Robesiders see red and left blue in defeat
Ballinrobe goalkeeper Seán Shaughnessy clears the danger from Manulla's Conor Murphy of Manulla with Oisin Connolly watching. Picture: John Corless
Manulla all but secured their place in the Super League next season after they recorded a narrow victory over Ballinrobe Town last Sunday morning at The Green.
The Robesiders were not short of chances themselves and had a rally late on but were denied by the heroics of Matthew Flanagan, the goalkeeper making his first appearance in the Super League for the Blues for over a year and helped Roger Clarke’s side secure a clean sheet.
The decisive goal arrived inside four minutes. Manulla were awarded a free-kick around 18-yards from Sean Shaughnessy’s goal and Bryan Ralph’s sweet strike went around the wall and into the bottom corner of the net.
Conor Keleghan had Ballinrobe’s first effort of the game on 11 minutes but was well wide, before Town head coach Chris McGauley was sent off three minutes later after vociferously protesting the decision made by referee Damien McGrath not to stop the game after Oisin Connolly went down with what appeared to be a head injury.
Despite their coach being forced to watch the remainder of the game among the spectators, Ballinrobe continued to make inroads. On the half hour mark, a rare lapse by Matthew Flanagan saw him spill Liam Kilcullen’s free kick. Aaron McDonnell kept it alive and played it across goal to Gillan Jennings, but he sent his effort wide.
Flanagan was again called into action, this time to deny Jonathan Lawrence after the left-back fired a rasping shot after cutting inside while at the other end, Shea Benson will have been disappointed to see his header easily saved by Sean Shaughnessy after a great delivery by Andrew Shally.
Neither side created much in the way of clear-cut chances in the opening 20 minutes of the second half, but Ballinrobe almost created one out of nothing when Shaughnessy’s clearance down the field found Sean Vahey, but Flanagan was out quick off his line to bravely clear away.
Manulla should have put the game to bed on 71 minutes after Ethan Hosty dispossessed Oisin Connolly and ran towards goal, but his curling shot failed to hit the target.
The final ten minutes of action was all Ballinrobe and were unfortunate not to take the lead when Aaron McDonnell’s free kick picked out Oisin Connolly. His headed effort bounced off the ground and look destined to loop into the net by Flanagan was at full stretch to deny him.
Ballinrobe had one final chance on 89 minutes after Liam Kilcullen’s shot deflected wide for a corner. Kilcullen’s delivery picked out an unmarked Oisin Connolly, but his header went wide.
Manulla will now look to make it back-to-back league wins for only the second time this season when they host Conn Rangers this weekend while Town travel to United Park to take on Westport United in what may be a preview of the Benson Cup final a week later.
