Ballinamore's first-time goalkeeper 'delighted' after Leitrim senior final win
A clean sheet and a senior championship - A successful first day at the office for Aherne
One of the major questions heading into the Leitrim Senior Championship Final repeat was how Ballinamore Sean O’Heslins would manage without their stalwart goalkeeper Darren Maxwell.
Mark Aherne, a 19-year-old, answered that question with a resounding performance.
Playing his first Gaelic football match in goals, Aherne filled in for the injured Maxwell and helped lead Ballinamore to their 3-14 to 0-15 victory over Fenagh St Cailins on Sunday.
In 2021, when Ballinamore last won the Leitrim Senior Championship, Aherne was just “the young fella behind the goals”; he did not think the next time they won he would be between the sticks himself.
“I was hoping it would be out the field, but the opportunity came in goals, and I was delighted to take,” said Aherne after the game.
With only two weeks to get ready between the games, Aherne had to quickly wrap his head around the challenge.
“I would have been slightly nervous before the game, but when you think about that, you work every single day to get this goal, you're happy enough to stick with it and the nerves kind of fade away, then once the game starts.”
The presence of an experienced fullback line and positive messages from across the camp left him confident he could meet the challenge, he says.
“There are leaders all over the field.” He said. “You've got a really good full back line there. Banksy there in full back is unbelievable. A real leader on the team - a deserved captain.”
“It was unbelievable. There were always positive messages coming from Liam Ferguson, Shane Moore, Wayne, etc. They made the task much easier than it would have been with an experienced full-back line, so I was delighted to play with them. “
Aerial dominance from kickouts was vital to Ballinamore's success in the first game and something they needed to repeat if they were going to claim their first title in five years. Despite his inexperience in the position, Aherne’s long kickouts gave them that platform; from there they kicked on to win the game.
Ballinamore’s long-term goalkeeper Darren Maxwell was forced to watch Sunday’s final from the sideline after suffering a knee injury in the drawn match.
Maxwell suffered a knee injury in the drawn match and was forced to watch the game from the sidelines.
“Darren's an unbelievable goalkeeper. Shot stopped his second time on the county really. It was great to get over the line,” said Aherne.
“Darren's definitely disappointed to not be playing today, but I think he'll party as hard as anyone,” he added.