Ballina 1-04 Nemo Rangers 0-14

James Masters contributed eight points as Nemo Rangers qualified for their fourth All-Ireland club final since the turn of the century.

The free-scoring Cork forward was the dominant player in Ennis as Nemo won through to next month's decider - their eleventh in all since 1973.

Backed by the wind, the Munster champions roared into a 0-07 to 0-01 interval lead with Stephen Hughes notching Ballina's only point.

Things went from bad to worse for the Mayo men when wing back Shane Sweeney was sent-off, although Enda Devenney did find the net from a long range free.

Pitch conditions were ideal for this game. Nemo took full advantage of the swirling breeze and they lorded possession in the opening half.

Ballina, the 2005 All-Ireland champions, simply had no answer to the skill and pace of the Cork outfit.

Rebels star Masters was in sublime form and kicked six of Nemo's first half points.

Ballina's lone point of the half came after 11 minutes when corner forward Hughes slotted between the posts, after excellent support play from Pat Harte.

Hughes' point levelled the contest for the first and only time, but it was a false dawn for the Connacht champions.

Ballina lost defender Ger Cafferkey through injury after just ten minutes, and this was to have a major effect on them for the remainder of the opening half.

There was nothing to stop the influential Masters, who was fluid from open play and 45s. His fisted point handed Nemo a 0-02 to 0-01 buffer as the game entered the second quarter.

With plenty of possession for the remainder of the half, Nemo could afford to kick six wides in the opening half-hour.

Masters claimed the bulk of the scores while there was also a superb right-footed point from half-forward Dylan Mehigan.

Although Ballina were disappointing in the opening period, they came out with renewed heart in the opening stages of the second half. Liam Brady was on target within a minute from a placed ball.

Liam Higgins' side were working the ball well in attack at this stage, but flattered to deceive as Nemo grabbed a brace of points from Masters and Kerrigan.

Liam Brady responded with a point for Ballina but Nemo were fully in control and broke into a 0-14 to 0-04 lead with three minutes remaining.

Ballina's woes were compounded late on when Sweeney was dismissed for a tackle on Nemo corner forward David Kearney.

And although Devenney managed to find the net from a free 40 metres out, it was certainly a case of too little too late for the Stephenites as Nemo advanced to an All-Ireland showdown with St. Vincent's on 17 March.

BALLINA STEPHENITES: D Clarke; G Cafferkey, E Devenney (1-00), M Wynne; B Ruane, C Leonard, S Sweeney; R McGarrity, D Brady (0-01); P McGarry, P Harte, E Casey; S Hughes (0-01), G Brady, L Brady (0-02, 0-01f).

Subs used: D O'Mahony for Cafferkey (10 mins), C Sweeney for Casey (44), J Devenney for McGarry (54).

NEMO RANGERS: B Morgan; N Geary, D Kavanagh, D Breen; G O'Shea, M Cronin, B O'Regan (0-01); P Morgan, M McCarthy; R Kenny, D Mehigan (0-02), A Cronin; J Masters (0-08, 0-02 45s), D Kearney, P Kerrigan (0-03).

Subs used: S O'Brien for Kenny (half-time), D Niblock for McCarthy (51 mins), B Twomey for Kearney, B O'Driscoll for A Cronin (both 56), G Murphy for Geary (57).

Referee: Maurice Deegan (Laois)