Impressive O’Heslins cruise to comfortable LGFA SFC win over St Mary's

​A hungry and intense Ballinamore Sean O’Heslins brought high flying St Mary’s crashing back down to earth last Sunday in Pairc Sheain Ui Eslin as the home club dominated from start to finish to record a victory that was more comfortable than the scoreline suggests.

​Showing immense hunger and tremendous work-rate in all sectors of the field, Ballinamore Sean O’Heslins took control from the word go and never let go, harrying a strangely lacklustre St Mary’s into numerous handling errors and driving through the heart of the Carrick defence.

St Mary’s, with wins over Drumkeerin and St Joseph’s and an appearance in the division 1 final behind them in recent weeks, had no answer to the energy Ballinamore brought to the game, the home side holding Michelle Guckian at arms’ length and never allowing St Mary’s a real sight of the goals they have thrived on so far.

If there is concern for Ballinamore, it was in their failure to take a host of goal chances, three in the first half, that would have better reflected their dominance on the scoreboard as they looked to be operating in a different orbit to a St Mary’s side who had built up quite a bit of momentum in recent weeks.

Ballinamore got off to a quick start against a side who had back to back wins, Roisin McHugh converting a second minute free after a foul on Laura O’Dowd. St Mary’s missed two good chances and O’Heslins made them pay with good points from Lucy Murphy and Laura Maguire.

Ballinamore were already building up a good lead when Laura O’Dowd scored her team’s fourth point under no pressure after ten minutes. Aoife Donohue saw a shot blocked and Lucy Murphy left an effort short before St Mary’s opened their account with two quick fire Michelle Guckian points on 16 minutes.

But any notion St Mary’s were forcing their way back into the game was quickly dispelled as Laura Maguire finished a good move with a fine point a minute later and McHugh added a free for a three-back breach on 20 minutes, adding another free a minute later.

Grainne Prior did extremely well to intercept a dangerous pass intended for Michelle Guckian but her clearance went astray, leading to a Caragh Guckian point. Roisin McHugh’s brilliant pass found Laura O’Dowd unmarked in front of the goal but the Leitrim star lifted her shot far too high as the chance of a goal was lost.

McHugh tapped over a free to bring the first half scoring to an end but O’Heslins should have iced the game before the break, O’Dowd and the hard working Aoibhinn McGoldrick driving great goal chances wide as the home side led 0-9 to 0-3 at the break.

Any thoughts of a St Mary’s second half surge were ruthlessly killed off as Laura O’Dowd soloed through from the throw-in to point within 20 seconds and, from the kickout, Roisin McHugh promptly put the ball back over the bar as Ballinamore feasted on the St Mary’s kickout.

Aisling Leahy spun to score a Mary’s point on ten minutes but a minute later, the game was over as O’Heslins took a quick sideline and fed the ball to a quick moving Lucy Murphy for a clinical goal.

With rain pouring down, Ballinamore held St Mary’s are arms as points for Leahy and Guckian were matched by points from McHugh (free), Megan McGovern & O’Dowd, the second coming after Emma Honeyman made a huge block on a Michelle Guckian piledriver.

Guckian did drive home a goal on 53 minutes but they could never truly trouble the home defence, Lucy Murphy opting for a point with a goal on. Michelle Guckian tapped over two frees but the game ended with Aoife Donohue pointed following a strong run down the middle by the tireless Megan McGovern.

BALLINAMORE SEAN O’HESLINS

Scorers: Roisin McHugh 0-6, 5f; Lucy Murphy 1-2; Laura O’Dowd 0-4; Laura Maguire 0-2; Megan McGovern & Aoife Donohue 0-1 each

Team: Niamh Donohue, Grainne Prior, Ella van der Laan, Ciara McGoldrick, Mollie Murphy, Deborah McGourty, Sinead Martin, Megan McGovern, Laura O’Dowd, Emma Honeyman, Lucy Murphy, Laura Maguire, Aoibhinn McGoldrick, Roisin McHugh, Aoife Donohue. Subs: Aisling Maguire for L Maguire (50)

ST MARY’S KILTOGHERT

Scorers: Michelle Guckian 1-5, 3f; Aisling Leahy 0-2; Caragh Guckian 0-1

Team: Caroline Guckian, Jasmine Maye, Emily Reynolds, Isabelle Chandler, Elodie Maye Gazonnet, Sara Crowe, Beibhinn Flynn, Enya McWeeney, Eibhlin Guckian, Sarah Reynolds, Michelle Guckian, Mabel Keane, Caragh Guckian, Aisling Leahy, Lucy Maye Gazonnet. Subs: Edie Keane for E Maye Gazonnet (HT); Katie O’Brien for M Keane (36); Zara Cronin for E Guckian (47); Blaithin McCrann for L Maye Gazonnet (57)

Referee: TP McLoughlin