Ballinamore Sean O'Heslins guts and resilience defies Eoghan Rua first half onslaught to claim Connacht Intermediate title

They may have done it the hard way but Ballinamore Sean O'Heslins certainly did it with a large dollop of guts, resilience and an iron clad self belief as they defied the absence of Leitrim star Laura O'Dowd and a dominant first half display from Sligo's Eoghan Rua in Markievicz Park on Saturday afternoon to be crowned Connacht LGFA Intermediate Club Champions for 2023.

Laoise Moran's injury time point that put Ballinamore in front was scarcely believable given Eoghan Rua's total dominance of the game as they pushed the Leitrim champions back and controlled the contest only for a crippling lack of accuracy to undermine their efforts.

But under the fiercest pressure, Ballinamore revealed their inner strength and self-belief as they hung on in there, frustrating their Sligo opponents before, after Eoghan Rua opened up what seemed to be a certain match winning four point lead with 12 minutes to go, the Leitrim standard bearers struck with clinical and deadly efficiency.

Wild celebrations as Ballinamore Sean O'Heslins win Connacht LGFA Intermediate title - GALLERY

Markievicz Park was the scene of wild celebrations as Ballinamore Sean O'Heslins defied the odds and a superb Eoghan Rua Sligo team to claim the Connacht LGFA Intermediate Club Championship title on a 1-10 to 1-9 scoreline. Observer photographer Willie Donnellan was there to capture some great images of the celebrations ..... see who you can spot!

There may be a debate over who got the Ballinamore goal that reignited their challenge - first looks suggested that Roisin McHugh high, arching free might have crept beneath the post without a touch but there were those adamant that Sarah McLoughlin, an All-Star all the way back in 2007, got the vital last touch to divert the ball into the net.

For those of us in the press box who declared the game over when Sinead Naughton finally made Eoghan Rua's outfield dominance show on the scoreboard just two minutes earlier, it was a stunning demonstration of Ballinamore's refusal to bend the knee and a killer blow from which the Sligo side never recovered.

In fairness, the press box did agree that if Ballinamore could respond to Naughton's net buster with a goal of their own pretty quickly, the surge in adrenlin and the surge in confidence would be enough to see them across the line and that was how it turned out to be as Roisin McHugh, voted Player of the Match, scored a great effort from play before setting up Laoise Moran for a dramatic winner.

No more than Kiltubrid last year or even Aughawillan in last week's Junior Final, Eoghan Rua will be mystified how they lost this one - they restricted Ballinamore to the odd scoring burst and dominated possession but 13 first half wides, a couple of blocked shots and more missed chances and handling errors in the second half tell the story where the west Sligo outfit lost this contest.

Ballinamore were the first to acknowledge that they rode their luck but often times, they made that very luck with Megan McGovern, Abbi Sweeney, Molly Murphy and Grainne Prior outstanding in the defensive structure. In truth, it was all hands on deck at times and certainly Ballinamore players answered the call with sheer defiance and enormous energy.

What makes the victory all the more notable is that it was achieved without the services of Laura O'Dowd and Emma McGovern from their County Final team. O'Dowd's surging runs and scoring power were undoubtedly missed but in the theme of the day, Ballinamore rose to meet the challenge and met it in spectacular fashion.

The early signs were not good for Ballinamore as, after an early wide for Aoibheann Flynn that should have resulted in a free for a push on the Ballinamore forward, Eoghan Rua camped in the Ballinamore half. Leah Duffy hit two wide, Orla Naughton saw her shot come off the post, Sinead Naughton put a free wide and Louise Lindsay saw an effort blocked.

Of course, Ballinamore would hit back in devastating fashion - good work from Megan McGovern set up Sarah McLoughlin for a fifth minute point and when Ballinamore turned over the kickout, a foul on Lucy Murphy allowed Roisin McHugh convert the free.

Ellen McGuire's long range shot was spilled for a fifty before Duffy hit another bad wide. The corner-forward made amends with a fine point on eight minutes but two wides from Sinead Naughton, one from a free, exacerbated Eoghan Rua's growing unease at all their misses. Duffy burst through two or three players to tie the scores on 12 minutes before adding another wide to Eoghan Rua's collection.

The Ballinamore Sean O'Heslins team who won the 2023 Connacht LGFA IFC Club title in Markievicz Park Picture: Willie Donnellan

Ballinamore broke after thwarting an Eoghan Rua attack, Aoibhe Barrins foul allowing Roisin McHugh to fire over the free on 14 minutes but before Fiona Feeney drew them level six minutes later, spurning a goal chance in the process, Eoghan Rua had wides from Sarah Curley, Lindsay, McGuire and Sarah Feeney.

The trend of Ballinamore threatening in bursts was maintained as, in the space of two minutes, Megan McGovern had a shot blocked and Laoise Moran shot wide while Sarah McLoughlin had an effort come off the post before Grainne Prior burst through and chipped a lovely point.

However, it seemed as if Eoghan Rua were finally finding their scoring touch as they hit four points before the break with a solitary Ballinamore response. Louise Lindsay profited from an interception to score on 23 minutes, Sarah Curley did great work to set up Fiona Feeney for a point and when Orla Naughton broke through, Lindsay again fired high over the bar with a goal opening up in front of her.

Aoibheann Flynn pulled back a point after a wild wide from McGovern with Sinead Naughton converting a last minute free to leave Eoghan Rua 0-7 to 0-5 in front at the break. Eoghan Rua again opened on the attack in the second half but added another wide to their tally before a strong run from Megan McGovern led to a fine point for Laura Maguire.

Ciara O'Dowd had a bad wide but Ballinamore were back level just five minutes in when McHugh converted a free in the left hand corner following persistence from Sarah McLoughlin in winning the ball back. Leah Duffy fired over on eight minutes to restore Eoghan Rua's lead but two minutes later, a foul on Ciara McGoldrick allowed McHugh to convert another free.

Sarah McLoughlin was put through for a goal chance but blasted wide on the near side while Lindsay broke through again on goal after good work from Feeney and sub Keeva Flynn but drover the ball over the bar again midway through the quarter. However, Eoghan Rua made no mistake when they broke up a Ballinamore attack and worked the ball up the field, Orla Naughton providing the final pass to her sister Sinead for a crucial goal.

Captain Grainne Prior lifts the Cup for Ballinamore Sean O'Heslins Picture: Willie Donnellan

Megan McGovern attempted an ambitious cross that just evaded two teammates bearing down on goal but Ballinamore were back right in the game from the resulting kick-out. An Eoghan Rua defender appeared to be pushed as she attempted to gather the ball but she then played the ball away while on the ground. Roisin McHugh lobbed a high free towards the goal, Sarah McLoughlin getting the last touch as the ball crept beneath the crossbar with Eoghan Rua defenders appealing for a square ball.

McLoughlin then turned provider, setting up McHugh for a high, dropping point with eight minutes to go. It was tense stuff from there to the finish with McLoughlin shooting wide with just over two minutes to go but as the game ticked into five minutes of added time, Roisin McHugh's crossfield run saw her spot Laoise Moran off on the right wing and the unmarked defender fired over a brilliant point to put Ballinamore in front.

Eoghan Rua threw everything they could at Ballinamore but O'Heslins defenders stood tall, getting in a hand here and there, Grainne Prior's tackle ending one attack, Megan McGovern coming up with a big tackle as the Sligo side never engineered the chance they needed to send the game to extra-time.

In fact, it was Ballinamore who had the late chances - Ciara McGoldrick had a shot blocked while an unmarked Lucy Murphy behind the defence, put through by McHugh, hit a shot well wide but it didn't matter as the final whistle sounded shortly after to spark wild celebrations for the Leitrim team.

St Brigid's rue missed chances and slow start as clinical Claremorris edge thriller

ST BRIGID'S 2-8 CLAREMORRIS 2-13

BALLINAMORE SEAN O'HESLINS

Scorers: Roisin McHugh 0-5, 3f; Sarah McLoughlin 1-1; Laura Maguire, Laoise Moran, Grainne Prior & Aoibheann Flynn 0-1 each

Team: Leighanne Flynn, Deborah McGourty, Abbi Sweeney, Emma Honeyman, Laoise Moran, Mollie Murphy, Grainne Prior, Megan McGovern, Ciara O'Dowd, Ciara McGoldrick, Roisin McHugh, Laura Maguire, Aoibheann Flynn, Sarah McLoughlin, Lucy Murphy. Subs: Aoibhinn McGoldrick for Maguire (48); Niamh Donohue for O'Dowd (52)

EOGHAN RUA

Scorers: Sinead Naughton 1-1; Louise Lindsay & Leah Duffy 0-3 each; Fiona Feeney 0-2

Team: Lauren Fitzgerald, Clara Battle, Sinead McGinty, Aoibhe Barrins, Sarah Feeney, Orna O'Dowd, Sarah Curley, Louise Lindsay, Ellen McGuire, Laura Conway, Sinead Naughton, Orla Naughton, Fiona Feeney, Sophie Barrins, Leah Duffy. Subs: Keeva Flynn for S Barrins (32); Tara Hastings for A Barrins (38)

Referee: Garryowen McMahon (Mayo)