Driven Ballinamore make no mistake second time round to claim Connacht Gold Leitrim SFC title

A driven Ballinamore Sean O’Heslins heeded the lessons of the drawn Connacht Gold Leitrim SFC Final as they produced an intensive and hungry display to dash the dreams of Fenagh St Caillins in Sunday’s replay in Heartland Credit Union Pairc Sean Mac Diarmada.

With keeper Darren Maxwell ruled out of action and Tom Prior carrying an injury sustained in the early stages of the drawn game, Ballinamore might have been forgiven for thinking the odds were against them but from the word go, their intensity around the middle of the field and the greater spread of scorers gave them an edge that Fenagh St Caillins struggled to match through Sunday’s entertaining replay.

If Leitrim’s most successful club had escaped the first day by the skin of their teeth thanks to Tom Prior’s dramatic equaliser, they made sure there would be no repeat of that scare, their rejigged team moving with an intent and purpose that left you thinking they were never truly in danger as they ended their heartbreaking run of final defeats with their second title in six campaigns.

Stand-in keeper Mark Aherne made light of his inexperience with an excellent display, his kickouts giving Ballinamore a great platform while Fenagh never put him under true pressure aerially, O’Heslins dealing comfortably with whatever was thrown against them.

Spurred on by the superb pairing of Shane Moran and Niall McGovern in the middle of the field, Ballinamore dominated the battle for possession and their greater spread of scorers, all six forwards plus Keelan McHugh on the scoresheet while their main men upfront, Prior and Paul Honeyman, landed 2-7 between them.

In contrast, Fenagh never got moving with the same speed, although it must be said that they threatened every time they got into Ballinamore’s half during the first period but they had to rely on a couple of extraordinary two point frees from the outstanding Fergal McLoughlin to keep them in touch of their neighbours.

St Caillins had one glimmer of a comeback midway through the second half when Ruairi O’Rourke’s lovely sidestep left keeper Mark Aherne out of the picture and the goal gaping in front of him but a diving block from defenders Brian Banks and Michael McBrien prevented the goal that might have ignited the Fenagh challenge in the final quarter.

The elements didn’t help Fenagh’s cause, the strong wind of the first half that Ballinamore made good use of, dying down in the second but the truth was that Ballinamore managed the game superbly. Their scoring rate slowed, understandably in the second half, but they still managed 1-5, matching the eight points Fenagh scored, to secure the crown once more.

Ballinamore now face newly crowned Galway champions Salthill Knocknacarra in a repeat of the 1990 Connacht Club Final on Sunday November 8, in the Connacht Club Championship.

Fenagh St Caillins got off to the brighter start, winning the throw-in and Riordan O’Rourke finding Fergal McLoughlin who swept over the first score. Ryan O’Rourke hit a wide shortly after but a strong run from Ruairi O’Rourke saw him handpass the ball over the bar two minutes in.

Fenagh were making the pace as Ballinamore struggled to settle, Shane Moran putting a two point effort well wide while Paul Moran’s 50 metre free, backed by the tricky wind, fell short while Riordan O’Rourke also shot wide at the other end.

But Ballinamore levelled with one kick, Paul Moran landing a monster two pointer from the left wing and that saw O’Heslins lift off. A long ball out of defence saw Paul Moran make a great catch to set up Michael McKiernan for a sweeping point and from the kickout, Paul Honeyman charged forward to set up Brian Leyden for a well taken score.

Brian Banks did extremely well to win a dangerous ball and set in train a move that ended with Tom Prior landing a huge two pointer, Ballinamore turning a two point deficit into a foul point lead in a matter of three minutes.

Callum Andrews left a two point free short but Fenagh kept in touch when Fergal McLoughlin’s expertly guided two point free used the wind to curl inside the ball posts after 17 minutes, Tom Prior following up with a wide a minute later.

But then the game took it’s first major turn - Fenagh lost the ball coming out of defence, Paul Honeyman played a one-two with McKiernan before the ball went to Tom Prior who showed great awareness to flick it first time to the net as Callum Andrews attempted to close the gap.

Despite the shock of the goal, Fenagh hit back with another Fergal McLoughlin two point free on 21 minutes, leaving just a goal between the teams but from the kickout, Shane Moran made a huge catch, his pass and run leading to a point for Prior, McKiernan following up with a wide.

Then came Ballinamore’s second goal, a clever ball into space found Dean McGovern unmarked and when he turned to shoot, just inside the parallelogram, the Ballinamore man was taken down, referee Martin Feeney awarding the spotkick after consulting with his umpires.

Paul Honeyman made no mistake, driving the ball straight down the middle and the O’Heslins forward seemed determined to drive the point home, Ballinamore winning the kickout and swift move leading to a lovely two pointer from Honeyman to explode their three point lead to eight in the blink of an eye.

Fergal McLoughlin finished off a period of patient play with a fine Fenagh point, the same player kicking a wide on the stroke of halftime as Ballinamore led by an imposing 2-9 to 0-7 margin at the break.

Fenagh would hope that the wind would aid them in the second half but it actually died down after a halftime shower and Fenagh didn’t get the start they wanted, Oisin McLoughlin putting a two point effort wide while Brian Leyden was off-target at the other end.

An Andrews kickout came to Ryan O’Rourke who fed Ruairi O’Rourke who charged towards goal to score a fine point. Oisin McLoughlin hit a two point effort wide while Riordan O’Rourke went into the book after catching Brian Banks.

Ballinamore almost engineered a third goal when Honeyman and Keelan McHugh combined but Brian Leyden blasted wide nine minutes into the second half. Keelan McHugh got O’Heslins’ first of the second half 12 minutes in, Fenagh replying instantly from the kickout with Riordan O’Rourke on target.

Then came the ‘what if’ moment for Fenagh when Ruairi O’Rourke created a great goal chance, stand-in keeper Mark Aherne left adrift but out of nowhere, Banks and Michael McBrien flung themselves at the ball, diverting it out for a fifty as it seemed destined to end up in the net.

Fergal McLoughlin’s fifty fell short and Riordan O’Rourke saw a two point effort tipped on but Aherne made a good catch before Oisin McLoughlin fired over after 46 minutes. Ballinamore, however, hit back a minute later, a brilliant Niall McGovern flick to Honeyman keeping the ball alive before Dillon Beirne fired over.

Honeyman himself fisted the ball over the bar after a strong Dean McGovern run on 49 minutes and with Ballinamore starting to introduce fresh legs, Fenagh were unable to generate the scores they desperately needed, Oisin McLoughlin seeing a shot held by Aherne and a two point free go wide either side of a missed Ryan O’Rourke shot.

Time was Fenagh’s enemy but their captain did add a free, albeit he was trying for a goal but the shot was deflected over. With seven points between the sides and Fenagh growing desperate, Ballinamore killed off the game, Paul Honeyman shaking off a tackle and surging clear before setting up Paul Moran for a close range goal blasted to the net.

From the kickout, a rampant Ballinamore won the ball back and Honeyman fired over but it wasn’t all going their way, Tom Prior shown a black card before Riordan O’Rourke landed a two pointer for a battling Fenagh over two minutes into added time.

But Ballinamore couldn’t be stopped, Paul Honeyman’s strong run cutting through the Fenagh defence before setting up Niall McGovern for a fisted point. Fenagh did have the last score of the game, Donal Wrynn landing a bit two but it was little consolation as Ballinamore were crowned champions for 2026.

BALLINAMORE SEAN O’HESLINS

Scorers: Paul Honeyman 1-4, pen, tp; Tom Prior 1-3, tp; Paul Moran 1-2, tp; Michael McKiernan, Niall McGovern, Dillon Beirne, Keelan McHugh & Brian Leyden 0-1 each

Team: Mark Aherne, Cathal McHugh, Brian Banks, Matthew Murphy, Dean McGovern, Michael McBrien, Keelan McHugh, Shane Moran, Niall McGovern, Dillon Beirne, Tom Prior, Michael McKiernan, Paul Moran, Brian Leydon, Paul Honeyman. Subs: Louis Quinn for M Murphy (46); Wayne McKeon for D McGovern (50); Luke Murphy for Leydon (53)

FENAGH ST. CAILLINS

Scorers: Fergal McLoughlin 0-6, 2 tpf; Riordan O’Rourke 0-3, tpf; Donal Wrynn (tp) & Ruairi O’Rourke 0-2 each; Oisin McLoughlin & Ryan O’Rourke 0-1 each

Team: Callum Andrews; Eoin McLoughlin, Gary Butler, Caillin O’Rourke, Colm McLoughlin, Conal McGovern; Dara Greenan; Donal Wrynn, Daniel McLoughlin, Fergal McLoughlin, Ryan O'Rourke, James Gilheaney; Ruairi O'Rourke; Oisin McLoughlin, Riordan O'Rourke. Subs: Cillian Mulvey for Greenan (56); Shane Greenan for Gilheany (58)

Referee: Martin Feeney