It doesn't get any easier, as Ballina Stephenites are discovering in stumbling through Connacht. With the scalps of All-Ireland champions Corofin already taken - the hard way, after a replay - in their previous assignment, Ballina ventured into Markievicz Park yesterday for a semi-final tussle with Eastern Harps that promised easier times.
By the final whistle, Ballina were mighty glad to escape with a ticket to the provincial club football final (against Roscommon Gaels next Sunday) and more aware than ever that nothing is easy in this club championship.
The heavyweights of Mayo got a torrid time from a Ballinafad team who have used the football pitch to raise the spirits of a community hit earlier this year by a drowning tragedy. Yesterday, the Sligomen fought with incredible heart and passion, and no little skill, and were within a kick of the ball of keeping their dream alive, but fell just short.
On first appearances, it had seemed a mismatch. At midfield, Ballina had the towering figures of Liam McHale and David Brady while Harps had James Chambers and Morgan McCormack. But the Harps pair made up for their physical shortcomings with a remarkable workrate and ensured they emerged with honours even - at least - from this particular battle. McCormack, in particular, put in a huge amount of work and so often acted as creator of many Harps moves as well as breaking up Ballina's momentum.
Ballina rejigged their team in advance of the throw-in, moving Gerard Brady out to wing back and bringing Brian Heffernan back to man-mark Paul Taylor. Both decisions were justified. Brady revelled in the freedom of attacking half-back and kicked two superb points (one of them from a sideline ball), while Heffernan, although not winning his duel with Taylor, could claim an honourable draw in limiting him to just one point from play.
Taylor, though, did kick another five points from frees which almost gave Harps the lifeline they sought. And, in fact, he was involved in the last act of the game when he stretched every sinew in a vain attempt to keep a sliced kick from Chambers from going wide. That Harps got to within touching distance was a credit to their commitment.
Early on, it looked as if Ballina would run away with the game. The Mayo team were 0-4 to 0-1 ahead after 12 minutes and, ironically, a missed chance galvanised Harps. Teenager Brendan Phillips was put through by Sean Dorrian in the 13th minute but, with just goalkeeper John Healy in his way, he blasted wide. Harps' response was extremely positive and another teenager, Ray Hannon, showed the way in inspiring them back into the game. They were level - 0-5 apiece - after 25 minutes.
However, Ballina finished the half with their best football of the game and three unanswered points from their three half-forwards, Martin McGrath, Brian McStay and Denis Coen, gave them a three-point cushion at the break.
Harps tightened up considerably on the re-start, and hunted in packs in denying Ballina possession. The route in to Taylor was less contrived too, and Eastern Harps' ability to beat the Ballina defenders to the ball and draw fouls resulted in the full forward kicking three points from frees in reducing the gap to a mere point (0-9 to 0-8) by the 42nd minute.
The introduction of Shane Barrett as a substitute proved crucial to Ballina. He kicked two fine points from play, the second in the 57th minute when he latched onto a pass from McHale, to put two points between the sides. However, a Hannon point with a minute to go meant that Ballina's supporters were living on their nerves as Harps went all out in an attempt to claim an equalising point. But it proved to be an evasive quest, with Chambers's last-second effort slicing wide and away from Taylor's clutches.
Ballina Stephenites: J Healy; J Devenney, B Heffernan, D Leydon; G Brady (0- 2, one sideline), B Ruane, S Sweeney; L McHale (0-1), D Brady (0-1); B McStay (0-2), D Coen (0-1), M McGrath (0-2, one free); L Brady, P McGarry, K Lynn. Subs: S Barrett (0- 2) for L Brady (40 mins); P McStay for B McStay (57 mins).
Eastern Harps: P Walsh; F Sexton, O Shannon, D Mullaney; D Ballantyne, M Cosgrove, S King; J Chambers, M McCormack; K Carty (0-1), J Bruen, B Phillips; R Hannon (0-3, one free), P Taylor (0-6, five frees), S Dorrian.
Referee: S McCartan (Leitrim).
