Deadly Duffy duo combine for 'Robe victory
Mayo county star Diarmuid Duffy (wearing 11) scored Ballinrobe's first goal. Picture: Andy Walsh
A late flurry of scores from Ballinrobe finally shook off the challenge of a brave Davitts outfit at Flanagan Park on Thursday night last, as the Robesiders maintained their interest in a top four finish in the league table.
Both Ballinrobe and Davitts were missing some vital cogs in their respective starting 15s; however, perhaps the understrength guests were more affected by the loss of some key men.
The opening point of what was an enjoyable clash arrived just 30 seconds into the action when Davitts Jack Melvin teed up Darragh McGale and the latter duly bisected the posts from close-range.
The Ballinrobe response was impressive, with singles by John Enda Flannelly and the busy Ryan Corcoran, nudging their team-mates in front after three minutes.
Davitts were dangerous on the counter-attack and one such move produced one of the more intricate moves of the game, as Mark Birmingham and his midfield partner Jack Melvin played a neat one-two, with the former fortuitously receiving back possession and the umpire subsequently reached for the white flag.
It appeared that a keenly contested South Mayo derby was in the offing; however, Ballinrobe pilfered two quick-fire goals on nine and 10 minutes respectively, to upset the visitor’s applecart. The hosts first major was crashed home by Diarmuid Duffy and when Adam Flannery soon fired home a second goal, one wondered if a wretched night was in store for the guests.
However, things could have been a lot different had Davitts fully availed of a goal-scoring opportunity on 12 minutes, but a combination of the vigilant Luke Jennings and his defence prevented Melvin’s close-range effort from finding its intended target.
Ballinrobe’s raiding centre-back Eoin Gilraine and Davitts’ Fintan Kelly proceeded to swap points, but two majestic efforts from James Murphy (mark) and Corcoran, further emboldened the hosts grip on the game as they now led 2-5 to 0-3 after 22 minutes.
The border men needed a tonic and it duly arrived on 24 minutes. In what was a fine free-flowing move, both Kelly and McGale combined to set-up the poaching Melvin and the latter’s close-range palmed effort rustled the back of Jennings’ net.
The Black and Red now had a pep in their step, and when McGale added a free on 26 minutes, there were just four points separating the sides.
Trailing by just four points at the break would have given the visitors some encouragement, however, two minutes before the interval the deadly Ewan Duffy struck home another major for the Maroon and Yellow and the hosts held a commanding 3-5 to 1-4 half-time advantage, much to the dismay of the away supporters.
On the resumption, Davitts did their utmost to rescue the situation and they could well have bagged their second goal of the night on 33 minutes, but Ronan McNamara’s close-range fisted effort was diverted behind for a ’45, although Melvin did manage to brilliantly guide over the aforementioned dead ball effort.
Ewan Duffy and Davitts’ impressive substitute Ciaran Treacy exchanged points on 35 and 37 minutes respectively, before the visitors enjoyed an unexpected period of dominance.
From the 41st up to the 45th minute points from McGale (two frees), and a brace of splendid efforts by his teammate Melvin, reduced the once commanding Ballinrobe lead to just two points, 3-6 to 1-10, and this was certainly a cause of concern for the home supporters.
However, despite their gallant efforts, Davitts wouldn’t trouble the scoreboard operator for the remainder of the game, with Ewan Duffy’s free on 47 minutes ending a 12 minute scoring drought for the Maroon and Yellow.
Five minutes later, Flannelly’s tidy pointed effort gave his team-mates a vital bit of breathing space, before one of Ballinrobe’s better moves of the half saw Sean Flannery and lively substitute Dean Shaughnessy combine to tee-up Gillan Jennings and the latter duly split the posts.
As the game fizzled out, the hosts ending proceedings impressively, with points from Shaughnessy, and a brace from Ewan Duffy, one free, adding further gloss to the full-time score-line for Peter Ford’s troops.
