CLAREMORRIS RETAIN ALL THE ACES AND THE CUP

Connaught Telegraph

GAA News 25 September 1996


Brave Ballaghdereen outclassed in County Minor Football Final

by John Melvin

Claremorris 2-10-------------Ballaghadereen 1-7 The belief that the defending champions Claremorris, who were appearing in their third consecutive final, had the stamp of quality and class about them, was confirmed at Kiltimagh on Sunday evening, where they retained their county minor title in impressive fashion.

With a handful of county minor players on board and a number of the side which won the title last year, Ballaghadereen's fears that they might be outclassed and outgunned in a few key areas proved very well founded, as the Claremorris side built up an interval lead of nine points- 1-8 to 0-2. However, Ballaghadereen can take a lot of credit from this game by their refusal to wilt, and their determination to make Claremorris fight hard for their victory, but it was never going to be enough against a superior marshalled side which had a handful of exceptionally talented players.

A superb goal from full back Mark Towey ignited the spirts of the Ballaghadereen lads, and it brought the deficit back to six points with six minutes to go, but any candle of hope, that the losers might have flickering, was blown out almost immediately when a gem of a goal from Stephen Walsh quenched any doubt that the title was returning to the town from whence it had come.

Overall Claremorris just had that yard or two in the forward division where Greg Mulkerrins kicked some delightful frees and Stephen Walsh picked up some very good ball and nailed two great goals while there was hard graft all the time from Eamon Gill, Liam Weeks, Noel Reid and Gary Mullins.

Aces

However, they had two other aces in a stacked deck. Ger Brady produced a powerful performance in the middle of the field which was matched, if not surpassed, by the sheer class of the centre half back, Paul Nevin. Nevin's intelligent deliveries and ability to read the game saw many Ballaghadereen attacks flounder and he would be an automatic choice for 'man of the match' billing in a very good defence where Ray Hession at full back who had a great tussle with McKenzie, Kevin Judge and Evan Griffith were excellent in the full back line while David Kilkenny nd David McTigue were also impressive.

And it was an indication of the depth Claremorris have in the side, when they could lose such an influential player as team captain Karl Boyle, who was forced off with an injury five minutes from the break. David Whittle proved an adequate replacement in a team that welded together as a team, a team, hopeful, we will be seeing a lot more off in the higher grades as the quality of football was very good for this grade. Brady, Boyle, Nevin and Walsh each had points, before Brady sent over the inviting cross for Walsh to beat the keeper to the punch for his first goal and give Claremorris a lead of -1-5 to 0-1.

However, Ballaghdereen, who missed two early scoreable frees which might have settled them down, finally got off the mark thanks to their hardest working player, Barry McKenzie, in the 23rd minute and in fairness, they probably did deserved a lot more than a meagre 0-2, despite having played into the wind in that half, Maurice O'Gara being the provider of that other point.

Greg Mulkerrins, Noel Reid and Eamon Gill pushed the Claremorris lead to 1-8 to 0-2 by the interval. McKenzie provided Ballaghadereen with the early tonic of a good first half point as Kevin Keegan and Richard Conway began to get more ball at midfield, but evrytime Claremorris came forward they either scored, or got a free. McKenzie and O'Gara did some manage another point each, and when full back Mark Towey, now operating at midfield hit a cracking goal out of the blue, it seemed as if Ballaghadereen's capacity for pinching games with late goals might once again rescue them. Not so, said Claremorris. Ballaghadereen had hardly celebrated their good fortune when Claremorris came back with a bang. And if the sign of a good team is the ability to hit back when your are hit hard, then Claremorris have such credentials as they swept down with David McTigue involved in the move which put Walsh clean through, and he calmly slotted it low to the corner of the net.

Just as suddenly as the door had opened for Ballagh, it was shut drum tight and while they were unlucky with one or two efforts that could have helped their case in terms of scores, Claremorris just had that edge in class in too many areas, despite a good defensive performance from Ballagh in the second half and from Pat Towey, Mark Towey when he moved out, Nathy Towey and Brian Regan in particular.

Claremorris: Mark Keane, Evan Griffith, Ray Hession, Kevin Judge, David Kilkenny, Paul Nevin (0-1); David McTigue, Ger Brady (0-1) Karl Boyle (0-1); Noel Reid (0-1); Liam Weeks, Gary Mullins, Greg Mulkerrins (0-4) Stephen Walsh (2-1); Eamon Gill (0-1). Sub: D. Whittle for K. Boyle (inj)

Ballaghadereen: Brian Tansey, Adrian Regan, Mark Towey (1-0); Pat Towey, Brian Regan, Nathy Towey, Thomas Regan, Kevin Keegan, Richard Conway, Anthony Rush, Maurice O'Gara (0-3);Ian Towey, James Quinn, Barry McKenzie (0-4); Kieran Towey. Subs: M. Regan for A. Regan, B. Colleran for T. Regan, S. Towey for I. Towey..

Ref: C. Collins (Lacken)



Connaught Telegraph - News - September 1996

Connaught Telegraph - Sport - September 1996