Ballina 'B' rout Robesiders with A+ display
Soccer stock pic
There was an astonishing seven goal deficit in this top of the table meeting on Saturday evening at The Green, as Ballinrobe Town ‘B’ were on the wrong end of a comprehensive defeat.
This result was unexpected as prior to kick-off Ballinrobe were top of the table, but the hosts faced a stern and ruthless test from a rampant Ballina side that seem intent on gaining promotion to the third tier of Mayo football.
The hosts were missing a few regular players but Ballinrobe’s hopes of keeping it tight and making no mistakes during the opening quarter backfired spectacularly when Ballina netted one of the quickest goals ever seen at The Green inside the opening 10 seconds of action.
Straight from the kick-off, Ballina launched a probing route-one delivery - and to Umhar Shafiq’s horror - the ball bounced just inside the Ballinrobe 18-yard box and over the advancing custodian who was caught in no man’s land, with the sneaking and onrushing David Cassidy on hand to tap the ball to an empty net.
Ballinrobe were rocked, but they very nearly replied instantaneously, however, Sean Vahey’s angled strike was thwarted by the alert Neil Langdon.
The North Mayo men doubled their advantage on six minutes. An in-swinging corner met the head of Matthew Quinn and despite Shafiq producing a superb parried save, the lurking Matthew Leonard stabbed home the loose ball.
Aidan Cowan’s outfit refused to ease off the gas and their blistering start continued when they were awarded a spot-kick on 14 minutes after the raiding Liam Nevin was felled inside the area. Ted Rowe was coolness personified from the subsequent penalty and Ballinrobe were going to be in for an arduous evening.
Nine minutes later, Ballina plundered in their fourth and again it came from a set-piece. A teasing corner-kick from Rowe found the unmarked Quinn and this time his header was destined for the back of the net.
Respite for the Robesiders finally arrived on 26 minutes, albeit in fortuitous circumstances. Liam O’Toole collected possession on the right-wing and his speculative cross-cum-shot deceived the under-pressure Langdon with the ball dipping underneath the veteran’s crossbar and nestling sweetly in the back of the net.
One minute later, Ballinrobe pulled back a second goal. Conor Keleghan threaded an inch-perfect ball into the path of the busy Sean Vahey and the latter’s daisy-cutter flew past Langdon.
With the pitch in good condition, a fast-paced encounter was beginning to unfold as both sides tried to move the ball impressively.
The next goal was always going to be vital and it fell the way of Ballina on 31 minutes and a set-piece proved to be Ballinrobe’s Achilles heel. Rowe’s corner-kick found John Durkan and the latter’s header flew past the ‘keeper.
Durkan was just getting warmed up and three minutes before the interval, it was effectively game over for Greg Keleghan’s young warriors when he collected possession and he made a meandering and uninterrupted sally towards the Ballinrobe box before unleashing an unstoppable angled drive into the bottom corner of the net, thus rendering the second half as a damage limitation exercise for, Ballinrobe, who trailed 6-2 at the change of ends.
The Robesiders had to rejig their tactics even further at the break, as Shafiq picked up an injury towards the end of the first half and was replaced at half-time by Cian Keleghan.
However, his first action was picking the ball out from the back of his net after Ryan Moran’s angled strike made it 7-2 to Ballina and they added an eighth on 50 minutes as Durkan completed his hat trick.
Not resting on their laurels, Ballina completed the rout in some style on 76 minute as Durkan grabbed his fourth goal of the tie to bring the curtain down on what was an awesome display by the Moysiders, who now leapfrog Ballinrobe to the summit on goal difference.
Ballina also have two games in hand but with third placed Snugboro United also in the hunt, one can expect a few more twists and turns as the season progresses.
