Ballinrobe celebrate after being crowned South Mayo Minor A champions. Photo: Patrick Hennelly

Barnstorming second half display helps secure silverware for Robesiders

A BARNSTORMING second-half display by Ballinrobe resulted in the maroon and yellow being crowned South Mayo Minor A champions following a 2-15 to 1-10 victory against Claremorris on Tuesday night.

The pitch at Garrymore was in pristine condition and a high tempo and lively encounter unfolded, with some excellent scores notched up by both sides over the course of the game.

Ballinrobe made a positive start and raced into an early three-point lead as singles from Rory Gilrane (two, one free) and Ben Donnelly delighted the maroon and yellow supporters.

However, Jack Comer produced a virtuoso first-half display for the blue and white and he guided over three points (one free) to restore parity after 14 minutes.

The Claremorris apple cart was upset on 15 minutes when a mazy run inside enemy territory by Ballinrobe’s Ben Place ended with the corner-forward applying a clinical finish to the back of the net.

This contest continued to ebb and flow and a doughty Claremorris responded with a goal of their own on 21 minutes, with Mikey Rabbitt’s marvellous finish helping to muster a 1-5 to 0-3 lead for the blue and white.

The final six minutes of the first half were keenly contested, with Ballinrobe’s Kyle Burke and Gilrane exchanging points with Claremorris’ Comer and Rabbitt. However, the blue and white led 1-7 to 1-6 during the half-time break.

Claremorris continued from where they left off on the resumption and points from Eamonn McGuire and Comer (free) gave their team-mates a three-point cushion.

However, Ballinrobe’s Barry Langan was beginning to win some crucial possession and he landed a splendid point on 36 minutes.

The leaders almost added a goal on 41 minutes, but Eamonn McGuire had to be content with a point as his fizzing drive flew inches over the crossbar, and that would be prove to be the last time that Claremorris would trouble the scoreboard operator.

Ballinrobe upped the tempo and their tidy and efficient build-up play resulted in a morale-boosting second goal on 43 minutes as Cian May slotted home a tidy finish beyond the reach of John Gilmore, which shunted the Robesiders into a slender 2-8 to 1-10 lead.

The Flanagan Park outfit almost added a third goal but Caelan Tansey’s effort whistled inches over the crossbar.

When the industrious Ballinrobe wing-forward Jack Philbin pointed on 49 minutes, it helped give his team-mates a tidy 2-12 to 1-10 lead.

Ballinrobe closed out proceedings impressively and Cian May’s superb two-pointer free during additional time helped conclude a memorable display by the maroon and yellow.