Historic victory for Kilmeena in Mayo intermediate football final

Kilmeena have been crowned Egan Jewellers Mayo Intermediate Football Championship winners following a deserved 1-11 to 1-9 victory over Ballinrobe in the final, which was played in Hastings Insurance MacHale Park, Castlebar, writes Aiden Henry.

In what was a rip-roaring decider from start to finish, Kilmeena’s greater experience proved the difference between the two sides in the end.

This win for Kilmeena means they will be operating in the Mayo senior championship for the very first time in 2024. Following their Mayo junior success in 2021, they went on to win the All-Ireland junior club final in 2022. They also qualified for the Mayo intermediate final last year only to lose to Ballyhaunis. But back they came again this year to go one step further.

They will also now be the Mayo representatives in the Connacht intermediate championship this year, and it would be hard to bet against them winning more silverware.

This victory was achieved with a magnificent all-round team performance. They were asked plenty of serious questions by Ballinrobe and came up with all the answers.

In the final quarter, when the game was there to be won by either side, the great experience of the Kilmeena players came to the fore. They controlled the play, never panicked and made it extremely difficult for the Ballinrobe forwards to create good scoring chances. No one could say they didn’t deserve this win.

Ballinrobe, for their part, lost nothing in defeat. They battled extremely hard throughout and made their opponents pull out all the stops right up to the very end. I have no doubt this young Ballinrobe side will be back in the thick of things again next year.

It was Ballinrobe who got off to a cracking start with a superb goal from team captain Kevin Quinn in the fifth minute. Although Sean Ryder replied with a point for Kilmeena almost immediately, there were still two points between the sides at the 10-minute mark after Darren McDonnell and Stephen Staunton exchanged points.

While the game continued at a frantic pace, both sides were guilty of missing a few good scoring chances. We had to wait until the 21st minute for the next score, a pointed free by Ballinrobe's McDonnell. The same player added another, this time from play, two minutes later to put his side four in front.

However, from there to the end of the half it was all Kilmeena. They rattled off five unanswered points, two each from Darragh Keaveney and John McGlynn and one from Caolach Halligan, to turn the four-point deficit into a one-point lead before the sides trotted off for the interval break.

There was no let-up to the frantic pace after the resumption. But, like the opening half, it was Ballinrobe who started the second period on the front foot. Within three minutes they were back in front after two early points from Liam Burke and Quinn.

However, the big turning point in this game in the 37th minute when Kilmeena’s Caolach Halligan scored a truly magnificent goal. When Darragh Keaveney landed a brilliant point from a 45’ two minutes later, the west Mayo side were now three in front.

Ballinrobe refused to throw in the towel and hit their purple patch, scoring four unanswered points from James Murphy, Cian O’Connell and Evan O’Brien, with two superb efforts, to regain the lead.

With the game now in the melting pot, it was Kilmeena who regained control. Two brilliant points from Jack Carney had them back in front as the end of normal time approached before Liam Moore kicked an outrageous insurance point from way out on the right sideline, sealing their historic victory.

Kilmeena: P. Groden, C. Kilcoyne, J. Keane, J. Ryan, J. Mulchrone, S. Staunton (0-1), C. Hastings, J. Carney (0-2), K. Ryder, K. Joyce, S. Ryder (0-1), J. Smyth, C. Halligan (1-1), J. McGlynn (0-2), D. Keaveney (0-3).

Subs used: L. Moore (0-1), R. O’Donnell, D. Slattery.

Ballinrobe: L. Jennings, E. Reaney, E. O’Malley, O. O’Malley, A. McDonnell, P. Butler, E. Duffy, J. Murphy (0-1), E. O’Brien (0-2), L. Burke (0-1), D. Duffy, R. Corcoran, J. Burke, D. McDonnell (0-3), K. Quinn (1-1).

Subs used: J. Flannelly, C. O’Connell (0-1), C. O’Brien.

Referee: P. Lydon (Kiltimagh).