Durkan and Moran keep scoring as Ballina B's claim McDonnell Cup
John Durkan (wearing 9) scores for Ballina Town 'B' in the McDonnell Cup Final.
The ‘usual suspects’ made all the difference for Ballina Town ‘B’ in their McDonnell Cup final victory on Sunday against Bangor Hibs.
Deadly duo Ryan Moran and John Durkan, a brace, provided the three first-half goals that ultimately kept Bangor Hibs at arms length for the duration of the second half – it brings the peerless pair’s cumulative tally in all competitions to 48 goals for the season thus far.
Town’s manager Aidan Cowan hailed the impact of Durkan and Moran at full time.
“The two of them are the difference in most games. We have quality all around the pitch but when you have someone to finish like that, it takes the wind out of the sails for the opposition.”
“They’ve done everything we’ve asked for this season and more”, said Cowen.
It was a proud effort by Bangor Hibs and to reach a cup final in their first season back in the league in a number of years is testament to the work going in behind the scenes and the efforts of manager Johnny Nicolls, his coaches and players. They even took the lead in this game before Ballina’s superior firepower made that crucial difference.
Moran’s leveller was a necessary intervention as it cancelled out Bangor Hibs’ opening goal and came at a time when Hibs looked as though they might rattle the net for a second time.
The go-ahead goal came off some quick thinking by Bangor’s full back James Doran. His long, searching throw-in taken from just inside the opposition half fooled the Ballina backline and they watched the ball fly over their heads and in behind to the lurking Brian McHale. McHale will have been retrospectively calling his wayward shot a cross; he shanked the ball across the face of goal but David Cassidy was waiting at the back post to finish the move and give Hibs the lead with 19 minutes played.
Durkan was having little joy through the middle and Moran was struggling just as much out wide and so the two swapped positions. Not 30 seconds later, Durkan picked up the ball and sent a perfectly weighted pass in behind the Bangor Hibs defence to Moran. The flag stayed down and Moran burst forward and fired past Ryan Connolly to make it level.
Six minutes later, Bangor cleared the ball poorly following a Ballina free and playmaker Ted Rowe found Durkan in plenty of space on the left flank. He deftly squeezed by Mark Healy and cut inside, finding enough space to unleash a shot that flew towards the top corner of the goal. Connolly was rooted to the spot and Ballina were ahead.
It was pivotal that Bangor Hibs hold on to half time but Ballina kept the pressure on. Moran picked up the ball on the left from Jamie Langdon and held off the attention of James Doran. His pass found Durkan in the box and the goal was a thing of a beauty. Durkan nutmegged Sean Bradley with the right foot and toe-poked it past Connolly with the left.
There was no way back for Bangor in the second half. They tinkered with the formation, switched to three at the back and tried Kyle Holmes and David Cassidy as a front two as opposed to Brian McHale as a lone front man but they could not break Ballina down. Marcus Laquesta in midfield provided immense help to the defence with his tracking back and Daniel Cowan was also a bright spark at right back for Ballina as they saw the game out.
After 102 minutes at Umbro Park, Ronan Walsh blew the full time whistle to declare Ballina Town B champions. The McDonnell Cup is the first of a probable double and possible treble for Aidan Cowan’s team. Last Thursday’s win over Snugboro United has put them five points clear with five games to play in League Two and they are through to the semi-finals of the Calor Gas Premier Cup.
