Ballaghaderreen 0-15
Castlebar Mitchels 0-8
Colm Gannon reports from Elverys MacHale Park, Castlebar
BALLAGHADERREEN WILL TAKE on Ballintubber in the Mayo senior football championship final after a seven point win over former kingpins Castlebar Mitchels in today’s semi-final.
The gap could have been multiples of that only for the heroics of Castlebar goalkeeper Rory Byrne who pulled off half a dozen top class saves over the hour as Ballaghderreen tore the Mitchels challenge apart at will.
David Drake, Sharoize Akram, Cian Hanley, Andy Moran and Ryan Lynch all put in top class performances for Paul McHugh’s side and they will go into the final full of confidence to ratting defending champions Ballintubber.
The victors led 0-10 to 0-4 at the break with Lynch kicking four outrageous first half points while Kuba Callaghan twice, Cian Hanley and Andy Moran all saw great goal chances not hit the back of the net as Byrne pulled off a string of saves.
Castlebar introduced Barry Moran off the bench early in the second half and he had an immediate impact getting fouled for a penalty with his side trailing by six points – Neil Douglas stepped up but his effort was well saved by Patrick Sharkey and you could sense it was going to be Ballaghadereen’s day.
The east Mayo men kept driving on with Owen Jordan and Seamus Cunniffe continuing to lock down their defence and Kuba Callaghan, Cormac Doohan and sub Thomas Carmody tagging on points to stretch out their lead to seven at the end.
Ballaghaderreen got their match-ups right and won those duels with Sharoize Akram besting Paddy Durcan and David Drake winning his contest with Neil Douglas to lay the foundation of their victory.
It will be Ballaghaderreen’s first final appearance since 2012 when they saw off their opponents in this years showpiece Ballintubber.
They are also the last side outside of Ballintubber and Castlebar Mitchels to win the title since 2010.
Scorers for Ballaghaderreen: Ryan Lynch, Cormac Doohan 0-4 each, Andy Moran 0-3 (0-1f), Kuba Callaghan 0-2, Dylan Feeney, Thomas Carmody 0-1 each.
Scorers for Castlebar Mitchels: Neil Douglas 0-4 (0-1f, 0-1 ’45), James Durcan 0-3, Gavin Durcan 0-1 (0-1f).
Ballaghaderreen
1. Patrick Sharkey
2. David Drake
3. Seamus Cunniffe
4. Peter Kelly
5. David McBrien
6. Owen Jordan
7. Shairoze Akran
8. Darragh Kelly
9. Ryan Lynch
10. Dylan Feeney
11. Cian Hanley
12. Luke O’Grady
13. Cormac Doohan
14. Andy Moran
15. Kuba Callaghan
Subs
17. Aaron Lynch for Peter Kelly
20. Thomas Carmody for Dylan Feeney
18.Conor O’Donnell for Seamus Cunniffe
22. Domhnall Forrest for Owen Jordan
Castlebar Mitchels
1. Rory Byrne
2. Johnny Maughan
3. Donie Newcombe
4. Ray O’Malley
5. Ger McDonagh
6. Eoghan O’Reilly
7. Sean Conlon
11. Donal Vaughan
9. Paddy Durcan
10. Shane Hopkins
14. Neil Douglas
12. James Durcan
13. Cian Costello
23. Bryan Walsh
15. Gavin Durcan
Subs
24. Neil Douglas for Bryan Walsh
18. Fergal Durcan for Cian Costello
26. Barry Moran for Donal Vaughan
19. David Stenson for Shane Hopkins
20. Philip Ruddy for Gavin Durcan
Referee: Vincent Neary (Bonniconlon)
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