactical approach all wrong. To create space for their key forward, Paul Oâ€â„¢Connor at No. 14, they withdrew right full-forward DJ Brennan and placed him in the half-back line; it backfired badly as Ballinasloe did not ask any of their six backs to follow the Kenmare No. 13 out the field. Brennan did kick four points but three were off frees and he didnâ€â„¢t appear to make any difference in his defensive role; indeed it was fascinating to observe that at a time when Kenmare had seven backs playing against six Ballinasloe forwards the Galway team, showing superb composure, hit five points in a row, to turn a 4-2 deficit into a 7-4 lead at half-time. Of equal, and maybe greater importance, when Kenmare did manage to get the ball in to their target-man at full-forward, he had two markers to shake off and that doubled his workload. In the final analysis, without at least one goal from Paul Oâ€â„¢Connor, the Kerry team were fighting a losing battle. That was massively to the credit of the Ballinasloe full-back line of Eoin Fenton, Declan Nevin and James Shaughnessy, and their outstanding goalkeeper Nathan King. Further out the field, in the early stages in particular as Kenmare attacked into the Hill 16 end, the tackling and covering of the Ballinasloe half-back line of Niall Hynes, Keith Kelly and Shane Kenny put the Kenmare forwards under huge pressure. Liam Lynch and Luke Tierney also battled hard at midfield, with Lynch especially prominent, and the Ballinasloe forwards grew in confidence from the magnificent example set by Nos. 1 to 9. And it was a super performance by the attack. All six who started up front were on their toes, sharp and eager. Their running (on and off the ball), support play and shooting had the Kerry defence under intense pressure from about ten minutes in. From there to the end it was clear that if the Ballinasloe forwards got quality ball up to them, theyâ€â„¢d use it well and theyâ€â„¢d score. Watching the game from high up in the Hogan Stand Press area (Level 7), we could sense that Kenmare were waiting for their star man at full-forward to get a goal but with the Ballinasloe backs alert and determined, his chances were limited and the best of them in the first half was kept out â€â€ with stunning brilliance â€â€ by the agile, athletic goalkeeper who went on to become a Man of the Match contender, Nathan King. That award, chosen by the sponsor of the competition, AIB, went to Ballinasloe right full-forward Darragh McCormack whose sensational scores in the first quarter set the tone for what was to follow, and indeed Darragh maintained that early dash and all-round excellence. Centre half-forward Padraic Cunningham was also a leading contender for the top individual accolade and midfielder Liam Lynch was in the mix, too. Captain Keith Kelly led his team from centre half-back by splendid personal example and the young man in the full-back line James Shaughnessy, a county minor in recent years, also looks highly promising. Left half-forward Garry Canavan made a very special contribution to this wonderful victory, not only in his excellent play; he is a very good footballer, but with his dedication to the cause â€â€ coming back from Army duty in Lebanon, flying through the night and arriving into Dublin on Sunday morning with only a couple of hours sleep in the plane to prepare him for the biggest game in his football career. That will never be forgotten in Ballinasloe. Well done also to Darragh Burke, Michael Colohan and Paul Whelehan in the Ballinasloe attack; to the two subs who got into the action, Cormac Casey and Stephen Cogavin; to every other member of the panel, and to manager Seán Riddell and his management team: Pat Cunningham, Cathal Coleman, Lloyd Kelly and Cathal Croffy, and all others whose input helped to bring an All-Ireland title to their town and parish, county and province. At one stage of the second half it looked almost too easy for Ballinasloe but, to their credit, Kenmare did not throw in the towel; they battled back and gave it everything they had but Ballinasloe maintained their high standards in all sectors, impressively passed a test of character by defending with immense spirit, and another inspirational save by goalkeeper Nathan King kept the teamâ€â„¢s confidence and resolve steady. The final whistle was music to their ears. A great performance, a great victory, and it was great to have been there to witness it. Ballinasloe scorers: D. McCormack (0-3) P. Whelehan (0-3), K. Kelly (0-3 frees), P. Cunningham (0-2), D. Burke (0-1), J. Shaughnessy (0-1), L. Lynch (0-1, free). Kenmare scorers: P. Oâ€â„¢Connor (0-5, one free), DJ Brennan (0-4, three frees), S. Oâ€â„¢Leary (0-1). Ballinasloe: N. King; E. Fenton, D. Nevin, J. Shaughnessy; N. Hynes, K. Kelly, captain, S. Kenny; L. Lynch, L. Tierney; D. Burke, P. Cunningham, G. Canavan; D. McCormack, M. Colohan, P. Whelehan. Subs., C. Casey, for Kenny, 53 mins; S. Cogavin, for Colohan, 56 mins. Kenmare: H. Murphy; D. Crowley, T. Oâ€â„¢Sullivan, C. Oâ€â„¢Sullivan; A. Oâ€â„¢Callaghan, S. Oâ€â„¢Leary, A. Crowley; S. Dalton, J. Wharton; R. Oâ€â„¢Sullivan, M. Crowley, A. Oâ€â„¢Leary; DJ Brennan, P. Oâ€â„¢Connor, captain, K. Oâ€â„¢Sullivan. Subs., S. Duncan, for A. Crowley, 21 mins; P. Oâ€â„¢Dwyer, for R. Oâ€â„¢Sullivan, 26 mins; S. Harrington, for Dalton, 45 mins; S. Oâ€â„¢Brien, for Harrington, 54 mins. Referee: Ciarán Branagan (Down). Man of the Match: Darragh McCormack (Ballinasloe).