Flynn goal snatches dramatic win for Ballinamore to All-Ireland Intermediate Club final

currentaccount.ie All-Ireland Intermediate Club Championship semi-final

 

Ballinamore Sean O’Heslins 1-10

Steelstown Brian Ógs  1-8

 

By PJ LEDDY

Ballinamore Sean O’Heslins scored a dramatic victory over Steelstown in an exciting currentaccount.ie All-Ireland Intermediate Club Championship semi-final when Aoibheann Flynn crashed the ball to the net deep into added time.

Steelstown enjoyed a 1–8 to 0–9 lead as the clock hit the hour mark but Ballinamore plucked victory out of the jaws of defeat in added time Flynn firing over a point before she struck for the winning goal after 63 minutes.

Ballinamore took the lead following winning possession from the throw-in with centre forward McHugh getting in shooting range to fire over after just 15 seconds. The home side continued to be sharper in front of goals with McHugh converting a free after Laura O’Dowd was fouled four minutes later.

A 19th minute Eimear O’ Doherty goal put Steelstown ahead after the Derry side had enjoyed the better of the exchanges in most of the exchanges up to this stage. Leah McGeough and Aoife Collins added points to put Steelstown further ahead.

But points in reply from Laura O’Dowd and McHugh (free) kept Ballinamore in the hunt. Collins pointed for Steelstown to put the Derry side ahead by 1-3 to 0-3 at the break.

After the restart McHugh put over two Ballinamore points by the 34th minute to put her side on level terms. It was nip and tuck after that for the remainder of the game.

Dara McKeever edged Steelstown ahead ahead with a well taken point on 39 minute mark. But McHugh hit back with a Ballinamore point a minute later to level the match again.

McHugh put Ballinamore ahead when she split the Steelstown posts on the 44 minute mark. In response Orla McGeough edged Steelstown back in front over the following eight minutes with three points on the trot.

After that McHugh and McGeough traded points to leave the Derry champions two ahead but Ballinamore then produced their stunning finish to advance to the All-Ireland final.

 

Scorers – Ballinamore: R McHugh 0–8 (5f); A Flynn 1–1; L O’Dowd 0–1.

Steelstown: L McGeough 0–5 (3f); E O’Doherty 1-0; A Collins 0-2f; D McKeever 0-1.

Ballinamore: L Flynn; D McGourty, A Sweeney, E Honeyman; L Maguire, M Murphy, G Prior; M McGovern, C O’Dowd; L O’Dowd, R McHugh, L Moran; A Flynn, S McLoughlin, L Murphy. Sub: C McGoldrick for L Maguire (38).

Steelstown: M McBride; O McGough, A McGough, N Friel; M Devine, K Canavan; K Holly; E O’ Doherty, L McGonagle; E Doherty, E McGeough, C McGurk, D McKeever, A Collins, C O’Kane. Subs: A Boyle for A O’Doherty (38); T Burns for Friel (45); L Casey for McGurk (55); n Gilmore for O. McGeough (61).

Ref – Gus Chapman (Sligo).