Balla SS lift Minor ‘B’ Boys Cup
FAI Schools Minor ‘B’ Boys National Cup Final (Under 15, Small Schools)
Thursday, May 2, 2024
Balla Secondary School 5-0 Grange Community College, Donaghmede
Tony Cunningham (10, 11), Ryan Judge (36), Dylan Dunne (48, 70)
BALLA SECONDARY SCHOOL outplayed Donaghmede scholars Grange Community College in the FAI Schools Minor ‘B’ Boys National Cup Final in Athlone Town AFC yesterday (Wednesday, May 1).
An amazing performance saw a brace from Tony Cunningham and Captain Dylan Dunne as well as a sweet strike from Ryan Judge ensured the silverware travelled West this season.
The Mayo crew were two up inside the first 11 minutes when Tony CUNNINGHAM slotted past the talented Timurs Rjaguzovs.
Cunningham’s first came courtesy of team-mate Ryan Judge who sprayed the ball goal bound for Tony to ensure the tap in. His second was just after the re-start when in headed in perfectly from a high ball over the top.
Donaghmede were unlucky not to see a goal awarded just before the brace as Kacper Nieworaj was ruled off-side in the build-up.
With a quarter of an hour on the clock, the industrious Tony Cunningham played in Dylan Dunne but his rocket was palmed superbly onto the crossbar from the hardworking Timurs Rjaguzovs.
Rocco Lawlor forced a great saved from Noah Murphy just before the interval as it remained 2-0 to Balla at the break
Grange needed to start on the front foot if they were to mount a come-back in this Cup tie but Ryan JUDGE dashed any hopes of a resurgence as he scored within a minute of the re-start. An inch perfect finish from an acute angle to take the Balla tally to three.
It was 47 minutes in when Ryan Cunningham forced another super save from the Grange keeper while Rocco Lawlor hit the post at the other end.
A minute later, Dylan DUNNE headed in from a Ryan Cunningham cross to make it 4-0
With the game nearly up, DUNNE netted his second of the afternoon and Balla’s fifth with an outrageous strike to the top corner to ensure a comprehensive victory in the Midlands.
Unfortunately, the Dublin side had no response to the slick moves of Balla as they were so composed on the ball and created some wonderful goal-scoring opportunities only for the stunning heroics of Timurs Rjaguzovs, the scoreline could have been in double figures as he denied Judge, the Cunningham duo, Fallon and Nolan in the second half.
BALLA SECONDARY SCHOOL | Noah Murphy, Keelan Corrigan, Adam Jennings, Ethan Duffy, Ben Kileen, Charlie Fallen, Tony Cunningham, Dylan Dunne ©, Ryan Nolan, Ryan Cunningham,Ryan Judge
ROLL ON / OFF SUBS | Jack Batlen, Fionn Burke, Danel Lyons, Cillian Broderick, Colm Tuohy, Darragh Broderick, Matthew Vahey
EXTENDED PANEL | James Heaney, Keelan Boyle, Joshua Barrett, Colin Prenty, Ryan Duggan, Óisín Cunnane, Seán Nolan, Liam Mahoney
TEACHERS | Darren O’Malley & Jonathan Ó Ceallaigh
GRANGE COMMUNITY COLLEGE, DONAGHMEDE | Timurs Rjaguzovs, Seán Behan, Odhran Murray, Scott Mooney, Ethan Feeney, Killian N’Diaye Mack, Josh Moore, Cian Corrigan ©, Ethan Tansey, Rocco Lawlor
ROLL ON / OFF SUBS | Nathan Maher, Alex Garbutt, Kealan Moloney, Bobby Tilly, Ayjay Smith, Charle Hands, Rian Carroll
EXTENDED PANEL | Adam Szeiler, Jack Chahwan, Logan Matthews, Ryan Grant
TEACHERS | Seán McDonald, Finnian Brady, Robert Mooney
MATCH OFFICIAL | Paul Tone (Athlone)
