Ralph wrecks United’s provincial hopes

Connacht Cup – Round 3 

Manulla 3 

Ballisodare United 2 

Mike Kelly in Carramore 

Manulla rode their luck at times but made their way into the last eight of the Connacht Cup with a come from behind victory over Ballisodare United in the Carramore sunshine on Sunday.

On another day the visitors could have been out of sight inside the opening half hour, as they squandered chance after chance but also came up against a formidable central defensive pairing of Odhran O’Connor and the imperious Ruairi Henry.

The Manulla duo repelled numerous Ballisodare attacks throughout the 90 minutes, with Henry in particular impressing.

Goalkeeper Jack Livingstone also impressed in the early stages, keeping out an effort from Gary Anderson and coming off his line to break up a number of United attacks.

Ballisodare dominated the ball early on but it was the home side who almost took the lead through Padraig Beirne in the 26th minute. The ball bounced up just as the winger was about to shoot from 12 yards and his effort ended up over the bar.

The visitors would open the scoring just before the break, when Keith Cotter brilliantly burst into the Manulla box and slotted the ball into the near corner, wrong footing Livingstone.

It wouldn’t take long for Manulla to get themselves back to parity in the second-half. Ruairi Henry was fouled as Bryan Ralph swung in a corner and Damien MacGraith pointed straight to the spot. Ralph stepped up and fired the ball in off the underside of the bar.

Both sides had chances to take the lead, Colm Murphy firing over from the edge of the box and Jack Livingstone saving a one-on-one with Gary Anderson.

Anderson’s next chance in the 77th minute saw Livingstone take the winger down inside the box and Darragh Healy made no mistake by sending the keeper the wrong way from the penalty spot.

The home side would take control after going behind and pushed United back inside their own half, winning a number of corners. One, in the 82nd minute, saw Murphy head against the bar and Odhran O’Connor also head the rebound against the bar before the ball was tipped over by James Cronin.

From the resultant corner James Dunne turned home Bryan Ralph’s cross to level matters once more.

Just four minutes later and Manulla’s captain fantastic Ralph would have his side in dreamland when another corner was swung in from the right hand side and this time it curled all the way into the far corner of the net.

It was no less than Manulla deserved for a battling second-half, and their joint manager Andrew Shally was proud of his players display.

“I’m delighted. I thought the boys put in a big shift, the pitch wasn’t in the best condition but we overcame it with work-rate, heart and passion. There is a great squad of players there and it was the squad who got us over the line.

“Ruairi and Odhran were fantastic. It was backs against the walls at times but we dug in and dug it out.” Manulla: Jack Livingstone, James Dunne, Andrew Shally, Ruairi Henry, Odhran O’Connor, Bryan Ralph, Padraig Beirne, Darragh Byrne, Colm Murphy, Shaun Dempsey, James Bolster. Subs: Matthew Nolan, George Boyd, Niall Barrett, Matthew English.

Ballisodare United: James Cronin, Roland Anderson, Michael CUrrid, Eoin Dooner, Finn O’Hara, Darragh Healy, Keith Cotter, Adam Grace, Stephen Fallon, Darragh Mahon, Gary Anderson. Subs: Darragh Sweeney, Ben Sherlock.

REF: Damien MacGraith