July 27th 2019 – Mayo Senior League Division 1A

Ballintubber 0-12 Garrymore 0-9

With us sitting far too close to the bottom of the Divsion 1A league table we claimed two badly needed points in Garrymore on Saturday evening. Having been comprehensively turned over in this fixture last season, it was the Abbeysiders who had the slight edge over the hosts. In a tight but relatively low-scoring game, it was the accuracy of Stephen O’Malley and Alan Dillon that made the difference for us. Both chipped in with vital scores in either half while the experience and composure of Jason Gibbons, Damien Coleman and Tom Earley stood to the Abbeysiders throughout. The visitors’ discipline in defence and patience in attack ensure that they never let the lead slip once they went in front. At the other end, Garrymore’s doggedness didn’t translate into sufficient scores as they found themselves overly reliant on young corner-forward Paul Deeley.

We lined out without three of the O’Connor brothers, Brian Walsh and Michael Plunkett, while Shane Nally and David Dolan were Garrymore’s most notable absentees. Regardless, both teams gave away very little soft ball were clearly sharp, fit and well-drilled. Bar one second-half effort from Alan Plunkett which hit the post, neither team ever looked like threatening the others’ goal.

Both sides traded early scores from the throw-in, with Paul Deely marking himself out as Garry’s main scoring threat. Scores from Alan Dillon and Stephen O’Malley followed before Noel Geraghty pointed when he attempted to chip Brian Lynskey after a poor kick-out. This left us three points in front, a sizeable lead in a game in which scores were scarce. Despite two converted frees from the impressive Paul Deeley, the Abbeysiders remained three up at half time courtesy of a Ciarán Gavin point and an outstanding effort from the ageless Alan Dillon way out on the left wing.

Garrymore were hampered in the second by some poor shooting while they lacked any clear scoring outlet outside of Paul Deely. All the while we were miserly in defence with Gary Loftus and Finian Burke making a number of key interventions. Despite good work from the likes of Gary Golden and Micháel Connolly the hosts found scores hard to come by. Two points from Stephen O’Malley – including one splendid effort from an awkward angle – in between two Paul Deeley singles kept Ballintubber a safe distance ahead. A good score from Jason Gibbons and a Stephen O’Malley free stretched out to five with ten minutes remaining.

Never a team to surrender, Garrymore kept plugging away and capitalised on a minor lapse in the visitors’ play. A few basic errors for the county champions saw the momentum briefly swing back in the direction of the hosts. The hosts reduced the gap to three when veteran attacker Jimmy Killeen pointed a routine free while Mayo panellist Caolan Crowe also got his name on the scoreboard. Despite a generous five minutes additional time being played, time ran out for Garrymore who were bested by a better Ballintubber team.

Ballintubber team that line out: Brendan Walsh, Gary Loftus, Joe Geraghty, Finian Burke, Damien Coleman, Tom Early, Myles Kelly,  Jason Gibbons (0-1,) Ciarán Gavin (0-1), Jarlath Stanton, Alan Plunkett (0-1), Alan Dillon (0-2), Noel Geraghty (0-1), Padriac O’Connor, Stephen O’Malley (0-6, 2f)

Substitutions used: Jack Walsh for Myles Kelly (inj), Hugh Geraghty for Tom Early, Ray Geraghty for Padraic O’Connor

May 18^th 2019 - Mayo Junior Football Championship

Ballintubber 3-9 Tuar Mhic Éadaigh 1-7

Hopes of a tight, tenacious local derby weren’t quite realised on Saturday evening as our Juniors advanced comfortably to the quarter-finals of the Mayo Junior Championship. With both Tourmackeady and Killala both without a single point, ourselves and Kilmaine will now face off in a dead rubber with both having secured their places in the knockout stages.

Despite being well-matched in the physicality stakes and playing with fourteen (and eventually thirteen) men for half the game, we were simply a step above in this local derby. With most of our team no more than a few years either side of twenty, it was youth and experienced that seized the day yet again. Buttressed by seasoned campaigners such as Tom and Paul Earley and captain Kevin Shannon, this youthful Ballintubber team never looked like losing this one.

With two goals and a point bridging the gap between the sides at half time, the Gaeltacht men couldn’t make the extra man count. With Noel Geraghty having being given a straight red, we still maintained control. When Dean Loftus blasted home a third goal early in the second half, the game was all but killed as a contest. A late from Kevin Dolan proved no more than a minor consolation for the visitors.

With a cool, gentle breeze blowing behind their backs, it was Tourmackeady who had taken the lead through a Kevin Dolan free. Captain Darren Kelly and Stephen Staunton also showed well in the early stages as it appeared the visitors would make a game of it. However, we made an early statement of intent when wing-back John Kerrigan forced Lawrence Connellan to tip his goal attempt over the bar. The Abbeysiders goaled in the tenth minute when our big full-forward Dean Loftus set up Noel Geraghty to finish from point blank.

Kevin Dolan replied for Tourmackeady with two neat scores before Matthew Fox and David McHale cancelled them out with a point each. Stephen Staunton pointed for the visitors before Darren Kelly got a fist to a long-range free which forced a reflex save from Tubber’s Niall Staunton. A second point from David McHale put four between the teams before Ballintubber’s Noel Geraghty was sent off for a striking offence.

When it appeared as if the momentum would swing in Tourmackeady’s direction, the Abbeysiders made light of Geraghty’s dismissal when the lively Alan McHale set up Gavin Roache to palm in their second goal.

Leading 2-5 to 0-4 in the third quarter, we laughed off their opponent’s numerical advantage when Dean Loftus took a clever foot pass from Alan McHale before rifling home in an impressive manner. With both teams now seeming to accept their fate, the visitors seemed bereft of inspiration in the forwards.  Our otherwise watertight full-back line was breached when veteran Kevin Dolan soccer-styled into the net after his initial shot was saved by Niall Staunton. In a game which saw its fair share of cards, a second straight red was shown to substitute Darragh McGovern late on. This helped the visitors plug a pair of points through Niall O Donnell and Jack Horan, but it made little difference to a game which had been settled long before.

Ballintubber team: (1)Niall Staunton (2)Jack Walsh (3)Kevin Shannon (4)Finian Burke (5)Jarlath Staunton (6)Paul Earley (7)John Kerrigan (8)Tom Earley (9)David McHale (0-2), (10)Noel Geraghty (1-1) (11)Dean Loftus (1-0) (22)Gavin Roache (1-0) (18)Matthew Fox (0-1, 1f) (14)Hugh Geraghty (0-3, 2f) (15)Alan McHale

Substitutions used: Aaron Lally for Gavin Roache, Darragh McGovern for Gavin Roache

May 12th 2019 Mayo Senior League Division 4
Knockmore 4-6 Ballintubber 0-6
It was a game of two halves for our Juniors in Knockmore today as four second half goals from the home side killed any chance of us coming away with a result.
Lining out without the experienced heads of Tom Earley and Stephen Broderick and with some lads playing their second game in 24 hours, we were below strength from the start. The cool, swirling breeze blowing across the field made kicking awkward for both teams, resulting in only three points being scored in the first half. Several of our shots dropped short in the opening exchanges, with the first thirty minutes producing few noteworthy moments.
Our first score didn’t arrive until the 23rd minute when Finian Bourke pointed to the level the game. Matthew Fox added a second from the left-hand side two minutes later for the final point of the half. A goal before half-time from wing-forward Stephen Finnerty was ruled out for being fist-passed into the net, leaving the half-time score at an uninspiring 0-2 to 0-1 in our favour.
With both teams playing well within themselves, a Hugh Geraghty free for the Red and White cancelled out an earlier Knockmore score. The hammer blow then arrived in the 41st minute when a long when the hosts got their first goal. A long, looping ball appeared to hit the back of Niall Staunton’s goal before Knockmore’s full-forward made sure by burying the rebound in the back of the net. Hugh Geraghty would  v add another free before the North Mayo side raised two green flags in a minute through James Ruddy and Kieran Langan. With the scores at 3-4 to 0-4, there was well and truly no way back for the Abbeysiders.
We managed to muster two points through Alan McHale in the final ten minutes as James Ruddy and Kieran Langan raised a white flag each. The home side put the foot down in injury time when they added Goal Number 4 to stretch the deficit to 12 points, an outcome which few would’ve envisaged at the half time break!
Ballintubber team that line out: (1)Niall Staunton (2)Jack Walsh (3)Kevin Shannon (4)Finian Bourke (0-1) (5)Jarlath Staunton (6)Paul Earley (7)Aaron Lally (17)David McHale (9)John Kerrigan (10)Stephen Finnerty (11)Hugh Geraghty (0-2, 2f) (12)Gavin Roache (13)Matthew Fox (0-1) (14)Dean Loftus (15)Alan McHale (0-2, 1f)
Substitutions used: Liam Feeney for Hugh Geraghty, Seamus Thomas for Gavin Roache, Adam Lally for Jarlath Staunton, James McGing for Matthew Fox

April 28^th 2019 Mayo Senior League Division 4

 Ballintubber 2-8 Davitts 0-6

Our junior team continued their good form of late with a home win over Davitts in Ballintubber today. Despite us playing within ourselves somewhat with a number of unforced errors, we took our scores when it counted and displayed superior fitness level throughout. Played out in cool and calm conditions, goals in either half from Alan McHale and Hugh Geraghty ensured that we were never given cause to panic at any stage.

With a midfield aged over 70 and a half forward line of about 60 years combined, our mix of youth and experience blended well yet again. Indeed, it was three men still playing Minor and U21 football who kicked all of our first half tally of 1-4. While Davitts could only manage one point before 25^th minute Matthew Fox and Noel Geraghty had 0-3 between them on the board by the 11^th minute. We then landed a crucial score when Noel Geraghty found Alan McHale with a superb ball before the teenager turned and stuck the ball in the net.

Despite us hitting something of a lull at this point with some sloppy passing play, Davitts couldn’t really get going. Minor footballer Jack Walsh and veteran full-back Kevin Shannon minded the house well, ensuring that the visitors only landed two more points before the break. In the meantime, Noel Geraghty landed another free before Alan McHale set up a goal chance for elder statesman Stephen Broderick who dragged his shot wide.

We started the second half in ideal fashion as Broderick set up Hugh Geraghty from a free for the Cartoonbower man to finish our second goal from close range. The game could’ve been thrown back into the melting pot minutes later but for a crucial save from Ballintubber goalie Tom McGing. With Davitts not seriously threatening our lead besides, we added three scores in a row through full-forward Dean Loftus and the newly-introduced David McHale, while Noel Geraghty added the pick of the scores with a very well-taken point. Matthew Fox pointed a free for what would be our final score before the final whistle.

Ballintubber team that lined out: (1)Tom McGing (2)Jack Walsh (3)Kevin Shannon (4)Aaron Lally (5)Jarlath Staunton (6)Paul Earley (7)John Kerrigan (8)Tom Earley (9)Stephen Broderick (10)Noel Geraghty (0-3, 1f) (11)Hugh Geraghty (1-0) (12)Gavin Roache (19)Matthew Fox (0-3, 2f) (14)Dean Loftus (0-1) (13)Alan McHale (1-0)

Substitutions used: David McHale (0-1) for Tom Earley, Stephen Finnerty for Hugh Geraghty, James McGing for Noel Geraghty, Alan Larkin for Dean Loftus

April 21^st 2019 - Mayo Junior Football Championship Round 1

Ballintubber 2-13 Killala 1-8

Our juniors got their Championship campaign off to a superb start today with a thoroughly convincing win over Killala. The young side which lined out today (nearly all under the age of 25 and with two still Minor) coupled with the experienced heads of the likes of Kevin Shannon, Stephen Broderick and former Senior captain Tom Earley, had this one all  but wrapped up at half-time. With Finian Burke and Noel and Hugh Geraghty all having featured for the seniors the day before, this was a proper 15-man performance from Michael Kerrigan’s men. Despite hitting somewhat of a lull in the second half in the face of a notorious Atlantic breeze our lads had this one all but wrapped up at half-time with a tally of 2-7 compared to a single point for the hosts.

We made a statement straight out of the traps when rookie corner-forward Alan McHale delivered a lovely lateral kick to Matthew Fox, who proceeding to fire home our first goal of the game. From there we took advantage of the wind and reeled off seven more unanswered scores. The Geraghty brothers were in fine form, helping themselves to four points between them while midfielder David McHale also split the posts. Alan McHale then turned scorer, landing his tally of 1-2 in eleven minutes. His goal came when Matthew Fox returned McHale’s earlier favour by setting him up with a fisted pass which he eventually rifled home along the ground.

At the other end, a rare positive moment for Killala anti-climaxed when David Lowther hit a penalty kick to the left and wide of Niall Staunton’s goal. They did tap over a simple free in the final minute of the half, leaving them to trail by 12 points at half time with no way back in sight.

We kept up the momentum early in the second half, with Hugh Geraghty landing two very impressive frees into the breeze while David McHale and full-forward Darragh McGovern landed a point each. Killala were then denied a genuine goal chance when Niall Staunton smothered a shot on goal before John Kerrigan deflected the rebound out for a ’45. The North Mayo men then proceeded to land 1-2 without reply. Their only goal came when Stephen Broderick made a rare mistake in giving away the ball before it ended up in the back of the our net after only two passes.

However, Ballintubber’s adopted son made amends four minutes later with a fine point down at the other end. Noel Geraghty added our final score from a free while brother Hugh was unfortunate to get sent off. However there was no way back for the home side as we would prevail by an eight-point winning margin.

 

 

Ballintubber team that lined out: (1)Niall Staunton (2)Jack Walsh (3)Kevin Shannon (4)Finian Burke (5)Gavin Roache (6)Tom Earley (7)John Kerrigan (19)David McHale (0-2) (9)Stephen Broderick (0-1) (10)Noel Geraghty (0-4, 2f) (11)Hugh Geraghty (0-3, 3f) (12)Jarlath Staunton (13)Matthew Fox (1-0) (14)Darragh McGovern (0-1) (15)Alan McHale (1-2, 1f)

Substitutions used: Aaron Lally for Finian Burke, Dean Loftus for Darragh McGovern

April 20th 2019 – Mayo Senior League Division 1A
Ballintubber 0-10 Aghamore 1-10
Our seniors shipped their first defeat of the Mayo Senior League in Ballintubber this evening as we fell somewhat flat in the second half, failing to score for a full 18 minutes. With both sides deprived of their Mayo players neither team really dominated in perfect footballing conditions. We were hampered early on by the withdrawal of Alan Dillon with who had tweaked his hamstring while a few refereeing decisions went against us in the second half. In the end, it was a first half goal from Aghamore’s Conor Kilkenny which proved to be the difference between the two teams as the East Mayo side came away with both points.
Former Mayo forward Alan Freeman got the scoreboard ticking with two points in two minutes before Keelan McDonnell and Padraic O’Connor landed our first two scores. The pivotal moment of the game arrived in only the sixth minute when Aghamore’s James McNieve set up wing-back Conor Kilkenny. Kilkenny then let loose a shot which Tom McGing got a touch to but was unable to keep out, thus raising the only green flag of the game.
Our misfortune was compounded when Alan Dillon had to go off with a tweaked hamstring, and from then on we lacked a bit up front. Indeed, we never came even remotely close to troubling Adam Byrne in the Aghamore goal as we failed to create any serious goal chance. We did manage to string together a few nice moves after Dillon’s departure which resulted in points for Alan Plunkett and Keelan McDonnell and two converted frees from Stephen O’Malley which levelled the game. Aghamore replied with four unanswered scores as Ross Egan and Alan Freeman put our full-back line to the test.
Trailing by four at the break, Alan Plunkett and Brian Walsh pointed the first two scores of the half with substitute Noel Geraghty adding a third. With only a point separating the sides and Jason Gibbons dominating centre field, we failed to build sufficient momentum and failed to score for 18 minutes. In what was at times quite a physical battle, a number of stoppages in the play didn’t do us any favours while a number of refereeing decisions went against us.
The visitor’s got off the mark for the second half on the 47th minute when Ross Egan pointed a free. Subsitute Jack Higgins added a single before Egan pointed another dead ball for their final score of the game.
Our second half scoring drought was ended when a Stephen O’Malley free brought the deficit back to three. However the goal chance that we needed never materialised as Aghamore held out for the win.
Ballintubber team that lined out: (1)Tom McGing (2)Gary Loftus (3)Joe Geraghty (4)Finian Burke (5)Hugh Geraghty (6)Damien Coleman (7)Myles Kelly (8)Brian Walsh (0-1) (9)Jason Gibbons (10)Jamsie Finnerty (11)Alan Plunkett (0-2) (12)Keelan McDonnell (0-2) (13)Padraic O’Connor (0-1) (14)Alan Dillon (15)Stephen O’Malley (0-3, 3f)
Substitutions used: Noel Geraghty (0-1) for Alan Dillon, John Kerrigan for Hugh Geraghty

April 19th 2019 – Minor League Division 2

Ballintubber 2-16 The Neale 2-8
As reported by Oisín McGovern.
Our Minor team impressed in Division 2 with a solid victory over The Neale on Friday evening. An open, attacking 13-a-side game was served up by both sides with an abundance of kick-passing, but it was John McHale and Gary Dillon’s charges who won out with superior firepower. All but one of our forwards finished with at least two scores to their name while Alan McHale was lively throughout and had a huge hand in setting up goals for Bobby Reilly and Robbie Finnerty. At the back Magnus Malone and Jack Walsh stood out for the Red and White with a number of key interventions while Bobby Reilly and Cillian Redmond worked tirelessly at midfield.
It was the Neale who lead in the early stages when they cancelled out Stephen Burke’s opening score with a goal after a solo run from their corner-forward. The visitors added a pointed free before the Abbeysiders fought back, with Stephen Burke sending a beautiful foot pass into Alan McHale who wove his way inside to set up Bobby Reilly who drove home the ball from close range.
We would stretch our lead to six points over the next twenty minutes as Reilly, Robbie Finnerty, Josh Mahon and Adam Lally all raised white flags. The visitors were awarded a penalty three minutes from the break which they duly converted before adding a point to their tally a minute later, leaving the half-time score at 1-8 to 2-3.
The Neale would level matters with two unanswered points before a quick succession of scores from Robbie Finnerty steered us back in front. The younger brother of Conor and Jamsie Finnerty hit over two points before Alan McHale gave him a sublime foot-pass which, after some good work on Finnerty’s part, ended up nestled in the back of the net. A point each from Damien Jennings, Josh Mahon and Stephen Burke put us eight points ahead just before the fifty-minute mark.
Our goalie Matthew Coyne wasn’t found wanting when called upon to smother a serious attempt on goal by the away side, one which could well have swung the momentum had it gone in. Nonetheless, our Minors saw the game out comfortably as Damien Jennings pointed his second score before Robert Finnerty added his fifth and sixth points.
Ballintubber team that lined out: (1)Matthew Coyne (2)Jack Walsh (4)Michael Fleming (5)Magnus Malone (6)Adam Lally (0-1) (7)Diarmuid Heneghan (8)Cillian Redmond (9)Bobby Reilly (1-1) (10)Josh Mahon (0-3) (11)Robbie Finnerty (1-6) (12)Stephen Bourke (0-3) (13)Damien Jennings (0-2) (15)Alan McHale
Substitutions used: Caolan Burke for Michael Fleming (blood sub)

April 13th 2019 
Mayo Senior Football Championship
Ballintubber 0-18 Hollymount 1-3
Our defence of the Moclair Cup has gotten off to the perfect start in “The Saucer” today with an emphatic victory over Hollymount/Carramore. Leading by four points at half time we completely controlled the game in the second half, so much so that apart from a solitary Robert Molloy effort at the death, the home side failed to score in the second half. Fine displays in the Red and White jersey were too numerous to name, as we were on top in every single department. Mayo football was given a huge lift when Cillian O’Connor strode onto the pitch in the second half, chipping in with a point and was very unlucky not to finish with a goal. 
Playing with a powerful breeze at our backs we clocked up six unanswered points through Ciaran Gavin, Diarmuid O’Connor, Stephen O’Malley and Michael Plunkett in the first twenty minutes. Having struggled to seriously get going, the home side started to make a game of it when Kevin Feerick blasted home a goal and a point. A point from Darren Coen briefly brought it back to a one-point game. Indeed, it would prove to be one of the only occasions on which he bested Gary Loftus, who marshalled the Mayo panellist superbly all afternoon. A pair of points from Alan Dillon (including one superb score from distance) and a single from Stephen O’Malley left the scores at 0-9 to 1-2 in our favour at the break.
If anything, Kevin Johnson’s men went up a few gears facing into a formidable second half breeze. Our domination of possession and midfield was almost total, as Hollymount/Carramore could scarcely lay a glove on us at times. All nine of our second-half points were reeled off with barely as much as a whimper from the home side, who rarely even came close to scoring. Stephen O’Malley and Keelan McDonnell landed early points before D’OC split the posts with a screamer from a distance that beggared belief.
Mid-way through the second half and with the result all but secured, Padraic O’Connor made way for younger brother Cillian who got to work immediately. His first major contribution came when he shook the side netting of the opposition goalmouth with a serious attempt on goal. Another pair of points from Stephen O’Malley followed before Mayo’s leading point-scorer raised his first white flag of the year. Indeed, the Cranmore marksman might’ve made it a perfect comeback when yet another goal attempt walloped off the crossbar before finding its way to Jason Gibbons who settled for a point.
The hosts had been kept scoreless for an entire 31 minutes before Robert Molloy pointed a consolation, the only blot on what was an otherwise seriously impressive performance from our Seniors. 
Ballintubber team that lined out: (1)Tom McGing (2)Gary Loftus (3)Joe Geraghty (4)Myles Kelly (5)Damien Coleman (6)Michael Plunkett (0-1) (7)Ruadhri O’Connor (8)Jason Gibbons (0-1) (9)Diarmuid O’Connor (0-3, 1’45) (10)Ciarán Gavin (0-2, 2f) (11)Alan Dillon (0-3) (12)Keelan McDonnell (0-2) (13)Padraic O’Connor (14)Alan Plunkett (15)Stephen O’Malley (0-5, 2f)
Substitutions used: Brian Walsh for Ciarán Gavin (half-time), Jamsie Finnerty for Joe Geraghty (inj.), Cillian O’Connor (0-1) for Padraic O’Connor