Ballina Stephenites and Knockmore will battle it out in the Mayo senior football championship final after both teams were victorious in their respective semi-finals today at MacHale Park.
Holders Stephenites needed extra time to overcome Ballaghderreen on a 1-18 to 2-12 scoreline and return to the third final in as many years.
Kuba Callaghan’s late free sent the game to extra time for Ballaghderreen, with the full-time score reading 1-11 to 2-8, and it was points from Frank Irwin and Conor McStay that got Ballina motoring in the extra periods before Evan Regan’s late point secured their third point win.
Extra time would also be needed in Castlebar to separate Knockmore and Breaffy, with the 2021 champions prevailing by 2-15 to 0-18 in the end.
The sides finished on 0-13 apiece at the end of normal time, after which goals from Charlie Bourke and Billy Ruane in the second period of extra time worked the oracle for Knockmore to set-up a north Mayo final.
Knockmore GAA joint manager John Brogan told https://t.co/oMDt5TDtsP after their snatch and grab victory over Breaffy GAA after extra time at Hastings Insurance MacHale Park in the Connacht Gold Mayo GAA semi final that supporters have got the dream final now between two close… pic.twitter.com/lrBARAoVEz
— Mayo GAA (@MayoGAA) October 6, 2024
Tweet‘Character and experience won it for us at finish’, that was the view of Ballina Stephenities manager Niall Heffernan when he spoke to https://t.co/oMDt5TDtsP after a pulsating Connacht Gold Mayo GAA senior football championship
— Mayo GAA (@MayoGAA) October 6, 2024
semi final at Hastings Insurance MacHale Park. pic.twitter.com/Cog7hCi8Ov