Gaelic GamesMatch Report

Mayo SFC final: Ballina Stephenites secure 37th title after low-scoring decider

Breaffy’s search for a first Moclair Cup continues as Ballina end 16-year drought in Castlebar

Ballina Stephenites celebrate their victory over Breaffy in the Mayo SFC Final at Hastings Insurance MacHale Park in Castlebar. Photograph: James Crombie/Inpho
Ballina Stephenites celebrate their victory over Breaffy in the Mayo SFC Final at Hastings Insurance MacHale Park in Castlebar. Photograph: James Crombie/Inpho
Mike Finnerty
Sun Oct 29 2023 - 20:16
Mayo SFC final: Ballina Stephenites 0-6 Breaffy 0-4

The lowest scoring Mayo football decider for almost 90 years ended with the most successful club in the competition emerging victorious at Hastings Insurance MacHale Park in Castlebar.

Ballina Stephenites were crowned senior champions for the 37th time after edging out Breaffy, who were chasing their first Moclair Cup.

The game was a disappointing spectacle for the large crowd who turned out, but that won’t bother Ballina after they ended a 16-year wait for championship glory.

The winners won a war of attrition despite only scoring two points from play, the second of which arrived in the fourth minute of added-time from man-of-the-match Luke Feeney.

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The teenager’s point consigned Breaffy to their fifth Mayo SFC Final defeat in 10 years. Konrad Coghill’s side failed to score in the last 23 minutes and shot 11 wides over the course of this latest county final loss.

Ballina, last year’s beaten finalists, led at the end of an underwhelming first half by 0-4 to 0-1, Breaffy’s only score coming from a Conor O’Shea free in the second minute.

Up at the other end two frees from Evan Regan and a fine score from play from Conor McStay meant that the Stephenites led at the end of the first quarter by 0-3 to 0-1.

The only other white flag raised by either side before the break came from the boot of Luke Feeney who converted a close-range mark.

Breaffy upped the ante after the restart and shot two quick-fire points from Conor O’Shea (free) and substitute James Minogue (their only score from play) to close the gap to the bare minimum.

But Conor O’Shea then missed a gilt-edged chance to level the game for only the second time from a free and Ballina hit back with a well-struck 45 from Frank Irwin to give themselves a little breathing space in the 37th minute.

Remarkably, that was to be their last score until the fourth minute of added-time as the game continued to resemble an arm-wrestle where neither side seemed capable of forcing the issue.

Breaffy’s final score of the game came in the 42nd minute from an Aidan O’Shea free, his only score of the contest, as the underdogs were unable to draw level at any stage.

O’Shea was off target with a 50-metre free before Feeney sealed Ballina’s win.

BALLINA: D Clarke; L Golden, G Cafferkey, P O’Hora; C Boland, S Callinan, D Tighe; F Irwin (0-1, a 45), D Thornton; N Feeney, M Birrane, J Irwin; E Regan (0-2, two frees), L Feeney (0-2, one mark), C McStay (0-1).

Subs used: S Regan for Golden; M Murray for Thornton; C Treacy for Birrane; B Collins for J Irwin.

BREAFFY: J Livingstone; C Beirne, M Dervan, C Melly; D Livingstone, M Hall, D Morrin; C O’Shea (0-2, two frees), M Ruane; D Neary, R Fadden, R Martyn; T O’Reilly, A O’Shea (0-1, free), O Tunney.

Subs used: J Minogue (0-1) for Tunney; C Flynn for Neary; C Golden for O’Reilly; P Deane for D Livingstone.

Referee: G McMahon (Davitts)