Colm Gannon reports from Hastings Insurance MacHale Park
TIME WAS SLIPPING away, the scoreboard wasn’t in their favour, but Ballina Stephenites didn’t panic and in MacHale Park on Saturday evening, they delivered a comeback for the ages, to claim three titles in a row.
Three minutes into injury time, trailing by two, Ballina were patient, probing, holding possession like their season depended on it – because it did. Eventually, the ball found its way to Evan Regan. The man for the moment. He steadied himself, picked his spot, and split the posts. Level game.
Extra time loomed, but Ballina weren’t done. They turned Westport over, Conor McStay took charge, spotted Regan peeling off the shoulder and slipped him the ball. Regan didn’t break stride and he curled over a winner, what an ending, what a game and what a way to win it.
The drama started early. Just 16 seconds in, Finbar McLaughlin got on the end of a Eoghan McLaughlin pass and palmed it past David Clarke. Paddy O’Malley added a monster free, and Westport were five up inside three minutes.
Ballina responded through a Regan two pointer of his own and a Mike Murray point, but Westport were flying. Joey Holmes clipped over three in the first half, and Rory Brickenden’s booming two-pointer sent them in 1-10 to 0-6 ahead at the break.
Killian Kilkelly stretched the lead further after the restart, and when McLaughlin and Kilkelly added two more, Westport were 1-14 to 0-7 up with 12 minutes to go in normal time. Game over? Not quite.
🤯 THE EVAN REGAN SHOW!
Ballina have won the Mayo Senior Football Championship with the last kick of the game after an unbelievable comeback against @westportgaa
At this stage of the game Ballina had lost Padraig O’Hora to injury, Westport lost Eoghan McLaughlin.
Could Westport hold out and see the remaining minutes out or could Ballina find another gear. It turned out they could find at least two more.
Regan’s quick thinking to have a go at goal from a close range free took a deflection and nestled in the net. Then Frank Irwin’s 45 dropped short, and Dylan Thornton burst through the bodies to get the vital touch to make it 2-7 to 1-14. Game on.
Kilkelly steadied Westport with a free, but Ballina were surging. Irwin pointed, McStay pounced after Callinan’s goal effort was blocked, and Regan slotted a free in injury time to bring it back to a two-point game and there was still time for more than one last twist.
Ballina held the ball, waited for the moment, and when it came, Regan didn’t miss level with injury time almost up.
But the drama wasn’t done yet, McStay got the ball, and spotted Regan breaking into space, come the time come the hour and when Regan collected the ball and had the goal in his sights he wasn’t going to miss.
A three-in-a-row sealed in the most amazing way possible and the 39th Mayo senior title heading home with the Stephenites.
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Regan the hero as Ballina produce late rally to win third Mayo SFC title in a row
Ballina 2-13
Westport 1-15
Colm Gannon reports from Hastings Insurance MacHale Park
TIME WAS SLIPPING away, the scoreboard wasn’t in their favour, but Ballina Stephenites didn’t panic and in MacHale Park on Saturday evening, they delivered a comeback for the ages, to claim three titles in a row.
Three minutes into injury time, trailing by two, Ballina were patient, probing, holding possession like their season depended on it – because it did. Eventually, the ball found its way to Evan Regan. The man for the moment. He steadied himself, picked his spot, and split the posts. Level game.
Extra time loomed, but Ballina weren’t done. They turned Westport over, Conor McStay took charge, spotted Regan peeling off the shoulder and slipped him the ball. Regan didn’t break stride and he curled over a winner, what an ending, what a game and what a way to win it.
The drama started early. Just 16 seconds in, Finbar McLaughlin got on the end of a Eoghan McLaughlin pass and palmed it past David Clarke. Paddy O’Malley added a monster free, and Westport were five up inside three minutes.
Ballina responded through a Regan two pointer of his own and a Mike Murray point, but Westport were flying. Joey Holmes clipped over three in the first half, and Rory Brickenden’s booming two-pointer sent them in 1-10 to 0-6 ahead at the break.
Killian Kilkelly stretched the lead further after the restart, and when McLaughlin and Kilkelly added two more, Westport were 1-14 to 0-7 up with 12 minutes to go in normal time. Game over? Not quite.
At this stage of the game Ballina had lost Padraig O’Hora to injury, Westport lost Eoghan McLaughlin.
Could Westport hold out and see the remaining minutes out or could Ballina find another gear. It turned out they could find at least two more.
Regan’s quick thinking to have a go at goal from a close range free took a deflection and nestled in the net. Then Frank Irwin’s 45 dropped short, and Dylan Thornton burst through the bodies to get the vital touch to make it 2-7 to 1-14. Game on.
Kilkelly steadied Westport with a free, but Ballina were surging. Irwin pointed, McStay pounced after Callinan’s goal effort was blocked, and Regan slotted a free in injury time to bring it back to a two-point game and there was still time for more than one last twist.
Ballina held the ball, waited for the moment, and when it came, Regan didn’t miss level with injury time almost up.
But the drama wasn’t done yet, McStay got the ball, and spotted Regan breaking into space, come the time come the hour and when Regan collected the ball and had the goal in his sights he wasn’t going to miss.
A three-in-a-row sealed in the most amazing way possible and the 39th Mayo senior title heading home with the Stephenites.
Ballina: Evan Regan (1-8, 2tp, 3f), Dylan Thornton (1-0) Frank Irwin (0-2), Mike Murray (0-1), Conor McStay (0-1), Padraig O’Hora (0-1)
Westport: Killian Kilkelly (0-6, 5f) Finbar McLaughlin (1-1), Joey Holmes (0-3), Paddy O’Malley (0-2, 1tpf), Rory Brickenden (0-2, 1tp), Mark Moran (0-1)
Ballina Stephenites
1. David Clarke
2. Liam Golden, 3. Luke Jordan, 4. Ciaran Boland
5. Sam Callinan, 22. Padraig O’Hora, 7. David Tighe
8. Mike Murray, 9. Frank Irwin
10. Dylan Thornton, 11. Conor McStay, 12. Niall Feeney
13. Evan Regan, 21. Jack Irwin, 25. Luke Doherty
Subs:
Westport
1. Paddy O’Malley
2. Ben Doyle, 3. Niall McManamon, 4. Brian McDermott
5. Conal Dawson, 6. Eoghan McLaughlin, 7. Finbar McLaughlin
8. Rory Brickenden, 21. Ryan Askin
10. Luke Tunney, 11. Joey Holmes, 12. Brian O’Malley
13. Lorcan Silke, 14. Killian Kilkelly, 29. Mark Moran.
Subs:
Referee: Kevin Connolly (Hollymount-Carramore)
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Ballina GAA champ champs Gaelic Football Mayo SFC Westport GAA