Shield bliss as Ballinrobe bounce back from behind

FAI Schools Under-17 Connacht Shield Final 

Ballinrobe CS 4 

St Mary’s (Galway) 2 

Patrick Hennelly at Red Rock Arena, Headford 

A magical eight minute second-half spell from Ballinrobe during which the White and Blue blitzed their opponents with a three goal salvo, proved decisive in this riveting Shield final, at the Red Rock Arena, Headford, on Wednesday last.

The opening exchanges could hardly be described as cautious, with the Robesiders plundering the lead after only two minutes. Ballinrobe midfielder Cian Maye teed-up the bustling Luke Muniz whose crisp strike had too much purchase for the beaten Mason Samuels.

Ballinrobe were eager to add a second but their final delivery was letting them down and the St Mary’s defence mopped up any stray or misplaced passes during a bubbly opening 20 minutes.

Everything appeared to be rosy for the South Mayo students but their game plan suffered a set-back on 26 minutes when Maye was forced off through injury. However, Maye’s replacement, Thomas Moran, would go on to produce a sterling effort in the midfield engine room.

A dingdong battle was beginning to develop and this game really came to life in spectacular fashion on 30 minutes when the Galway city outfit netted a superlative equaliser. Awarded a free-kick some 30 yards from A.J. Gormally Walsh’s goal, Jean Harlamous’ sumptuous dead-ball strike clipped the underside of the crossbar before hitting the back of the net.

The Robesiders very nearly hit back straight away when a chance was conjured up for the busy Ben Place, but his angled volley failed to find the target. Indeed, Place is one of three players who have tasted Super League football this season with Ballinrobe Town, with his teammates Sean Hughes and Theo Bellanger also having played in Mayo’s top-flight. Not to mention the fact that Ballinrobe Community School’s ‘keeper A.J. Gormally Walsh is also part of the Mayo FC under-15 team.

Mervue United’s Chi Chi Adams was a busy presence for the Galway students and he almost edged his side in front on 34 minutes but Gormally Walsh produced a smart save to maintain the stalemate between the sides.

Ballinrobe seemed to have weathered the Galway storm and the Mayo boys could well have enjoyed a slender lead going in at the break, but both Muniz and the busy Domhnall Ryan found Samuels in fine fettle.

St Mary’s were buoyed up for the second period, with Adams calling Gormally Walsh into action just seconds after the restart. However, the Robesiders didn’t heed the warning and the Galway outfit netted a spectacular lead goal on 46 minutes. There didn’t seem to be too much danger when Adams collected possession some distance from the opposition’s 18-yard box, however, the Mervue ace darted towards the danger zone and unleashed a smashing strike from outside the area that arrowed its way into the top corner of the net.

Despite such a demoralising start to the new half, a gutsy Ballinrobe hit the reset button and led by the dynamic duo of Evan Lydon and Theo Bellanger, the White and Blue applied a sustained period of pressure which was duly rewarded on 60 minutes (40 minutes per-half). Ryan received possession and his exquisite pass released the scuttling Muniz whose clinical finish was the perfect tonic for Ballinrobe.

St Mary’s made some tactical and enforced readjustments but a rejuvenated Ballinrobe were intent on hammering home their dominance and a third goal arrived for Daire Duffy’s troops on 64 minutes. Thomas Moran spotted the timely run of Ben Place and the latter’s nimble footwork inside the box saw him evade a couple of last ditch tackles before striking home a smashing finish.

The leaders were now enjoying their football on the 4G surface and Place very nearly added his second goal but his free-kick fizzed inches wide.

Ballinrobe were eager to put further daylight between the sides and they achieved that target on 68 minutes when a sublime cross-field ball from Stephen Gibbons set-up the energetic Moran who ghosted past the Galway defence and rounded Samuels before tucking home a tidy finish.

The St Mary’s Road school refused to throw in the towel but their comeback hopes suffered a major set-back on 70 minutes when Chi Chi Adams picked up his second yellow card of the day. But just four minutes later, Ballinrobe’s numerical playing advantage was ended when Domhnall Ryan was also dismissed by referee Gary Small, also for a second yellow.

During the dying embers, a soon-to-be victorious Ballinrobe could well have added further gloss to the score-line, however, Kyle Burke’s effort was saved by Samuels.

Ballinrobe Community School: A.J. Gormally Walsh, Sean Hughes, Conor Flannery, Mark Economopoulos, Evan Lydon, Cian Maye, Stephen Gibbons, Theo Bellanger, Luke Muniz, Ben Place, Domhnall Ryan. Subs used: Thomas Moran, Eddie Lennon, Kyle Burke, Caelan Tansey, Dylan Mallon.

St Mary’s: Mason Samuels, Qudus Olonade, Rzyszard Marazewski, Arbi Boubekri, Cian O’Grady, Gary Daly, Houssein Kassem, Jason Daly, Jean Harlamous, Chi Chi Adams, Michael Umude. Subs used: Ned Rodriguez, Hadri Mohammed, Daniel Assogba.

REF: Gary Small (Galway)