Ballinamore finish strongest in Cloone to win Junior B championship

Ballinamore's late push points them out of reach as they claimed the Fresh Today Junior B Championship in Cloone on Saturday.

The repeat meeting of the clubs who contested the senior final in August marked the last championship of the season, and Ballinamore showed what they were capable of as they broke through the Leitrim Gaels cover at pace, with early Dillon Beirne finishing off the move to put them ahead in a game where they would never fall behind.

Ballinamore looked like they might have the hardware to take off by the end of the game, and they did, wrestling away momentum from a rousing Leitrim Gaels to kick on with five unanswered points in the last ten minutes.

Leitrim Gaels looked less assured up front early on as they dropped shots from Oisin Curley and Aaron Farrell into the waiting hands of Ballinamore keeper Harry Prior. Meanwhile, Andrew Burns added another for Ballinamore off his right boot.

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Aaron Farrell got Leitrim Gaels on the board after five minutes with a high looping point off his right boot.

Shane Murphy, sure-footed from frees as he was all day, added another for Ballinamore before swinging a monster free from the edge of the arc up and over the bar for the day’s first two-pointer.

Leitrim Gaels began to find their feet up front as midfielder Conor Guckian took a quick handpass from Fionn Curley and burst through a gap into the scoring chance before pointing off the right.

Shane Murphy missed a free before being gifted another a minute later for a Leitrim Gaels breach of the three-up rule, which he nailed.

Leitrim Gaels hit wides from Fionn Curley and Michael McManus before Shane Murphy added a wide from a Ballinamore free, and Leitrim Gaels got moving again after corner-forward Liam Moreton, quad strapped up, hit a lovely looping point from the edge of the arc.

Leitrim Gaels added another after a Ballinamore defender overcarried the ball in their own 45; Oisin Curley converted from the right-hand side.

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They hit another off a good patient attack, dragging Ballinamore over to one side before passing back across the arc and getting it to Fionn Curley, who found himself in a huge pocket of space and pointed easily.

The Gaels’ period of dominance was brought abruptly to an end in 23 minutes when Ballinamore centre-forward Dillon Beirne turned over the ball inside the Gaels' defence before giving back to Andrew Burns, who sold a dummy before finishing the ball to the net for the game’s first goal. He followed his goal with a point.

Gaels corner-back Ben Finn got forward to strike back with a point from the Ballinamore 20-metre line.

Robert Casey put in a tremendous block on Andrew Burns to deny Ballinamore another point before half-time.

Ballinamore opened the half on the front foot but couldn’t convert, hitting wides from Matthew Doyle and Brian Tracey.

Leitrim Gaels got their first of the half through an Oisin Curley free from a nasty angle out on the right side.

Ballinamore added another wide from Dillon Beirne before Shane Murphy scored from the thirteen after Eoin Connaughton won a ball free, managing to keep the ball in a swarm of Leitrim Gaels defenders.

The Gaels began knocking on the door for a goal when Liam Moreton got in along the end line and pulled a fine save out of Harry Prior in the Ballinamore goal. A minute later they went one better when a high ball into the box was finished to the net by Conor Guckian with calls of a square ball from Ballinamore supporters.

Ballinamore had fallen into a slump, but Leitrim Gaels sparked them back to life as they created a goal chance down the other end for Aaron Farrell, but Dermot Daly pulled off an excellent save, turning a high shot off the crossbar.

Mark Aherne, who was just subbed on, slotted over a 45 for Ballinamore before Oisin Curley hit back with a free for Leitrim Gaels.

Curley was again impeccable on a free three minutes later from the edge of the arc to pull level. The momentum was firmly with Leitrim Gaels, but that would be Leitrim Gaels’ last score of the game.

Again, Mark Aherne was kicking from the ground from outside the arc, and again he struck it beautifully to give Ballinamore a vital two-pointer.

Ballinamore's superior running ability was shown as they pulled away in the final ten minutes as Andrew Burns ran through and fisted a point.

Murphy pointed again from a free kick before Leitrim Gaels had their second breach of the game, which Murphy slotted over for another point. Ballinamore managed the game well in the last ten minutes before Dessie Wisley fisted over their final point to end the game.

Ballinamore

Harry Prior; Danny Smyth; Jack Cullen; Kian McGovern; Michael McBrien; Paddy Connaughton; Killian Maguire; Andrew Burns; Brian Leyden; Dessie Wisley; Dillion Beirne; James Honeyman; Shane Murphy; Naoise McManus; Eoin Connaughton. Subs: Mark Aherne for Killian Maguire (42); Michael Keegan for James Honeyman (53).

Scorers: Dillion Beirne 0-1; Andrew Burns 1-3; Shane Murphy 0-7, 1tp; Mark Aherne 0-3,145,1tp; Dessie Wisley 0-1.

Leitrim Gaels

Dermot Daly; Den Finn; Robert Casey; Frank Cullen; Fionn Curley; James Flynn; Ryan Goldrick; Conor Guckian; Aaron Farrell; Donal Moreton; Michael McManus; James Shanley; Oisin Curley; Liam Moreton; Brian Tracey. Subs: Mathew Doyle for Donal Moreton (55); John Farrell for Michael McManus (54). 

Scorers: Oisin Curley 0-5,4f; Conor Guckian 1-1; Liam Moreton 0-1; Fionn Curley 0-1; Ben Finn 0-1.