Deserved win for Ballina in Tipperary Intermediate Football Championship semi-final

Ballina 2-11 Grangemockler/Ballyneale 0-12

A spirited second half fightback by Grangemockler/Ballyneale fell short in the FBD Insurance County Intermediate Football Championship semi-final against Ballina in Littleton on Saturday.
However, the south side can have no complaints about the outcome, as a Steven O’Brien-inspired Ballina were the better team over the hour.
Two Ballina goals proved the game’s decisive scores, county star O’Brien centrally involved in both. He scored the first from the penalty spot and sent up a second with a brilliant turnover at midfield.
Grangemockler battled bravely and no more could have been asked of Conor Hahessy, Manus McFadden, John Lyons, Mikie Lyons and Jamie Walsh, but they just came up against a better team on the day. Ballina are now just one game away from senior football, with the north side meeting Mullinahone in what should be a compelling final.
Ballina were four points to no score up after twelve minutes, five points clear at half-time, 2-5 to 0-6, and still five in front at the end, hitting the last four points and keeping Grangemockler scoreless in the final quarter.
Grangemockler’s best period was in the third quarter when they hit four points without reply. Their pressure was relentless and midway through the half a point from a McFadden free – he was one of their star players throughout – had the margin down to a single point, 2-7 to 0-12, and the game in the melting pot.
But despite their best efforts, they failed to score again. They never stopped trying to rein Ballina in but two superb scores from Ben King helped the north side secure victory.
Ballina had started in blistering fashion, dominating the early possession, with Steven O’Brien pointing a free for the opening score after three minutes. Points from play from Eoghan Power and O’Brien extended the lead before goalkeeper Jack Brady made his way upfield to point a free and make it 0-4 to no score after twelve minutes.

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O’Brien may have been the go-to player for Ballina upfront but they were also strong at the back and it took Grangemockler thirteen minutes to breach the defence, Jamie Walsh hitting a lovely point after good work from McFadden.
Mikie Lyons pointed a free a minute later and just when it looked like the south side might come more into the game, they were hit with a sucker punch.
O’Brien hit a lovely through pass to David Grace, who was taken down in the square and referee John Butler had no hesitation in pointing to the spot. Up stepped O’Brien to hit an unstoppable penalty past David Power to make it 1-4 to 0-2.
Grangemockler replied with a pointed Mikie Lyons free following a foul on McFadden but a second Ballina goal in the 20th minute proved crucial. Stephen O’Brien broke up a Grangemockler attack in midfield, his turnover set county hurling star Michael Breen free and his final pass saw Jack O’Mahoney finish brilliantly to the net.
Another pointed free from goalkeeper Jack Brady pushed the lead out to eight points, 2-5 to 0-3, and it looked ominous for Grangemockler. However, they gave themselves hope for the second half with three scores without reply up to the half-time whistle, two pointed frees from Mikie Lyons and one from play from John Lyons.
A Steven O’Brien free in the first minute of the second half pushed the lead out to six for Ballina but that proved another wake-up call for Grangemockler. A famed club, fourth on the county football roll of honour with eight county senior titles, was not going to miss the chance to press once again for senior status without a fight.
Cheered on by their supporters, they hit back immediately to O’Brien’s score with a great point from John Lyons. Then another flowing move might have produced a goal but the impressive Jamie Walsh pointed to make it a four-point game, 2-6 to 0-8. McFadden added another point before a John Lyons score left just two points between the sides.
O’Brien, from a free, steadied the ship for Ballina but the Grangemockler momentum didn’t let up. Jamie Walsh angled over a curving shot that just scraped inside the upright and when Mikie Lyons pointed a free, the margin was down to a single point, 2-7 to 0-12, midway through the half.
The game was only going one way now and it looked like Grangemockler could kick on for victory. But Ballina deserve great credit for their response, cutting short the revival and finishing out the game in superb style.
It began with a brilliant point from Ben King and then when Steven O’Brien was fouled close to the left touchline, instead of taking the free himself he called up goalkeeper Brady, who pointed magnificently. King added another lovely point and then appropriately it was Steven O’Brien who finished the scoring from a Conor Power pass.
Despite losing their forward momentum, Grangemockler never gave up the battle but poor shooting and balls dropped short into the goalkeeper’s hands didn’t help their cause. Ballina had seen out the contest in impressive fashion and it was they who fully deserved to win through to the final against Mullinahone.
Ballina: Jack Brady 0-3 frees; Paddy O’Donovan, Josh Egan, Terry O’Halloran, Conor Power, James Hanley, Sam Loughran, Conor Maguire, Michael Breen, Ben King 0-2; Eoghan Power 0-1; Jack O’Mahoney 1-0; Stephen O’Brien, 1-5, 1-0 penalty, 0-2 frees; David Grace, Tom Lee.
Subs: Dara King for Sam Loughran; Matthew Power for Eoghan Power; Braoin Cleary for Jack O’Mahoney.
Grangemockler/Ballyneale: David Power, Sean Daly, Michael Meagher, Darragh Shelly, Conor Hahessy, Joey Lyons, Manus McFadden 0-1; Ben Comerford, Michael Meaney, Leon Kennedy, John Lyons, 0-3; Mark O’Meara, Sean O’Meara, Mikie Lyons 0-5 frees; Jamie Walsh 0-3. Sub – Ian Brett for Joey Lyons.
Referee: John Butler (Upperchurch/Drombane).