Connacht SFC round-up: Coolera Strandhill shock Ballina after penalty shoot-out win

Sligo champions Coolera/Strandhill booked their place in the Connacht final after a dramatic penalty shoot-out win over pre-match favourites Ballina Stephenites at Markievicz Park on Sunday.
Niall Murphy, Keelan Harte and Ross Doherty produced the heroics as their side came from two points down deep in extra-time to force a draw and win through after spot-kicks.
Man of the match Harte made a fine save from Conor McStay’s penalty in what was the only one of 10 not converted after a bruising, rain-soaked 80 minutes.
Doherty then kicked the winning penalty after Murphy, who also netted a spot-kick, had earlier come back on following a black card to rescue his side when Ballina looked set to advance.
The Sligo side were 0-9 to 0-7 behind when the full forward returned after his enforced timeout, and he immediately landed a free before winning and converting another with the last kick of extra-time.
Ballina started brightly but didn’t make their early dominance count on the scoreboard. Coolera were competitive throughout, despite not scoring until the 11th minute, and trailed by two points on three different occasions in a low-scoring affair.
The first half was dour with Evan Regan and Luke Doherty opening the scoring for Ballina before Murphy pointed twice to level the tie.
And John McPartland’s team went in front for the first time when Mark McDaniel benefited from Seán Taylor’s flick and skilfully pointed from play.
The response was immediate as Frank Irwin landed a 45-metre free for what was Ballina’s first score in 20 minutes.
And that frustration for Ballina was evident as Pádraig O’Hora picked up a black card for a deliberate body-check on Seán Murphy just before the break.
Coolera failed to take any advantage as McDaniel and Doherty missed opportunities early in the second half, before Sam Callinan drove forward and Luke Feeney fisted over.
Callinan then felt the full force of a Ross O’Carroll hit – the former Dublin footballer picking up a yellow card – before Niall Feeney reopened a two-point advantage.
Callinan ultimately had to be withdrawn as Barry O’Mahony and Niall Murphy tied things up once again.
Ballina’s Luke Doherty and substitute Dylan Thornton traded scores with Coolera’s Niall Murphy and Ross Doherty as the sides finished ordinary time deadlocked at 0-7 each.
Regan and Ciarán Treacy scored in extra-time to edge the Mayo men clear again, but Murphy’s late rescue act spurred his side to a dramatic win.
COOLERA: K Harte; S Murphy, S Taylor, C McDonagh; J Cassidy, R O’Carroll, O Harte; P Laffey, K Banks; L Doherty, M McDaniel (0-1), R Doherty (0-1); B O’Mahony (0-1), N Murphy (0-6, 4f), A O’Boyle.
Subs: H Rooney for O’Boyle (39 mins), A Higgins for L Doherty (42), C Burke for O’Mahony (48), B O’Mahony for Burke, L Doherty for Rooney (both 61), C Burke for O’Mahony (68), B O’Mahony for Cassidy (80).
BALLINA: D Clarke; L Golden, P O’Hora, D Tighe; C Boland, S Callinan, L Jordan; M Murray, F Irwin (0-1, f); L Doherty (0-2), C McStay, N Feeney (0-1); E Regan (0-2, 1f), L Feeney (0-1), B Collins.
Subs: C Treacy (0-1) for Collins (48), J Doherty for Callinan, R Morrin for L Feeney (both 52), D Thornton (0-1) for N Feeney (56), B Collins for Golden (60, blood), C Sweeney for Doherty (61), N Feeney for Regan (77), E Regan for Sweeney (80).
Referee: P Neilan (Roscommon).
Another defensive masterclass from Pádraig Pearses saw them squeeze the life out of Mohill and cruise into a third Connacht final out of three Connacht campaigns since 2019.
Last year Mohill almost shocked St Brigid’s at this stage of the championship and with 15 minutes played, Keith Beirne’s free was the only score on the board and it looked like Eamon O’Hara’s side might be poised to yet again cause huge problems for a highly-fancied Roscommon side.
Two Ronan Daly points in the 18th and 19th minute got Pearses off the mark, but at just 0-3 to 0-2 in front at half-time, the large crowd in Ballinamore had every reason to expect a tight finish, given the high error count and difficult shooting in poor conditions.
After the sides traded points early in the second half, scorers from Conor Daly and Paul Carey stretched the lead and gave Frank Canning’s side a little bit of breathing room.
They could exhale with even more comfort once Mohill corner back David Mitchell picked up his second yellow card in the 41st minute. Within five minutes Conor Daly had kicked the best score of the game and Declan Kenny hoisted over another fine left-footed strike on the run.
Pearses, who haven’t conceded a goal in five full games, need goalkeeper Paul Whelan to react quickly and close down a half-chance for a goal from Conor Quinn, but once he did that it was one-way traffic, as evidenced by Pearses tacking on four points in the closing minutes.
MOHILL: P Tighe; J Mitchell, S Harkin, R Bohan; D Mitchell, S Quinn, J Rowley; C Quinn, D Flynn; E Harkin (0-1), K Keegan, T Mulligan; J Reynolds, K Beirne (0-2, 2f), F McGuinness.
Subs: R Gordon for McGuinness (51 mins), C Canning for S Quinn, (55-58 temp), C Canning for Mulligan (58), D Duignan for S Harkin (60+1), O Reynolds for S Quinn (60+3).
PÁDRAIG PEARSES: P Whelan; G Downey, N Carty, D Murray; D Kenny (0-2), C Keogh, Conor Harley; C Ryan (0-1, m), N Daly; C Daly (0-2), R Daly (0-4), A McGreal; S Canning, P Carey (0-2, 1f), J Tumulty (0-2).
Subs: C Lohan for Harley, E Colleran for Canning (both 42 mins), J Nevin for McGreal (52), M Richardson for Downey (58), S Carty for Colleran (60).
Referee: J Molloy (Galway).