Ballinasloe News

Congratulations to Ballinasloe’s U13s and U19s on their fine achievements at the week-end. The U13s won the Southern Conference of their Connacht League

and completed their programme of matches with a comprehensive win over Monivea. Indeed, a fine squad of players won all their games in the competition.

The U19s, meanwhile, had a fine away win over Corrib on the scoreline of 5pts to19. They have now qualified for their league play-off having topped their

group and conceeding only two tries in the process.

Ballinasloe’s senior side had a disappointing loss to UCG at home in the league on Sunday. In a game played in foggy conditions, there was pretty little to

choose between two evenly balanced sides in a rather low scoring contest that ended 8pts to 11. With the match approaching half time the local side took

the lead when Paddy Birch stroked over a penalty off the upright but some slack tackling by the Ballinasloe defence allowed the students Cian McCann to

slip in for an unconverted try on the stroke of half time.

Seven minutes into the second period Ballinasloe took the lead following the best passage of play in the game. Malcolm Bruce took a ball from the back

of a lineout on half way before making some ground and off loading to centre Richie Shepherd. He in turn took the ball into the student’s 22 before slipping a

pass to the on-running Ross Tyrrell who went over for a try but the conversion was missed. Seven minutes later Keith Farry levelled the scores with a penalty

and repeated the act in the 64^th minute to give College a three point lead and complete the scoring. As has been their wont this season, Ballinasloe finished

strongly but couldn’t trouble the scoreboard. Having two players yellow carded, one in each half, didn’t help their cause.

BALLINASLOE: M.Colohan, P.Birch, R.Shepherd, L.Feerick, R.Tyrrell, D.Fenton, S.Hayes, J.J.Carey, K.Hogarty, T.Dolan, H.Reynolds, K.Dolan, M.Bruce,

J.Kelly(capt), A.Doorley. Replacements used G.Sheridan(for P.Birch), E.Courtney(for M.Colohan).

LIAM COURTNEY,

PRO BALLINASLOE RFC