Ballyheane ready to bounce back and reclaim league title
Ballyheane manager Ashley Stevenson believes his side can respond from last season's disappointment and win the league title again. Picture: Michael Donnelly
A three-album run was not on the cards for Ballyheane last season after back-to-back successes in 2021 and 2022. The fact they suffered four of their six league defeats in the opening nine games will be a cold comfort to Ashley Stevenson but it does show that they found their feet as the season went on.
Stevenson is now entering his sixth season at the helm, flanked by Joe Redmond, and the last 12 months has seen them enter somewhat of a rebuild in terms of promoting younger players from the squads B team but a lot of the key names remain. Cillian Redmond, Sean Kilcoyne and Nathan Reilly Doyle could stake a claim to start for any team in the county but Ben Edeh is the man coming into the season on the crest of a wave. The forward has been Mayo’s standout performer in the Oscar Traynor Cup thus far and Ballyheane will be hoping he carries that momentum into the season.
Goalkeeper John Vahey returns to the club after a spell with Sligo Rovers. The reliable shot stopper conceded just 15 goals during their first title-winning campaign.
Ballyheane boss Ashley Stevenson is hoping his side can bounce back from last season’s disappointment to regain the Super League title, .
“It's still an achievement to where we finished third but it's not where we wanted to be,” said Ashley. “When you're taking all the factors, availability of players, injuries, accumulation of a few bits, it's probably where we deserve to finish. But we're not happy where we finished so we'll be kicking on again this year to climb up them two more places and try and win the league again.
“I definitely believe if things were a little bit different last year, we would have been definitely up there. I think it's always tough to win the league. It's the hardest thing to do. We’ve won it twice the last three years. Last year didn't go the way we planned but we've had a good rest we're back in the last couple of weeks. We’re really looking forward to it.” While Aidan Dunleavy has moved back to Manulla, the return of John Vahey and availability of Michael Fahy will help Ballyheane’s cause, as well as the current form of Ben Edeh who has been tearing it for the Mayo Oscar Traynor team.
“John is arguably the best keeper in the county. He's a massive addition with Michael. Obviously we blooded through a lot of young players last season so that was a massive accomplishment.
“Ben has been ticking over during the winter. A couple of players that were largely in and out last year, he would have been one of them. Same as Nathan (Reilly Doyle. Ben has been doing well, he had a good game (for Mayo). Hopefully he stays injury free and niggles and he's flying.” At the other end, Cillian Redmond has formed a brilliant partnership with Jack Tuffy in the heart of the defence. A lot of work has been done on the training ground to develop it and it has been solide ever since.
“Training week in and week out with each other. We’ve played the last three or four years together. It's kind of come naturally then after that,” offered Cillian.
