Wasteful Ahascragh/Fohenagh almost pay big price

Ahascragh/Fohenagh 0-19

Ballyhaunis 2-13

BALLYHAUNIS came mightily close to becoming the first Mayo club to win the Connacht Intermediate Hurling Championship last Sunday in Athleague.

All-Star footballer Keith Higgins had an outstanding afternoon, and his goal in the third minute of added time put Ballyhaunis 2-10 to 0-15 in front and left a very wasteful Ahascragh/Fohenagh team staring into the abyss. Their own All-Star Cathal Mannion came up with the levelling score less than a minute later, and could have won it for Ahascragh/Fohenagh at the end of normal time.

Instead of shooting over the bar from a very manageable angle, Mannion opted to go for the jugular and tried to pick out Mark Kelly, who was all alone in front of the Ballyhaunis goal. Goalkeeper and captain Donal O’Brien read his intentions however and made the critical interception, ensuring that there would be extra-time in the striking sunshine.

Mannion got all three of Ahascragh/Fohenagh’s point in overtime. Ballyhaunis showed commendable spirit though, Higgins brought his tally for the afternoon to 1-7, and goalkeeper Donal O’Brien was the man with the cool hand on a chilly day. Twice he sent over frees from deep inside his own half into the Kepak factory end, the second a minute before the final whistle to draw the teams for the sixth and final occasion, 2-13 to 0-19.

O’Brien is a Tipperary native from Silvermines who is teaching in Ballyhaunis, and has won the Connacht Poc Fada Senior title in the recent past. His effort means that the teams will have to do it all again this Sunday in the same venue. It adds another game to what has been a manic schedule for Ballyhaunis in the past few weeks.

Last Sunday’s final was their fourth fixture in a fortnight, coupled with the two Mayo county finals they played and the Connacht Intermediate semi-final they won last Wednesday night against the Roscommon champions Oran. It displays where player welfare comes on the list of priorities for the GAA, but teams get used to playing so frequently in such a short space of time and build up a head of steam in the process if there’s a few wins thrown into the mix.

That’s the advantage Ballyhaunis had over Ahascragh/Fohenagh, who looked sluggish in periods following the two-week break between their maiden Galway Intermediate Championship triumph and this game. Ahascragh/Fohenagh were so dominant in that win over Ballinderreen, and there must have been great celebrations in the parishes in the days afterwards.

They took time to get tuned into this Connacht final, still led 0-9 to 0-6 at half-time and by five points with 10 minutes to play, but were fighting for survival in injury time when Higgins bagged Ballyhaunis’ second goal.

Full coverage in this week’s Connacht Tribune.