From the early years of the G.A.A., Ballina/Boher Parish has had a GAA club. This club has gone through some lean periods and some great periods.
In 1885 Ballina G.A.A. club was formally established. Indeed, at the Convention in Nenagh on Sunday November 20th 1887, 35 affiliated clubs were represented by their respective delegates. This list of 35 included two from the parish, namely Ballina and Boher. Shortly after this in 1902 Michael Minihan of Boher became North Tipperary Chairman.
There is also a record of a hurling match in Ballina on February 2nd 1886. In the following month, Sunday March 21st, Ballina Club played Limerick in a challenge match. This seems to have been an important match, and travel tickets were on sale: one shilling and three pence return to Limerick (about 6 new pence). We do not know what club in Limerick opposed the Ballina men on that day, but the Ballina team came out victorious. On the return challenge match they beat the Limerick team once again . Fresh from their victories over Limerick, the Ballina Club played Ogonnelloe on Sunday April 11th of the same year, and the return match was held on April 25th. Here they were beaten on both occasions.
The club started out as a senior hurling club and reached the north Tipperary senior hurling final of 1912, but lost heavily to Toomevara. In the following 20 years, there is very little mention of the club, but in 1932 success came to the club as the north junior hurling championship was annexed, beating the famed Lahorna DeWets in the final.
In 1939-1941 there is mention of Boher reaching two north minor hurling finals and a junior hurling final, while Ballina lost the 1943 north intermediate hurling final.
In 1947, Ballina were successful in the north minor football championship, beating Saint Marys (Nenagh) in the final. In 1967, Ballina were again north junior hurling champions.
To read further, visit https://tipperary.gaa.ie/tipperary-club-focus-ballina-gaa-club/
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