Ballymote 2-14, M’breena 1-16

Every Championship, irrespective of the grade, brings one great game. Maybe not the best ever seen, but damn close. Last Saturday’s Sligo Intermediate Championship semi-final was such a game.
The narrowest of margins – a single point – meant Ballymote went through to the county final (against St Patrick’s) and Mullinabreena, whose admirable second-half recovery was nearly successful, found themselves on the wrong side of a dramatic scoreline (2-14 to 1-16) in an almost-empty Markievicz Park.
The losers trailed by nine points (2-13 to 0-10) following Peter Lyons goal, his side’s second, with 15 minutes remaining. By the end of normal time this deficit was just a point following substitute Josie Lee’s goal, who squeezed a shot under Alan Scanlon, Ballymote’s net-minder.
Mullinabreena, who merited a draw, had a superb chance to level but Daniel Davey, otherwise one of his side’s better performers, dragged a point attempt wide.
Before Lee’s late, late strike (Mullinabreena’s 17th score), the excellent Trevor McGuinn’s fourth point – a shot which flew over Scanlon’s crossbar – could easily have been a goal.
Apart from McGuinn, Ollie Lee, Barry Kivlehan, Daniel Davey and Patrick Gormley, a Sigerson panellist at IT Sligo, all of whom had done particularly well, hardly deserved to endure last Saturday’s disappointing exit.
Shane O’Brien, Mullinabreena’s 16-year-old corner-forward, should have more than next year’s competition to look forward to. A certainty for next year’s Sligo Minor team, O’Brien kicked six of his side’s 16 points, including four confident points from play.
Lamenting Mullinabreena’s failure to salvage a result would be grossly unfair to Ballymote, whose stylish attack paid rich dividends. Of their six forwards who started, each scored; Michael Sweeney, their full-forward, landed seven points with quiet efficiency.
Veteran wing-forward John Lavin typically made several astute passes and kicked one of his side’s finest points in the second-half.
Corner-forward Peter Lyons and Dermot McTiernan were lithe figures, often unstoppable; McTiernan, who notched 0-1, was unable to equal his impeccable quarter-final tally of 2-7.
Ballymote sometimes surrendered the midfield initiative to Trevor McGuinn and Patrick Gormley but the strength of Sligo U-21 Michael Munds, who always drove forward with menace, kept Mick Laffey’s side involved.
Conor McGowan, Ballymote’s centre-back, maintained a level of composure in a sector stretched by opposition forwards Daniel Davey and Shane O’Brien.
Ballymote’s intricate movement ensured four points inside the opening 10 minutes, the first of which was a goal chance but Michael Sweeney popped the ball over Martin Gormley’s crossbar.
It was Sweeney who hit Ballymote’s last score, his seventh point, with nine minutes of normal time left.
Mullinabreena gradually hauled themselves into the fast-moving proceedings, beginning with Denis Gormley’s neat 10th minute point.
By the 23rd minute they were two points ahead after Shane O’Brien added his fourth score and Ollie Lee struck a superb point.
Ballymote replied with points from Michael Sweeney and Ronan O’Connor before stunning their opponents with a goal.
In first-half injury-time Paul Mullen finished a move which Conor McGowan started and Peter Lyons enhanced.
It was, from Mullinabreena’s perspective, a cruel time to concede a goal.
Ballymote, however, showed even more ruthlessness when adding 1-5 in the first 15 minutes of the second period.
Peter Lyons’ goal was the highlight of this onslaught; he drilled a shot beyond Martin Gormley’s reach after Paul Mullen’s positive work opened Mullinabreena’s defence.
Ballymote Alan Scanlon, Cathal McCann, Declan McGrath, Gerard Feehily, Shane Currid, Conor McGowan, Michael Doddy, David Golden, Michael Munds, John Lavin (0-2), Ronan O’Connor (0-1), Paul Mullen (1-2), Dermot McT

i like eating ice cream