Ballina dethrones Silvermines to claim much-deserved North Junior Hurling title

North Tipperary Junior C Hurling Championship Final 

Ballina 0-20 

Silvermines 2-9

By Joe Scully

Ballina are North Tipperary Junior C champions after a deserved five-point victory over Silvermines on Saturday. 

Despite finishing the game down to 14 Ballina were comfortable winners, in the main thanks to a strong second-half performance, where they outscored the Mines by 0-11 to 1-4, after going in at the break just one point ahead. 

Ballina were always in control of the game and looked the more dangerous team throughout the hour. However, Silvermines will rue a couple of missed opportunities during the game, mainly the fact they had two penalties in the second half and only managed a point from them, as the first one was saved, and the second one flew over the bar after the Mines keeper Shaun Forde had travelled the length of the pitch to take it. 

They will also regret the fact they went 22 minutes either side of half-time without scoring. 

Ballina had some good performers on the day but nine so more than David Hickey who ran the show for the blues and whites, who were playing in a changed red strip, scoring 15 of their total four coming from play, and hitting some monster frees from inside his own half.

Ballina were first off, the mark, when corner forward Donal McKeogh pointed after being set up by Jamie Collins. Mines were ahead though by the fourth minute after two efforts firstly from Fionn Ryan Mulqueen from a free then a super point from halfway by Ciarán Timmons.

Mulqueen then added his second in the 6th minute after a fine team move to leave his side two points up. Ballina responded brilliantly and hit the next four scores all from David Hickey, his frees the final two absolute monsters from inside his own half to leave Ballina 0-5 to 0-3 ahead after ten minutes.

Mines then hit a purple patch of their own as the game continued to swing back and forth, as they hit 1-02, with Mulqueen pointing two frees, before Ciarán Timmons goaled after a fine run and emphatic finish into the top corner, in the 15th minute, but this would be their final score till the 48th minute.

Ballina’s response was swift, and Hickey reduced the deficit with a free, before Donncha Houlihan added a point from play, before Hickey again this time with a fine effort from play, before Jerry O’Brien hit the final score of the half in added time to leave Ballina ahead by one at the break 0-9 to 1-05.

Ballina came flying out of the blocks at the start of the second half and the game turned into the David Hickey show, as he hit the first five points of the half, with three frees, before hitting two fine efforts from play to put his side six ahead after 37 minutes.

TJ Timmons finally got the Mines going again with their first score in 22 minutes with an effort from play, but straight from the puckout Ballina’s Donal McKeogh replied with a point of his own.

David Boland reduced the gap for Silvermines, but once again from the resultant puckout McKeogh responded with an instant reply to leave it 0-16 to 1-06 after 42 minutes. It would be five minutes before the game's next score when Hickey added another from a free.

Silvermines were then awarded a penalty in the 50th minute when Ciarán Timmons was dragged to the ground by Cian Molloy who was shown a second yellow card and then a red.

Mulqueen stood up to take the penalty but miscontrolled it as he was raising the sliotar and had to strike the ball one-handed and his effort lacked any real power and was easily saved by Damien Healy in goal.

Kieran Fogarty pointed for Mines in the 55th minute to leave five in it, but the gap was back at six a minute later through another Hickey effort.

Silvermines had the gap back to three in the first minute of added time when Denis Ryan hit an unstoppable shot to the net after being set up by a quick-thinking free by Sean Quinlan.

Hickey had the gap at four in the 63rd minute, before Mines were awarded another penalty in the 64th minute, which keeper Forde hit but could only blast it over the bar. Not surprisingly the final say of the game went to Hickey with a superb effort from the halfway line.

Ballina: Damien Healy; Eoin Ryan, Paul Ryan, Rody Kennedy; Thomas Grace, Jerry O’Brien (0-1), Donal Kent; Donncha Houlihan (0-1), Cian Molloy; Eoin Kent, David Hickey (0-15, 0-11f), Domhnall McKeogh (0-3); Jamie Collins, Stephen Stritch, Des Morgan.

Subs used: Michael Kennedy for E Ryan (26); Niall Sheehy for D Morgan (HT); TJ O’Connell for S Stritch (58); Ger Coonan for D Houlihan (63).

Silvermines: Shaun Forde (0-1 pen); Mark Leamy, Bill Maher, Kevin Sheahan; Ger Boland, Kevin Kennedy, Damian Egan; TJ Timmons (0-1), Ciarán Timmons (1-1); Sean Quinlan, David Boland (0-1), Kieran Fogarty (0-1); Billy Shanahan, Liam Grace, Fionn Ryan Mulqueen (0-4, 0-3f).

Subs used: Jack Keays for K Sheahan (HT); Aaron Mulqueen for B Shanahan (49); Denis Ryan for L Grace (44); Michael Young for F Mulqueen (52); Seamus Ryan for B Maher (60).

Referee: Mark Houlihan (Lorrha)