Killanin men do the damage in opening half to make last four

Killanin 1-13

Ballinasloe 0-8

KILLANIN advanced to the semi-final of this year’s Intermediate championship after beating Ballinasloe in a strange contest on Saturday evening. Pat Quealey’s side fully deserved their victory but after firing an impressive 1-12 in the opening 30 minutes, Killanin could only manage a solitary point in the second half.

Ballinasloe were dealt a blow at the outset when Keith Kelly was only deemed fit for a spot on the bench and things did not get any better as Killanin raced into a 0-5 to 0-0 lead after just four minutes. The Ballinasloe defence was in disarray and Niall Walsh, Stephen Kavanagh, Johnny Heaney and Patrick Sweeney, twice, all raised white flags.

Ballinasloe got a small foothold in the game shortly after and they nearly opened their account with a goal in the 10th minute. Killanin were dispossessed coming out of defence and Simon Keller fed Ian Fletcher but the corner-forward’s low shot flew across the goal and wide. Fletcher had another decent goal chance a minute later but he could only palm James Shaughnessy’s long delivery into the arms of Shane Sheridan in the Killanin goal.

The Ballinasloe supporters were relieved to see their side finally score in the 14th minute through Paul Whelehan but, even after he added a second soon after, Killanin were exposing his side’s frailties at the other end. Cathal Sweeney pointed in the 16th minute before Niall Walsh was allowed all the time in the world to extend his side’s lead, 0-7 to 0-2.

With ten minutes remaining in the half, Killanin took a decisive step towards victory when Stephen Kavanagh fired a precisely-placed shot into the bottom corner of Nathan King’s goal. Two points from Marvin Lee and Johnny Heaney in the following minutes put nine points between the sides, 1-9 to 0-3.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.