Sylane hold firm against battling Ballinasloe to secure Premier Junior final spot
DIVISION THREE league champions Sylane weathered a second-half Ballinasloe comeback to secure a 1-23 to 1-15 victory and book their place in the Premier Junior final, leaving them one win away from an immediate return to the Intermediate ranks after eight consecutive seasons at that level.
The teams were evenly matched throughout however Ronan Higgins’ side finished both halves strongly, including a crucial unanswered spell of 1-3 before the interval, with former Galway underage player Keelan Creavan providing the goal which gave Sylane a 1-12 to 0-7 half-time advantage.
Ballinasloe, who were champions of the now defunct Junior 1 competition for the past three seasons, were forced to start outfield player Adam Potter between the posts as usual goalkeeper Cormac Casey was unavailable through injury. Full-back Alan Reynolds also went off due to injury after 11 minutes, forcing Derek Frehill and Rob Nolan to reshuffle the team.
Ballinasloe started well when Cian Connolly struck the game’s opening score within seconds of the throw-in. Ryan Keane replied for Sylane, before Sean Newell and Cathal O’Hanlon exchanged frees, but when Tomas Keane pointed after five minutes, Sylane always led thereafter.
Jason Cunningham and O’Hanlon with another free added replies for Ballinasloe, however as wides crept into the game for both sides, the reliable duo of Creavan and John Igoe combined for five Sylane scores, with the winners leading 0-8 to 0-4 after 15 minutes.
A spate of goal opportunities were left untaken, as Newell, Tomas Keane, Shane Glynn and Ryan Keane all had fleeting chances for Sylane, as did Ballinasloe’s Connolly.
Though Newell extended Sylane’s advantage to five, efforts from Evan Hayes and O’Hanlon (twice) left Ballinasloe just two points in arrears after 26 minutes.
Sylane finished the half decisively however, in a spell inspired by goalkeeper Jake Hogan’s long-range free, having scored 1-2 in his last outing. Ryan Keane and Newell (free) followed with points before Paul Ronan assisted Creaven for the all-important goal, who finished excellently.
Ballinasloe’s 1-8 matched Sylane’s eleven second-half points, but they were unable to reduce the deficit to less than five as the winners’ lead largely hovered around eight or nine points throughout the half.
O’Hanlon, who accounted for 1-11 of Ballinasloe’s 2-14 quarter-final total, pointed a free to open the second half’s scoring. Shortly after, Paddy Sheahan had the ball in the back of the net, but the whistle had already blown.
Sean Newell gathered many possessions, dangerous from both play and placed balls as his scoring was crucial to protecting Sylane’s lead, finishing with 0-9. Creaven, Oran Burke and Emmet Sweeney also chipped in as Connolly, O’Hanlon and Eoin Coleman struck replies for Ballinasloe.
After Ballinasloe forced many goal attempts from distance, Connolly’s thirty-yard strike paid off after 50 minutes, while O’Hanlon’s free reduced the deficit to five as Ballinasloe hoped to mount a late comeback.
It wasn’t on the cards however as Sylane registered four of the five remaining scores. Newell equalled Connolly’s final point for Ballinasloe, before Ryan Keane, Newell and substitute Darragh Mahon secured a final berth for the team that have been tipped as favourites for this competition.
Sylane: J Hogan (0-1, 0-1 free); A Lardner, T Kenny, B Igoe; S Burke, O Martin (captain), O Burke (0-1); P Ronan; E Sweeney (0-1); J Igoe (0-3), R Keane (0-3), T Keane (0-1); K Creaven (1-3), S Glynn, S Newell (0-9, 0-5 frees). Subs: R Monaghan for Martin (temporary, 19-23mins); D Mahon (0-1) for S Burke (44mins); C Fleming for Glynn (57mins).
Ballinasloe: A Potter; C Coleman, A Reynolds, E Coleman (0-1, joint-captain); A Caufield, C Keighrey, C Potter; J Mitchell, C Connolly (1-3); J Cunningham (0-1), M Lyons, N Jennings; P Sheahan, E Hayes (0-1), C O’Hanlon (0-9, 0-7 frees, 0-1 sideline, joint-captain). Subs: A Connaughton for Reynolds (inj., 11mins); S Gibbons for Sheahan (42mins); L Donagh for Mitchell (60mins).
Referee: Sean Trowell.