Newell to the fore as Ballina pick up first win of season
Kevin Newell was in fine form for Ballina against Parke
Visiting Ballina Stephenites had too much in the tank for their hosts at a sun-drenched Parke, on Sunday, with Kevin Newell hitting an impressive 1-7 for the North Mayo men.
Parke-Keelogues-Crimlin, after impressive displays yet narrow defeats to Castlebar Mitchels and Knockmore, began this tie the brighter and Ray Dempsey’s troops led 0-2 to 0-1 courtesy of points from Colm Lynch and Sean Corcoran, with Kevin Newell guiding over a free in between for the visitors.
But Ballina Stephenites were beginning to win a lot of the breaking ball and points flowed from Mikey Murray, Luke Jordan, Conor McStay and Stephen Mullins, to turn the tide on proceedings.
The opening exchanges were keenly contested and when the busy Ronan Carolan guided over an excellent free for the Black and Amber on 11 minutes, the hosts were just two points adrift of their guests, 0-5 to 0-3.
Parke battled gamely for every inch of possession and caused some concern for the visiting back-line, trying their utmost to get a sufficient and telling supply of ball into their full-forward division. But, Ballina Stephenites methodically mopped up any loose or misplaced passes, with Ciaran Boland, Mayo panellist Padraig O’Hora and Brendan Collins alert to any potential threats.
A dominant Ballina, who were heavily beaten by Ballinrobe the week before and drew their opening round match against Breaffy, were beginning to win some crucial breaking ball which in turn led to points arriving during the second quarter from Kevin Newell, four, including three frees, O’Hora, and Niall Feeney, who hit one from play and one from a free.
A doughty Parke refused to bend the knee and they ended the half on a positive note courtesy of a badly needed point from the boot of Ronan Reilly, but it was the Stephenites who were much the happier at the change of ends as Niall Heffernan’s troops led 0-12 to 0-4.
The visitors continued to win a lot of the breaks during the opening minutes of the new half and singles from Newell, Feeney a free, and Mikey Murray, bridged further daylight between the sides. Indeed, Newell’s opening second-half effort was well-worked, as from his initial free he played a neat one-two with Murray before bisecting the posts.
A gutsy Parke kept plugging away though, and points from Colm Lynch and the raiding Aaron McHale ever-so-slightly chipped away at Ballina’s lead. But despite their best efforts, Parke had too much of a mountain to climb and a rampant Ballina tagged on further scores between the 44th and 49th minutes, courtesy of Newell, Aidan McCann (a gem from an acute angle), O’Hora (after a barnstorming run) and Ciaran Boland, which mustered an unassailable 0-19 to 0-7 lead, with Sean Sweeney’s white-flagged effort on 48 minutes the only reply that the Black and Amber could muster.
On 50 minutes, Ballina plundered a three-pointer which effectively ended the game as a contest. An attacking foray ended with a goalmouth scramble, with the experienced Newell somehow managing to bundle the ball home from close-range to create a 15-point deficit between the sides, 1-19 to 0-7.
As the game petered out to its inevitable conclusion, Ballina brought the curtain down on their scoring return courtesy of Feeney’s third and final free of the afternoon on 57 minutes, with Parke’s Cathal Keaveney notching a consolation point one minute later.
