Red-hot Gilmartin fires Ballina to impressive win
Ballyheane goalkeeper Luca Meldrum punches clear form Ballina Town’s Daire O’Connor. Picture: John Corless
Ballina Town were good value for their win on Sunday. A PJ Gilmartin hat-trick and a brilliant strike by Jesse Devers saw off a depleted Ballyheane side in the Belleek afternoon sunshine.
Not that Gilmartin’s goals weren’t good. They were, especially his second and third. Gilmartin is high on confidence these days and relishing the centre-forward role. But the strike from Devers from near the halfway line out the wing, showed awareness, confidence and skill, as he drove a dipping shot to the net, when he spotted Ballyheane goalkeeper Luca Meldrum off his line.
Town took the lead after five minutes, when Dylan McKee sent over a cross and Gilmartin connected with his body to guide the ball to the net. It was the first sign of problems in Ballyheane’s makeshift defence – problems that didn’t go away as the game progressed.
“We were second best today,” Ballyheane coach, Joe Redmond, told the Western People after the game. “Unfortunately, a lot of our decision-making was off and we started today with a different back four than we normally would have, due to injuries, holidays and suspensions. They had to try and play as well as they could. Unfortunately, Ballina got the goals, and we had chances, and we just didn't take them.” The first of those chances fell to Nathan Reilly Doyle in the 18th minute when he went for Adam Blake’s cross but sent the ball wide. Ballina missed chances too. Jamie Moyles shot wide when he took on the advancing Meldrum, and Jack O’Brien’s shot defied the laws of science when it came back into play after hitting the inside of the upright. And Moyles beat a defender on the wing and sent in a low cross that O’Brien just couldn’t reach.
But if they missed a few, they scored a few too. The most unlikely one started from a throw-in, ten metres into their own half. David Cawley shouted out PJ Gilmartin’s name to distract the Ballyheane players, and then threw the ball down the line to Dylan McKee. McKee passed to Gilmartin and he drove home. It was a poor goal for Ballyheane to concede, coming immediately after the restart and it sealed the points for Ballina.
Devers’s screamer came just before the hour, and his flicked header into the path of Gilmartin set up the fourth with the striker blasting home instantly to complete his hattrick.
Ballyheane posed little threat in front of goal and Town’s centre backs Daire O’Connor and Chris Maughan dealt with anything that came their way. They played really well considering they were both on yellow cards from the first half.
Based on this performance, Ballina will have a say on the destination of the title. They are solid defensively and they are lethal in attack. Ballyheane will be much better when they get their players back. On Sunday they were without Mike Fahy, Cillian Redmond, Jack Tuffy, Donie Behan and Liam Morris.
It was good to see Ballyheane midfielder Seán Kilcoyne making his first start since dislocating an ankle and breaking a leg last June, and it was also good to see Damien McGrath back with the whistle after a long absence.
Ballina midfielder David Cawley said the match was hard work. “It was a tough day, hot, and the pitch was sticky,” he said. “Ballyheane are obviously a good physical side. We knew that going into it. It’s my first time out against them, but the lads were telling me about them and we knew we were really getting tested today. I think right up until the third goal it was still in the mix. They don't give up. They work very hard, and I'm sure they'll pick up plenty of points as the year goes on.”
Mick Duffy, the Ballina Town manager, said he was very happy with the result. “It's our first home game of the season; it was a hot day,” he said. “It was our first time on that pitch. Our groundsman had it in great nick. And we’re just happy to get the result and a good performance and another clean sheet. PJ (Gilmartin) was great. I'm delighted for PJ. But it was a great impact from the other guys as well. Jesse with his goal as well. Such quality. Jesse's impact was just outstanding.
“We keep trying to improve and build on what's working good for us. And we're so grateful to the staff that we have here, having the grounds ready. There was somebody painting last night to make sure the front of the place was looking good here and power hosing. It's a lot of things that goes on behind the scenes, that helps to create that kind of positive atmosphere when you come here.”
Ballina Town: Matthew Fox; Martin Delaney, Chris Maughan, Daire O’Connor, Stephen Melvin, David Cawley, Tommy Forde; Jack O’Brien, Dylan McKee, Jamie Moyles; PJ Gilmartin. Subs: Oran Canavan (for Forde 46), Jesse Devers (for Moyles 55), Joseph Seigman (for O’Brien 67), Matthew Traynor (for Cawley 69), Jamie Cawley (for Gilmartin 73).
Ballyheane: Luca Meldrum; Shane Thomas, Sean Rabbette, Mark Bolger, Gareth Dunne: Sean Kilcoyne; Dylan Stevenson, Liam Irwin: Adam Blake, Nathan Reilly Doyle, Dan Purcell. Joseph Mulcahy (for Kilcoyne 65), Robert Callaghan (for Purcell 78).
REF: Damien McGrath.
