Super League Relegation battle blown wide open by Manulla
Manulla's Andrew Shally holds off Ballinrobe's Jonathan Lawrence. Photo: John Corless
Elverys Sports Super League
Manulla 4
Ballinrobe Town 2
Patrick Hennelly at Carramore
A stirring display by a gutsy Manulla earned them a priceless three points on Sunday afternoon and has dragged Ballinrobe Town into the relegation quagmire.
Prior to this clash, Manulla had lost nine league matches on the spin stretching back to the reverse league fixture when they lost 4-1 away to Ballinrobe Town back in May.
Four minutes in, it appeared they were going to be in for another wretched afternoon as they conceded a penalty after Oran O’Connor’s mistimed tackle on Darragh Forde. JP O’Gorman was given the dead-ball responsibility and his finish was well-placed.
The hosts were awarded a penalty of their own after 13 minutes when Ballinrobe’s Oisin Hanlon inadvertently handled the ball in the box. Matty Nolan calmly slotted away the spot-kick.
Xavi Vazquez’s troops managed to regain the lead on 26 minutes. A perfectly weighted pass from Jonathan Lawrence released O’Gorman and the latter skipped inside the area and guided home a clinical finish beyond the reach of Jack Teape.
The hosts continued to probe and their diligence was rewarded on 36 minutes when Ruairi Henry’s piledriver from outside the box zipped its way to the back of the net.
Three minutes later, Conor Brett was once again in enemy territory and his daisy-cutter whistled inches wide. However, whilst stretching for the ball, Ballinrobe ‘keeper Sean Shaughnessy picked up what appeared to be a finger injury and was subbed off.
Following the half-time musings, Manulla made a whirlwind start to the new half and plundered the lead on 50 minutes. Once again, the Ballinrobe defence was caught napping, when Brett’s in-swinging corner-kick broke kindly to Mattie Nolan outside the box and he applied a scintillating finish.
The pendulum swung decisively in Manulla’s favour on 60 minutes. Padraig Beirne collected possession and forced a parried save from Iarla Killeen, with the loose ball falling kindly to the loitering Brett up from right back and he applied the finish.
In the end, Manulla were deserving victors and this win is a timely boost that gives them hope but drags Ballinrobe back into the scrap at the bottom.
Manulla: Jack Teape, Conor Brett, James Bolster, Ruairi Henry, Oran O’Connor, James Dunne, Dylan Padden, Andrew Shally, Bryan Ralph, Mattie Nolan, Padraig Beirne. Sub: Conor Coffey (for Nolan 66)
Ballinrobe Town: Sean Shaughnessy, Sean Hughes, Henry Hughes, Rory Walsh, Theo Bellanger, Oisin Hanlon, Jonathan Lawrence, Richard Dalton, J. P. O’Gorman, Darragh Forde, Danny O’Toole. Subs: Dean Shaughnessy (for O’Toole 17), Oisin Connolly (for Hanlon 35), Iarla Killeen (for S Shaughnessy 45+1-inj), Shane Ryan (for Walsh H/T), Connor Ryan (for H Hughes 84)
Referee: Eric Eaton.
