Ballina 2-11 Mayo Gaels 2-11
Our Intermediate team fought back from seven points down in the second half to earn a draw in the league away to Ballina on Saturday evening.
Ballina open the scoring in the first minute with a point from play but Jonathan Morrin replied quickly with a well worked point. Some lack lustre defence from Mayo Gaels led to two more quick points for Ballina leaving the score at 3 point to 1 in favour of the home team by the twelfth minute. James Fallon then had to be substituted through injury giving Shane Vahey his chance to impress after a long absence through injury. By the 21st minute, Jonathan Griffin returned the score to parity with two
well taken free kicks from the ground.
The following ten minutes was dominated by Ballina in which they added a goal and two points to their score. The Gaels then managed to win a free kick around 30 metres out and a quick delivery to Danny Burke resulted in a well placed shot to the goal, just out of reach of the keeper. Ballina then added two further points, leaving the half time score at Ballina B 1-7 Mayo Gaels 1-4.
The second half scoring resumed with a pointed free from Ballina. Jonathan Morrin started to get more into the game and slotted over two fine points from play. This, however, was followed by a very well taken shot from well outside the area that left Paul Mannion with no chance in the Gael’s goal. Danny Burke traded points with Ballina and with 10 mins gone in the 2nd half it was 2-9 to 1-7 in favour of the home side.
The Gaels then started to rally back and one well worked passage of play through the middle of the field resulted in a Mally Byrne strike at goal. Although the keeper managed to block the initial effort, Mally was on hand to put the re-bound to the back of the net. This was followed by a point each for Jonathan Griffin and a splendid effort from very close to the left end-line by Danny Burke. Ballina finished their scoring for the day with two more points from play, followed by points from Neill McGurrin and Jonathan Morrin to leave the sides level.
Mayo Gaels team: Paul Mannion, Anthony Byrne, Dermot Browne, Keith Walsh, Allyn
Brett, Adrian Heneghan, Noel Quinn, Joe Walsh, Mark Nally, Mally Byrne (1-0),
James Fallon, Jonathan Griffin (0-4, 3f), Neill McGurrin (0-1), Danny Burke (1-2), Jonathan
Morrin (0-4). Subs: Shane Vahey for James Fallon (inj), Jonathan Walsh for Allyn Brett, Joe Gilroy for Keith Walsh
