Connacht Club FC Semi-finals: Curry - 3-9 Ballina Stephenites 0-8 Adrian Marren gave Curry the perfect start with a great goal after four minutes and when the letal marksman blasted a second goal past Stephenites goalkeeper John Healy a minute before half-time in this Connacht club football semi-final yesterday, the game was as good as over.
Curry were expected by many to use the space of Markievicz Park to their advantage but few would have expected the Sligo champions to knock the high-flying Stephenites out of the championship.
The home side played with a lot of intensity and passion on a day when the Mayo men never got out of the blocks.
Victory was sweet for Curry who last month won their first Sligo senior title in 31 years.
The home side were four points in front before Ger Brady opened the visitors' account in the eighth minute. Ballina struggled to come to grips with the game in the first half and at half-time trailed 2-3 to 0-4.
Brian McDonagh stretched Curry's lead with a point after 30 seconds of the second half and the signs were ominous for the Mayo champions. Seven points separated the sides when Éanna Casey got Stephenites' first score of the half on 42 minutes.
Curry then failed to score for a 15-minute spell during which Ballina added three points in a spirited fightback. But the result was well beyond doubt when Brian McDonagh scored Curry's third goal five minutes into stoppage time.
CURRY: J Durcan; B Collins, G Kennedy, S Marren; C Walsh, Barry McDonagh, B Giblin; G Maye, P Durcan; P Henry, D Colleary (0-2), K Giblin; Brian McDonagh (1-2), A Loftus, A Marren (2-5, three frees). Subs: S Haran for B Giblin; S Davey for Loftus, A Brennan for P Durcan, J Henry for P Henry.
BALLINA STEPHENITES: J Healy; K Golden, J Devenney, C Leonard; M Wynne, B Ruane, S Sweeney; P Harte (0-2 frees), G Brady (0-1); D Coen, L McHale (0-1), E Casey (0-1); B McStay, P McGarry (0-2, one free), S Hughes. Subs: E Devenney (0-1) for Coen; P McHale for McStay; S Barrett for Hughes; I Knight for McGarry.
Referee: G Kinneavey (Roscommon).
