Táin Óg U15 Hurling Final:

Fintona (Tyrone) 6-4

Ballina (Mayo) 4-8

By Adrian Hession in Scarden

It is said in proverb to ‘keep the best until last’ - and this was surely the case in Scarden, Sligo, recently as both Fintona Pearses, Tyrone, and Ballina Stephenites, Mayo, served up the tightest game of the U15 Tain Óg Hurling finals over the past two weekends. In what was a delayed game from the previous weekend, due to the Mayo-Tyrone football showdown in Croke Park, it was Tyrone again who took the spoils in this encounter against the gallant runners-up from North Mayo. In a game enriched with goal-scoring, the result of which went down to the last puck of the game, as Ballina’s Eoin Healy saw his goal-bound shot late-on saved by Fintona custodian Dara Cranny, to give the Ulstermen a two point win.

The first half of this encounter was a goal-fest as both sides showed their intent on going for the ‘onion sack’ at an early stage. It was Ballina who goaled first as Aaron Donnellan pounced on the sliotar from close range to bury low. Eoin McGuire for Fintona and the excellent Niall Peoples exchanged points, before Peoples saw his dropping free fall into the Fintona net on the 8th minute. Fintona’s response was almost instant as a brace of their own goals from Owen Griffith and Eoin McGuire put the Tyrone side back in the ascendancy. Paddy Murphy – Ballina’s full-forward then raised a green flag from close range before Eoin McGuire got his second goal with style to put the scores at 3-2 to 3-1 in favour of Fintona at the first water break. A notable feature was the five goals in succession at either end of the field, which got the game off to a whirlwind start.

The second quarter eased into a less frenzied affair as Ballina began to dominate possession more. This was rewarded when Ballina’s Billy Gilvarry goaled from a free on the 24th minute, and this goal was complemented by two late first half Ballina points – both coming from the stick of Niall Peoples, to leave the half time score at 4-3 to 3-2 in favour of the Green & Reds.

On the resumption, it was Fintona who struck first as the placing of defender Patrick Harley into the Fintona attack paid dividends straight away, as he goaled from close range. Peoples and Paddy Murphy responded with a brace of points at the other end for the Stephenite’s, until Fintona went through their purple patch of dominance between the 28th and 45th minute. During this time the Ulstermen recorded another goal from the elusive Patrick Harley, while Liam Griffith and Phillip McCaffrey also pointed for Fintona during this period of dominance. However, the Stephenite’s most prolific player Niall Peoples drew his side back level with a brace of points and the game seemed to have ‘draw’ written all over it. Then deep in stoppage time, Fintona captain Liam Griffith drove forward and goaled from close range past the hapless Ballina rear-guard. Ballina through Peoples did get a late point, but couldn’t find the winner to bring the Tain Og title to Mayo, and could only watch in horror as Eoin Healy’s late goal bound shot was saved impeccably by the Fintona ‘keeper Cranny.

After the game Darragh Cox (Connacht Hurling GPO) thanked both teams for an enthralling game, and also thanked referee Pat McGuire for officiating, before presenting the Táin Óg medals for 2021 to Fintona captain Liam Griffith.

Fintona: Dara Cranny; Shane Kennedy, Diarmuid Martin, James Barrett; Patrick Harley (2-0), Owen Griffith (1-0), Shane Donnelly; Liam Griffith (1-1,1f), Jack Donnelly, Callum Donnelly, Pjillip McCaffrey (0-2), Colum McSorley; Oisin Bennett, Eoin McGuire (2-1), James McSorley.

Subs: Tomas Gallen, Fionn Donnelly, Donncha Bennett, Niall McCann, Patrick Barrett, Cillian O’Ceallaigh.

Ballina: Michael Gough; Billy Gilvarry (1-0), Sean Duffy, Ronan Coyne; Jake Bagnall, Charlie Flynn, Gino Nealon; Niall Peoples (1-7,1-5f), Eoin Healy; Mark Healy, Conor Maughan, Aaron Donnellan (1-0); Aaron Langdon, Paddy Murphy (1-1), Josh Bagnall.

Ref: Pat McGuire (Sligo)