Manulla secure survival and relegate Claremorris
Manulla's Jack Livingstone punches clear. The goalkeeper kept a clean sheet as the Blues secured survival at the expense of Claremorris. Picture: John Corless
Manulla’s win ensures they retain their Super League status, sending Claremorris along with Crossmolina, to the Premier League for next season.
Claremorris outplayed Manulla on Saturday night, certainly in the second half, but Manulla out fought them. They were hungrier, more intense in the tackle, and critically, they scored. Twice. Claremorris fired multiple shots over the bar; not getting sufficient time on the ball to ensure composure. Coupled with Manulla goalkeeper Jack Livingstone making a couple of great saves and Davy McCracken seeing his shot strike the upright, it ended as that sort of an evening for Claremorris.
The hosts started well. They had a full-strength team on the park and possibly expected, deep down, that that would be enough to win it. Simon Butler had a real chance early on, but put it over. This was to be Claremorris’s preferred target all evening.
When they didn’t score early, nerves began to creep in. Then, Manulla roared into action on fifteen minutes when the excellent Conor Brett skipped past Oisin Brady and crossed perfectly. Matty Nolan, who has been exceptional this season, powered his header past Keith Saunders, to put Manulla in front. Nolan is a traditional, battering-ram-type, centre-forward. Despite having only played six league games for the club this season, he has scored four goals and his overall contribution has been enormous.
Claremorris were rattled and Manulla took over. Nolan tried an overhead kick but it went wide while Odhran O’Connor went close. There was nobody near the goal to connect with Padraig Beirne’s low cross while the same player also missed a real chance at the back post to make it two-nil.
Mark Maloney had a half-chance for Claremorris. It would have been a full chance but for the attention of man of the match Ruairi Henry, the Manulla captain. McCracken fired one over, and Maloney copied him. Then, at the opposite, end, Beirne finished Brett’s cross and suddenly Manulla were two-up and safe.
Claremorris had most of the second half but Manulla dug in. Simon Butler, Mark Maloney, Davy McCracken, Dean Roddy, Andy Peters and Noel Mellett all shot, or headed, over. Some of them, multiple times. Manulla were set-up perfectly for the tight pitch and frustrated a Claremorris side desperate to get the win they needed to stay up.
But Manulla were masters of their destiny and managed the game perfectly. Every time Claremorris were developing a flow, a Manulla player was on the ground needing attention or they were making substitutions; anything to disrupt the pattern. They dictated the pace and the game was played on their terms. Claremorris couldn’t get a grip of the game. If they could, they’d have won it handy.
This was technically a home game for Manulla, but because the earlier meeting between these sides was flipped, this one was played in Claremorris against the backdrop of a busy fun fair and booming music but it was Manulla that were rocking and Claremorris rolling in the Saturday evening sunshine.
It has been a tough season for both these sides. Manulla has had a huge turnover of players through departures, travel, GAA and apathy. But Aiden Dunleavy has done a great job in what is, easily, the most difficult managerial job in Mayo football. Another manager would have walked. He saw it out. He took the beatings in the matches they were never going to win; and won the ones that mattered. And despite the revolving door of player movement, he always put out a side. And always had subs. Or sub. He never gave up.
Claremorris couldn’t recruit a manager until just before the start of the season, when Kevin Lally accepted the job. He had to depart early due to work commitments. Simon Butler, who is an excellent coach, was thrust into the managerial role. Player availability was a constant problem. They won only twice in the league; both against fellow strugglers Crossmolina. They’ll meet again next season a division below.
Ruairi Henry said everyone knew what Manulla needed to do. “We knew we just had to go out and do our work,” he told the . “It wasn’t about results elsewhere; it was down to ourselves. We just had to come out and stand strong. Stand up like men and show that we wanted to stay in this league. Our first half performance was excellent a great platform to build on.” Aiden Dunleavy said Manulla got out of jail with a great performance. “The smaller pitch suits the way we play and we set up to frustrate them today,” he said. “It worked. It was like a cup final for us.”
Odhran O’Connor, Conor Brett, Jack Livingstone and Andrew Shally were excellent for Manulla. This was their day.
Claremorris never gave up but couldn’t get back into the match. Calvin Joyce, David McCracken, Mark Maloney and Simon Butler tried hard but it just wasn’t their day.
Good wishes for a speedy recovery are extended to Claremorris goalkeeper, Keith Saunders who was stretchered off with a nasty ankle injury after an hour.
