Charlestown turnover county champions
Ballina Stephenites' Ciaran Boland in action against Charlestown's Gareth O'Donnell during the Mayo SFL at James Stephens Park last Saturday evening. Picture: David Farrell Photography
It wasn’t pretty by any means but Charlestown Sarsfields made it back-to-back league wins after beating the county champions in their own back yard yesterday evening.
The visitors played much of the final quarter without Patrick Lenehan after he was shown a black card on 49 minutes and was then given his marching orders shortly after returning to the field but the Charlestown defence battled well and kept the hosts at bay in the closing stages to seal victory.
Although they were playing against a strong breeze, Ballina got the first two scores of the game through a Sean Fitzpatrick free and Luke Feeney.
A pair of Gareth O’Donnell frees drew the sides level before a monster effort by Mikey Murray put Ballina back ahead but a third O’Donnell placed ball restored parity once more. He sent over his fourth on 15 minutes after a Charlestown break following a turnover was stopped inside Ballina’s own 45’.
Scores from open play for the visitors were hard to come by but it hardly mattered when Niall Fleming was able to strike a stunning free from near the sideline on 23 minutes to put Charlestown two ahead for the first time. A second Fitzpatrick free brought it back to the bare minimum before O’Donnell’s fifth ree just before the break cannoned off the post and over the bar to put Charlestown 0-6 to 0-4 up at the interval.
Sloppy play by Ballina saw Charlestown double their advantage through O’Donnell’s sixth free and Kiefer Craig, the latter’s score on 38 minutes their first from open play. After a third Fitzpatrick free for Ballina, they couldn’t eat into Charlestown’s lead any further, with Mikey Murray hitting a hat trick of wides.
Lenehan’s black card opened the door for Ballina and they hit three of the next four scores through Fitzpatrick, a free, Matthew Quinn and Ciaran Boland to bring it back to one coming into injury time.
Things got heated across the field and Lenehan was dismissed for an off the ball incident in injury time but O’Donnell made it a magnificent seven from placed balls to ensure Charlestown of the win as they go joint-second in Division 1A along with Davitts and Knockmore.
