The Charelstown Sarsfields Under-16 team put up a gallant performance in the county under-16 B  semi-final against a much fancied Ballinrobe side but ultimately came up short on a scoreline of 4-5 to 2-6 with the South Mayo lads edging over the line in a game dominated by goals taken and goals missed with the Sarsfields left to rue some chances that went abegging in both halves.

                      The Sarsfields went into the game as big underdogs and the fact that they had to travel to Ballinrobe to take on the hosts in their own backyards only added to the degree of difficulty as the South Mayo lads were accorded  home advantage  on the back of having  coming through their group undefeated.

                 The Sarsfields were slow to start and were jittery and edgy for the majority of the first half with Ballinrobe in contrast a little more settled and composed as they bagged two goals which would prove crucial to the overall outcome of the game at the final whistle.

                 The Sarsfields did manage to get some traction late in the first half and pulled themselves back into contention with a flurry of good points to keep their deficit to more manageable proportions as they trailed 2-2 to 0-4 at the interval.

                     The Sarsfields were acutely aware that they needed  a strong start to the second half if they wanted to knock the Robe lads out of their comfort zone . They got the boost they needed with an early goal which gave the green and white lads real impetus as they wrestled control back from the hosts.

               The Sarsfields were bossing the game and whittled down the lead to  a slender point as they started to inject  real doubt into the minds of the South Mayo standard bearers.

                  They suffered a crippling blow to their challenge however when they conceded a rather soft third goal which was just the boost Ballinrobe needed as they were in danger of smoothering under the pressure the Sarsfields were exerting in all areas of the pitch.

               The concession of that goal hit the Sarsfields hard as they were totally in control and looked all over winners to all intents and purposes. It`s amazing how a goal changes the landscape and Ballinrobe were revitalised as they rediscovered their poise and authority and hit the Sarsfields for a fourth and decisive goal in the closing stages which all but put paid to the green and white challenge.

                 The green and white did manage to breach the home defence for a second goal but it came on the back of some crucial misses as still they continued to hammer at a shaky and nervous looking Ballinrobe defence. The scores they so craved never arrived however as chances were spurned from good scoring position with a lack of composure undermining the green and white lads at key moments in the game.

             To their eternal credit they never stopped trying at any stage in the game and were nothing if not brave and tenacious but that little ingredient called luck eluded them throughout at both ends of the pitch.

           They can take great heart however at the way they went about their business as they took the game to their  much more fancied opposition and gave them many anxious moments as the mantle of favouritism seemed to weigh heavily on the shoudlers of the young Ballinrobe men.

                       Great credit goes to the whole team and panel and well done to the management comprising of Tommy Harrington, James Kilroy and Alan Woods who got the best out of the talent available to them and did great work on the training park as the team improved in leaps and bounds as they got the last four of the league and championship respectively.