Ballinamore have too much for Aughawillan in tame Connacht Gold Leitrim SFC derby
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CONNACHT GOLD LEITRIM SFC: AUGHAWILLAN 2-6 BALLINAMORE SEAN O’HESLINS 0-21
Ballinamore Sean O’Heslins, without a host of key players, cruised past a fully committed but limited Aughawillan as last year’s Connacht Gold SFC finalists started their 2026 campaign with a comfortable victory.
In a somewhat tame contest compared to the legendary clashes between these teams in the past, Ballinamore Sean O’Heslins made light of the absence of Paul Honeyman, Tom Prior, Michael McKiernan, Cathal McHugh, Wayne McKeon and Senan Harte to outclass their neighbours who, already without Mark Plunkett, Pearse Dolan, Gary Plunkett, Ciaran Gilheany and Morgan Quinn, lost youngster Jack Prior to a head injury nearing halftime, making an already tough task so much harder.
Ballinamore led by nine points at that stage, Keelan McHugh, Shane & Paul Moran, Dillon Beirne and Michael McBrien on target as the visitors squeezed the life out of their hosts who had plenty of possession but couldn’t match the clinical edge that O’Heslins displayed.
In a somewhat tame contest compared to the legendary clashes between these teams in the past, Ballinamore Sean O’Heslins made light of the absence of Paul Honeyman, Tom Prior, Michael McKiernan, Cathal McHugh, Wayne McKeon and Senan Harte to outclass their neighbours who, already without Mark Plunkett, Pearse Dolan, Gary Plunkett, Ciaran Gilheany and Morgan Quinn, lost youngster Jack Prior to a head injury nearing halftime, making an already tough task so much harder.
Ballinamore led by nine points at that stage, Keelan McHugh, Shane & Paul Moran, Dillon Beirne and Michael McBrien on target as the visitors squeezed the life out of their hosts who had plenty of possession but couldn’t match the clinical edge that O’Heslins displayed.
O’Heslins know that harder tests await but they will be pleased by the fact that even without so many frontline players, they still ran up a 21 point tally while Aughawillan know they have a hard road ahead of them for the rest of the championship.
Aughawillan opened the scoring after two minutes when Tom Plunkett finished off a well worked move but the tone of the game was soon set as despite two missed Shane Moran chances, Keelan McHugh cut through to fire over his team’s first point after six minutes.
Luke Murphy showed a clean pair of heels to the defence to score from the corner before Shane Moran broke through a tackle to add a nice point on the run. With both sides hitting wides, we almost had a bizarre own-goal when the lively McHugh intercepted the kickout. He charged through on goal but Mark McNiff made a great save only to see the ball rebound off his full-back Barry Prior and over the bar!
Conor Moran’s pass set up Dillon Beirne for a point before Paul Moran converted a two point free on 17 minutes. McHugh and defender Michael McBrien added points from play before Jack Prior suffered a head injury, forcing his removal from the game with Declan McGovern coming on.
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Tom Plunkett converted a free before Paul Moran ladned a two pointer for O’Heslins. A crossfield pass found Jamie Plunkett who broke a tackle to set up his brother Tom for a curling point, the county man adding a free in added time before Ballinamore won the kickout and released Beirne for another point to leave O’Heslins 0-12 to 0-4 ahead at the break.
Brian Leydon started the second half with a point after a good run but a three man breech saw Tom Plunkett convert a two point free after four minutes. Moran (free) and Andrew Burns hit points but O’Heslins’ serene march to victory was halted when Tom Plunkett’s run was just about stop, the ball blocked but he worked it back to Jamie for a close range finish.
That cut the gap back to seven points but Dillon Beirne hit the next two while Paul Moran added a free for a three man breech after 27 minutes. Michael McBrien got his second, showing lovely footwork to evade a challenge before Dillon Beirne brought his personal tally to five for the day.
The battling Aughawillan pulled back another goal after a strong run from Jamie Plunkett saw him find the net for a second time but sub Shane Murphy had the final word for Ballinamore as they ran out nine point winners.
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AUGHAWILLAN
Scorers: Jamie Plunkett 2-1; Tom Plunkett 0-5, tpf,2f
Team: Mark McNiff, Peter McNiff, Barry Prior, Yann Le Guen, Niall Stringer, Stephen Gilheany, Sean Quinn, Jamie Plunkett, Michael Quinn, Rory McTague, Tom Plunkett, Daire Maxwell, Jason Prior, Christopher Prior, Jack Prior. Subs: Declan McGovern for Jack Prior (25); Michael O’Haire for Jason Prior (HT); Michael Prior for C Prior (38); Brian Stringer for P McNiff (44); Fionnbarr Quinn for Le Guen (48)
BALLINAMORE SEAN O’HESLINS
Scorers: Paul Moran 0-6, tpf, 2f, tp; Dillon Beirne 0-5; Keelan McHugh 0-3; Michael McBrien 0-2; Shane Moran, Luke Murphy, Andrew Burns, Brian Leydon & Shane Murphy 0-1 each
Team: Darren Maxwell, Louis Quinn, Brian Banks, Conor Moaran, Danny Smyth, Michael McBrien, Matthew Murphy, Shane Moran, Donal Feely, Paul Moran, Dillon Beirne, Keelan McHugh, Luke Murphy, Andrew Burns, Brian Leydon. Subs: Mark Aherne for McHugh (HT); Nathan McCartin for Burns (47); Kian McGovern, Shane Murphy & Liam Ferguson for Feely, M Murphy & Leydon (52)
Referee: Patrick Guckian