FBD Insurance U21A Football Championship Semi-Final (2nd December 2023)
Cappawhite Gaels 1-9 (12)
Ballina 0-10 (10)
By Michael McCarthy
Cappawhite Gaels reached the County Final after a hard-fought match against a very game Ballina side in Holycross on Saturday. This game was nip and tuck all through with both sides leading at various points but ultimately in second-half extra time Cappawhite Gaels had the legs to see the game home.
Cappawhite Gaels started strong but couldn’t register a score having two wides from frees in the first few minutes. It was Ballina who opened the scoring in the ninth minute when Zak Egan kicked an excellent point after a flowing Ballina move. It was a lead they would hold for a full 30 minutes. Charlie King doubled that lead less than a minute later when Ballina turned over the kick out and were fouled. Stephen Dee got the West side on the board from a free a couple of minutes later before Ballina full-forward Paddy Bradley restored the two-point lead. Dee, who was the only scorer in the first half for the Gaels, got his second from a free on fifteen minutes. The next fourteen minutes saw both defences to the fore. Both teams had chances but couldn’t convert with Ballina having the best of those and were unlucky not to score the opening goal shooting wide from close range. The impressive Charlie King was getting on more ball as the half came to a close and scored from play on 29 minutes after a well-worked move. From the kickout, Cappa Gaels worked the ball swiftly up the field, and with Stephen Dee free he clipped over a good point off his left to leave the minimum in it at the half-time whistle. Cappawhite Gaels 0-3 Ballina 0-4.
Ballina started the second half strongly and had two points on the board inside five minutes through Charlie King’s second from play and Josh Egan, who was seeing a lot of the ball. The west side needed to dig deep as the game was in danger of running away from them and that is what they did, Dee converted his third free of the game before a move reminiscent of their West final victory saw Stephen Dee get on a run through the middle before passing to his right for Conor Martin to finish to the net. It gave Cappawhite Gaela their first lead of the game. It was short-lived however as King scored his fourth of the game from a free. Ballina were reduced to fourteen, due to a sin bin, on 19 minutes when a deliberate foul inside the box resulted in a Gaels penalty. Substitute Tristan Stokes stood over it and sent the Ballina keeper the wrong way his shot was high and went over the bar. The game was close now with both sides nervous about making a mistake. Josh Egan got his second on 24 minutes to once again tie it up. Both sides would have chances before Sam Carmody put the West side ahead on 29 minutes. Ballina attacked hard now looking for an equaliser but the defence was solid. One last-ditch attempt saw King get the ball in the right corner on the roadside but an excellent Tommy O’Mahony tackle saw the ball squirt free in the scramble the referee adjudged King to be fouled and awarded the free. King scored under pressure to send the game to extra time.
Again the North side were quick out of the blocks. A good move saw no. 5 JP Mbokha, operating at wing forward, score an excellent point to put Ballina back in front. Cappawhite Gaels kept it tight and didn’t go chasing the game and their patience was rewarded with a free as half-time approached. Dee converted convincingly and the sides were level again. This time the West side started quickest and were on the attack from the throw-in. Brian Buckley found himself with room and from just outside the ‘D’ he scored a good point.
Ballina threw everything at the game now and came forward in droves but the Cappawhite defence stood tall. As they broke up the field on eight minutes Sean Cleary found himself free he passed to Tristan Stokes and he chipped over off the ground. With time running out Ballina had a shot from a distance which drifted wide and Cappawhite Gaels broke from the kickout and could’ve finished the game but the ball hit the outside of the post and wide. With the game in injury time, Ballina went forward a last time but the quick ball down the line was intercepted by Ben White and the referee blew the final whistle.
Ballina were U19A champions from two years ago and they didn’t let their title go without a fight but ultimately ran out of steam in extra time. JP Mbokha was particularly impressive at wing back while Dara King tried hard all day around the middle third, Matthew Power got on a lot of ball, especially in the first half but was too far from the goals to be a threat. Charlie King was their best player on show and his points from frees and play kept them ticking over.
For the West side, their defence as a unit stood firm with Aidan Mair in the goal having no save of note to make. Gearoid Ryan was solid at full-back while Ben White was a steadying influence around the middle. Tommy O’Mahony, Michael English, and particularly Mikey O’Brien formed a formidable half-back line. Stephen Dee and Tommy Costello were excellent at midfield while upfront Anthony Barry never stopped trying, Sam Carmody had his moments and Conor Martin got the all-important goal in the second half. Brian Buckley was the pick of the forwards tracking and getting on lots of ball before his hugely important score in extra time.
Cappawhite Gaels now meet Clonmel Commercials in the final this coming weekend.
Cappawhite Gaels: Aidan Mair; Pakie Barry, Gearoid Ryan, Daire Duggan; Michael English, Thomas O’Mahony, Mikey O’Brien; Tommy Costello, Stephen Dee (0-5, 0-3f); Ben White, Sam Carmody (0-1), Conor Martin (1-0); Cian O’Carroll, Anthony Barry, Brian Buckley (0-1).
Subs used: Tristan Stokes (0-2, 0-1 pen); Sean Cleary; Neil Clancy; Mikey Carmody.
Ballina: Conor Shanahan; David Coughlan, Kian Donnelly, Cillian Ryan; JP Mbokha (0-1), Sam Loughran, Zak Egan (0-1); Dara King, Jack Collins; Cathal O’Donnell, Matthew Power, Josh Egan (0-2); Charlie Grace, Paddy Bradley (0-1), Charlie King (0-5, 0-3f).
Subs used: David Grace; Billy Collins; Brian Bourke.
Referee: Martin Doyle (Ardfinnan)
