Ballinrobe share the spoils on Super League return

Elverys Sports Super League – Round 2 

Ballinrobe Town 2 

Kiltimagh/Knock United 2 

Patrick Hennelly at Green Road 

Super League football returned to The Green for the first time since 2011 and what unfolded on Sunday morning was a real dingdong and enthralling battle from first whistle to last. In the end, the respective sides had to settle for a share of the spoils in what was the first game of the new league season for both clubs.

The meteoric rise of Ballinrobe Town since their return to the junior men’s grade in 2021 has been a real ‘Roy of the Rovers’ type story, and the Robesiders began this contest with a conviction, as a fizzing Shane Ryan free-kick inside the first minute had to be touched onto his crossbar by the alert Niall Walshe in the Kiltimagh/Knock United goal.

The Red and White put their guests under some stern pressure during the embryonic stages of this tie, with a succession of Ballinrobe corners causing concern for Walshe and his defence.

United finally lifted the siege and the Blue and White almost snatched the lead on six minutes but Sean Shaughnessy produced a splendid save to thwart Jack O’Connor’s effort, with the latter sportingly acknowledging Shaughnessy’s fine save before the resultant corner-kick.

Kiltimagh/Knock grew into the game as the half progressed with both Michael McGarry, and O’Connor again coming close to breaking the deadlock.

Despite their best efforts, United were struggling to craft clear-cut opportunities, with Killian McHugh, Gillan Jennings and Jonathan Lawrence impressive in a rigid home defence, which also featured Sean Hughes at right-back, aged only 16. Indeed, Hughes produced a tidy display and is a player who will glean plenty of experience as the season progresses.

When the first goal finally arrived on 32 minutes, it was certainly spectacular and already a contender for Goal of the Season even at this early stage. There appeared to be no apparent danger when Jamil Kezze collected possession some 35 yards from the Ballinrobe goal, however, Kezze unleashed a superlative long-range strike which flew into the top corner of the net, much to the delight of the away bench.

If Ballinrobe were rattled then they didn’t show it and just two minutes later parity was restored. An in-swinging corner-kick from Lawrence found the lurking Jennings and he managed to poke the ball home from close-range, much to the delight of the raucous home supporters.

The second-half certainly began at a brisk pace, with O’Connor’s swerving strike for United forcing the Town goalkeeper into an early save. However, just four minutes in, the Robesiders pinched the lead. Some tidy build-up play saw the busy JP O’Gorman lay-off possession to Lawrence who, from the edge of the area, belied his defensive berth as his sweetly struck daisy-cutter rustled the back of the the net.

Perhaps Ballinrobe momentarily switched off, as straight from the subsequent restart Kiltimagh/Knock United pilfered the equaliser. A lightning attacking foray saw the raiding Michael McGarry square a delightful pass into the path of the poaching Lorcan Conroy and the latter made no mistake with a tidy close-range finish.

Indeed, the hosts very nearly conceded a third goal a minute later, but Conroy’s header flew over the crossbar, after he latched onto Cormac Caulfield’s wicked delivery.

Xavi Vasquez’s Ballinrobe troops did their level best to fashion the lead once again, with Lawrence’s corner-kicks, the promptings of Garry Mellett Connolly, and the perseverance of Dean Shaughnessy and O’Gorman up front, offering hope that a victory could be achieved in the club’s first top flight game in 13 years.

As the joust drifted towards full-time, both sides upped the ante, with Caulfield left ruing his luck on 87 minutes as his effort was saved, before two minutes later his team-mate O’Connor saw his delicate effort trickle agonisingly wide.

The Red and White’s final noteworthy effort of the day occurred on 90 minutes, when Lawrence tried his luck from distance but saw his effort gathered by the vigilant Walshe.

There was cause for concern for Ballinrobe deep into stoppage-time, when the East Mayo men were awarded two free-kicks outside the 18-yard box, however, both Daniel Duffy and Kezze failed to find the target.

In the end, a draw was a fair result as both sides were full of endeavour over the course of the 90 minutes and played their part in an entertaining joust.

Ballinrobe Town: Sean Shaughnessy, Sean Hughes, Jonathan Lawrence, Killian McHugh, Rory Walsh, Gillan Jennings, Garry Mellett Connolly, Peter Butler, J. P. O’Gorman, Shane Ryan, Dean Shaughnessy. Subs: Simon Boyle (for D Shaughnessy 80), Oisín Hanlon (for Ryan 82), Ben Place (for O’Gorman 90), Iarla Killeen (for Lawrence 90+6).

Kiltimagh/Knock United: Niall Walshe, Matthew Leadbetter, Brian Gallagher, Daniel Duffy, Cillian Finn, Jamil Kezze, Michael McGarry, Joseph Glynn, Jack O’Connor, Cormac Caulfield, Lorcan Conroy. Sub: Andy Cunnane (for Glynn 54).

REF: John Mulroe