Lavelle hat trick launches Town comeback
Ballina Town goalkeeper Emmet Peyton gets help from Jason Cawley to deal with Mark Bolger’s header (number 5). Pictures: John Corless
Ballina Town proved too strong for Ballyheane on Sunday afternoon in a cracking game of football. Twice Ballyheane led and would have stood a better chance of winning it if they didn’t make so many mistakes at the back.
The arrival on to the pitch of Benny Lavelle for the final half hour didn’t help Ballyheane either. He scored three and will be disappointed not to have two more.
There wasn’t much at stake in this match. Neither side are going to win the league, qualify for Europe or be relegated. Yet they went at it as if it was a cup final.
Ballyheane are restricted greatly with injuries to key players, and their management team under suspension. The stand-in managers are giving game time to younger players to build for the future. Mick Duffy, the Ballina manager, is trying to consolidate a style of play that best suits his squad so for both teams, the game had more significance than its impact on the league table.
Adam Blake came close to putting the hosts in front after five minutes, but his header went wide. Three minutes later Ballina went in front when Goodhope Mutendebvure took his time to pick his spot for a tap in after he beat the advancing Luca Meldrum.
Seán Rabbette almost levelled it a few minutes later, when he turned beautifully, but shot wide. Blake did equalise on fourteen minutes, displaying his deft skill to lob Emmet Peyton after being put through by Rory Morris.
PJ Gilmartin sent his shot over for Ballina and there was no Ballyheane player to meet Alan Hegarty’s cross a few minutes later.
Then with ten to go before the break, Jason Cawley fouled Jack Rochford in the box, and Rabbette fired home from the spot, to put Ballyheane in front once again. Ballyheane gifted Ballina a second goal when nobody jumped with Jamie Cawley as he rose to head Dylan McKee’s corner to the net to level it before the break.
Blake came close again and Ashton Judge raided on the wing, but Tom Doherty’s shot was saved easily by Meldrum.
Blake had a shot on the Ballina goal in the first minute of the second half, but Emmet Peyton made an excellent save to keep the sides level. Ballyheane took the lead when Rabbette beat Peyton once again from the spot after Tom Doherty had handled in the box on fifty minutes.
McKee for Ballina and Mark Bolger for Ballyheane exchanged wides and Blake sent a quality pass to Donie Behan but his shot also missed the target. Not to be outdone, O’Mahoney sent one wide for Ballina and Rob Callaghan came close for Ballyheane, with a good shot.
Lavelle came on for Mutendebvure and Town reshaped for the last half hour. Lavelle wasn’t long on the park until he lobbed Meldrum from Peyton’s clearance, to level it again and Ballina took over from there. Judge came close with a header and Meldrum saved well to deny Jamie Cawley.
Ballina went in front when Lavelle finished after an unnecessary Ballyheane back-pass wasn’t properly cleared, and he added his third, and Ballina’s fifth near the end. In between, Peyton made two fine saves to deny substitute, Joseph Mulcahy.
Blake showed great skill on a number of occasions in the game, but he will have to develop more impact on the overall outcome, as he learns his trade. Rabbette took his penalties well – something that has caused them trouble in recent times.
Lavelle was his usual lethal self when he came on for Ballina, and Jason Cawley at the back, caught the eye too. Peyton was outstanding.
“We’re very pleased” Mick Duffy told the Western People. “It wasn't a good first half, but we said at half-time we needed to stick together. There was a few of us getting frustrated out there and we just needed to show that fighting spirit. I know that the lads have it and they came out in the second half and gave a great performance. I'm very proud of the group.”
Regarding Lavelle’s hat trick off the bench, Duffy complemented the striker's quality. “He's just goal-hungry,” he said. “That's what we were saying there in the dressing room. He's very tunnel-visioned. That's just what we needed in that second half. We needed a boost of quality. Every team needs a finisher. But we needed a team around him. We needed the boys rock solid at the back. Tom Doherty and Davy O'Mahoney were great today. They have great mentality. Emmet (Peyton) had a great game in goal. He made some superb saves at crucial moments. You need your ’keeper in top form as well. The subs that came on towards the end, gave us great impact.” Player of the match, Emmet Peyton, described it as “an end-to-end game” and he said the wind didn’t help.
“It was two good teams going at it, looking for their victory,” he said. “We needed to get a win today. We're not exactly happy with our position. It was important for us as a squad, to try and get the three points today. We always come up to Ballyheane knowing it's going to be a tough battle. We're delighted with the three points. It's Ballyheane. We've come up here over the seasons and seeing them lift trophies in the Super League and finish second to them twice.”
