Mayo Under-21 'A' Quarter-final (Saturday, 20-March-99)

Ballina and Lahardane to try again

Ballina............0-9
Lahardane..........0-9

Ballina and Lahardane must try again following this draw at Ballina in the quarter-final of the under-21 A championship on Saturday. It was a well contested game and it was Liam Brady who rescued Ballina with the late balancing point.

Lahardane were first to score thanks to a Cormac Rowland free but Ballina rallied with four unanswered points from frees by Liam Brady.

However it was Ballina who were in control and went in leading by 0-6 to 0-2 at the break, Lahardane's other score coming from Rowland from a free, while Seanie Campbell and Liam Brady topped up the Ballina lead.

With the wind at their backs in the second half Lahardane played much better in difficult conditions. Anthony McDermott and Shane Blake began to assert themselves at midfield and Declan Leonard produced two great points thanks to the wonderful work of McDermott.

Declan Garrett pulled back another super point as Lahardane moved ever close to drawing level and it was Vinnie Cawley's two points which finally put them on level terms before Cormac Rowland scored what appeared to be the winning free until Brady rescued Ballina with that late equaliser.

Best for Lahardane were Daire Nolan who won a lot of ball under his own posts near the end, Damien Kelly, Ray and Anthony McDermott, Sean Harte and the scorers, Cawley, Rowland and Leonard.

Lahardane: D. Nolan, A. McDonnell, D. Kelly, R. McDermott, S. Harte, M. Marley, J. McDonnell, A. McDermott, S. Blake, D. Leonard (0-2); V. Cawley (0-2); D. Garrett (0-1); S. McGreevy, C. Rowland (0-4); C. Barrett.
Subs.: T. Jordan (for C. Barrett); B. Rowland (for S. McGreevy); J. McAndrew.

Ref.: V. Neary (Bonniconlon).