Claremorris and Ballina Town share the spoils
Claremorris goalkeeper Peter Murphy saves from Jesse Devers (not in picture) with Ballina Town’s Jamie Moyles (12) ready if the ball rebounds. Pictures: John Corless
Conditions at Concannon Park on Sunday morning made it impossible to play any decent football. The pitch is tight at the best of times, and recent copious rainfall left the surface soft and heavy. Referee Óisin Walsh allowed the game to proceed after inspection. The surface quickly deteriorated, and with wind and rain added, the contest became a test of resilience rather than technique.
Much of the game was played in the congested middle of the park. While both sides were trying, play was messy at best. The teams struggled with the conditions and did their best in the circumstances.
Claremorris went ahead after 13 minutes. Mark Maloney, the team captain, finished decisively following strong work on the right by Cathal Walsh. Maloney came close to adding a second soon after and was the home side’s main threat all day.
Despite Claremorris’s early dominance, the next goal arrived at the other end. Jamie Cawley went by several defenders unchallenged and took full advantage, finishing confidently. The Claremorris side-line reacted with clear frustration at the poor defending.
Ballina went in front ten minutes before half-time. Jesse Devers created the opening for Dylan McKee, whose effort slipped past Peter Murphy despite the goalkeeper getting a hand to it.
The visitors dominated the early part of the second half. PJ Gilmartin had two efforts, while Devers also went close. Claremorris did not threaten for the opening fifteen minutes of the half. Eventually they made a breakthrough when substitute Liam McCormack intercepted a pass and set up Maloney. He, in turn, fed Brandon Walsh who applied the final touch to level the game with 17 minutes remaining.
The closing stages followed a similar pattern, with both teams searching for a decisive goal. McKee fired over. Devers connected with a long clearance from his goalkeeper, but he was denied by Murphy in the Claremorris goal. Ballina’s Óisin Canavan, who had a great match, intercepted a pass about thirty metres out, but his shot struck the underside of the crossbar, with Claremorris clearing the rebound to prevent further danger.
For Ballina the expectation is to be comfortably in the top half when the league is divided at the halfway stage. In that context this is probably two points dropped for them. For Claremorris, survival in this league is always the primary target. They should be fine based on this and other recent performances. It’s a shame the weather and conditions weren’t better because both teams came to play football.
Claremorris: Peter Murphy; Jason Murphy, James McCormack, Noel Mellett, Lewis Lally, Simon Vahey, James Morley, Brandon Walsh; Simon Butler, Mark Maloney, Cathal Walsh. Subs: Oisin Brady (for Lally 22), Liam McCormack (for Walsh 64), Jake Mullen (for J McCormack 75), Fionn McLoughlin (for Mellett 82), Conor O’Keeffe (for Butler 85).
Ballina Town: Aaron Reilly; Martin Delaney, Stephen Melvin, Daire O’Connor, Tom Doherty (Jason Murray 75); Óisin Canavan, Dylan McKee, Tom Forde; Jesse Devers, PJ Gilmartin, Jamie Cawley (Jamie Moyles 66). Sub: Jason Murray (for Doherty 75).
REF: Óisin Walsh.
