Ballinamore banish demons of past losses with dominant display

After enduring heartbreak on four occasions in finals in recent years, Ballinamore Sean O’Heslins banished all their demons in style as they blew away St Mary’s Kiltoghert to claim the Gotham Dry Wall LGFA Senior B Championship title on Sunday in Pairc Cil Tiobraid.

Inspired by Player of the Match Roisin McHugh and ably supported by hat-trick hero Aoibheann Flynn, Ballinamore Sean O’Heslins stormed to the title with an inspired display, casting off early St Mary’s goals to crush a team they had already lost to twice this year, earning redemption in the best way possible.

With a midfield diamond of Laura & Ciara O’Dowd, Megan McGovern and McHugh, Ballinamore won the crucial battle for possession in the middle of the park, turning over St Mary’s kickouts time and time again for scores and as they landed the scores, their confidence visibly grew.

Ballinamore Sean O'Heslins celebrate landing Senior B title with devastating performance - GALLERY

After years of heartache in finals, Ballinamore Sean O'Heslins turned on the style in Sunday's Gotham Dry Wall LGFA Senior B Final when they overwhelmed St Mary's Kiltoghert 5-15 to 3-5 in Pairc Cil Tiobraid. Observer photographer Willie Donnellan was there to capture the celebrations ... see who you can spot!

St Mary’s had come out of blocks best thanks to goals from Elise Bruen and Aisling Leahy as Ballinamore must have thought history was repeating itself, the Carrick women deadly in taking chances while they themselves missed a few gilt edged opportunities.

But this O’Heslins team was filled with resolve and two Aoibheann Flynn goals in the final three minutes of the first half transformed the contest, turning a tied game into a seven point halftime lead from Ballinamore and they never looked back.

Gone was any hesitancy as the Ballinamore defence closed down St Mary’s attack completely while the inaccuracy that has often plagued a very talented team was gone in the second half, the winners hitting an incredible 2-8 to St Mary’s 1-2 to seal a thoroughly deserved victory.

Truth be told, four or five players were in the running for Player of the match but the sheer scale of Roisin McHugh’s contribution, through scoring 1-8 or providing assists or winning dirty ball, meant she was an easy choice for the going.

That midfield diamond of McHugh, McGovern and the O’Dowd sisters was huge - their physical strength, ability to break with pace and angles of attack had a battling but overpowered St Mary’s defence in trouble and despite their best efforts, Ballinamore stormed to the title.

Aoibheann Flynn was the attacking edge of this Ballinamore team, plundering three goals but the link up play of Emma McGovern was also important. In defence, Abbi Sweeney and Mollie Murphy led a very disciplined unit that didn’t really give St Mary’s the oxygen of goals that they so desperately needed.

For St Mary’s, it was disappointment on the day but a young team will have learned so much from this encounter. Jasmine Maye was probably the best defender on the park while the Bruen sisters, Sarah & Emily Reynolds and Roisin Kelleher battled but they just couldn’t match the strength in depth and experience of their opponents.

The Ballinamore Sean O'Heslins team who defeated St Mary's to win the Gotham Dry Wall LGFA Senior B title on Sunday in Pairc Cil Tiobraid Picture: Willie Donnellan

Aisling Leahy opened the scoring from a second minute free but Ballinamore were threatening with Roisin McHugh cracking a shot off the crossbar while Ciara McGoldrick got in behind the St Mary’s and looked like she may have been fouled but the ball was cleared.

A goal did come - at the other end as the long ball saw Lorraine Butler and Aisling Leahy combine to free Elise Bruen who fired a cracking shot to the Ballinamore net after just seen minutes.

Roisin McHugh hit a fine point on the run, Aoibheann Flynn put a shot across the face of the goal before a long ball broke off players battling for the ball and Roisin McHugh broke free, rounded the keeper to plant the ball in the net, tying the scores after ten minutes.

A one-two with her sister Laura saw Ciara O’Dowd edge Ballinamore in front for the first time a minute later but after Roisin Kelleher saw a shot cannon off the woodwork, St Mary’s rocked them back on their heels when Aisling Leahy drove the ball to the net to put them two points up.

Elise Bruen fired over from distance after a Kelleher pass with both teams hitting bad wides while Jasmine Maye seemed to appear out of nowhere to block an Aoibheann Flynn shot when it appeared as if the corner forward would goal.

McHugh and Leahy swapped points but after a vital block on a Sarah Reynolds shot, O’Heslins drew level with good points from Flynn and McHugh before they took complete control when a long range McHugh shot saw Aoibheann Flynn show great awareness to nip in ahead of the keeper and divert the ball to the net.

Ballinamore were flying right now with Emma McGovern finishing a length of the field move with a good point in the final seconds of normal time and they took complete control in injury time when Ciara O’Dowd’s shot was half-blocked but Aoibheann Flynn reacted quickest to fire a brilliant shot to the St Mary’s net.

From being a goal down with six minutes left in the half, Ballinamore now had a 3-7 to 2-3 halftime lead and they quickly set about expanding that seven point lead as Megan McGovern hit a lovely point from the corner in the first minute. Despite Laura O’Dowd blasting a goal chance wide, two McHugh points kept the scoreboard ticking over.

The St Mary's Kiltoghert team who were defeated by Ballinamore Sean O'Heslins in the Gotham Dry Wall LGFA Senior B title on Sunday in Pairc Cil Tiobraid Picture: Willie Donnellan

From a St Mary’s kickout, which Ballinamore put under huge pressure throughout the game and got huge gains from, Roisin McHugh released Aoibheann Flynn to fire home her third goal of the contest, virtually killing off the game as O’Heslins now led by 14 points.

A strong run from Sarah Reynolds set up Roisin Kelleher for St Mary’s first score of the second half after 43 minutes but McHugh replied almost instantly from a free. Aoibheann Flynn fired over another point while Laura O’Dowd saw a shot come off the woodwork.

St Mary’s, to their credit, never gave up as Aisling Leahy had a shot cleared off the line and Sarah Reynolds cracked a powerful shot off the crossbar. Elise Bruen also saw a shot saved by keeper Leighanne Flynn.

However, the Carrick women did breach the Ballinamore defence when a low and powerfully driven Leahy free ricocheted off a defender into the net. But Ballinamore’s response was deadly as almost instantly, they went the length of the field with Aoibheann Flynn providing the final pass for Laura O’Dowd to palm the ball to the net.

O’Dowd would add two more points to her tally either side of a Leahy free as Ballinamore celebrated finally ending a series of tough losses in finals going back to 2020.

Late goal seals Melvin Gaels place in Final

MELVIN GAELS 1-6 KILTUBRID 0-6

BALLINAMORE SEAN O’HESLINS

Scorers: Roisin McHugh 1-8, 5f; Aoibheann Flynn 3-2; Laura O’Dowd 1-2; Ciara O’Dowd, Megan McGovern & Emma McGovern 0-1 each

Team: Leighanne Flynn, Grainne Prior, Abbi Sweeney, Lisa Maguire, Emma Honeyman, Mollie Murphy, Laoise Moran King, Megan McGovern, Laura O’Dowd, Ciara O’Dowd, Roisin McHugh, Ciara McGoldrick, Emma McGovern, Sarah McLoughlin, Aoibheann Flynn. Subs: Deborah McGourty for Maguire (21); Emma McKiernan for E McGovern (45); Lucy Murphy for Moran King (55)

ST MARY’S KILTOGHERT

Scorers: Aisling Leahy 2-3, 3f; Elise Bruen 1-1; Roisin Kelleher 0-1

Team: Caroline Guckian, Emily Reynolds, Jasmine Maye, Isabelle Chandler, Ellie Barnes, Kasey Bruen, Blaithin McCrann, Enya McWeeney, Elise Bruen, Emma Clarke, Sarah Reynolds, Sara Crowe, Roisin Kelleher, Lorraine Butler, Aisling Leahy. Subs: Ellen Woods for Clarke (21); Hannah Stenson & Abi King for Chandler & Kelleher (44); Ellie Butler for Crowe (48); Aine Morgan for E Reynolds (53)

Referee: Enda Egan