Town pay the penalty as Celtic win league title
Player of the match, Castlebar Celtic's Paddy Hope, receives his trophy from Mayo League secretary, John Durkan. Picture: John Corless
Ballina Town came agonisingly close to taking home the Helen Johnson U18 Premier Division Cup at Umbro Park on Sunday morning, surrendering a two-goal half-time advantage before Castlebar Celtic eventually prevailed 4-1 on penalties, after an absorbing 3-3 draw.
Town produced an excellent first-half performance and led 3-1 through goals from Jai Wilson, Darryl Boland and Mark Leonard. Celtic dominated after the restart, however, with Paddy Hope scoring twice to force extra time before goalkeeper Noah Murphy emerged as the shoot-out hero with two saves.
There had been little to separate the sides over the league campaign. They finished level on points and inflicted each other’s only league defeats. Celtic won 4-2 in July before Town responded emphatically with a 5-1 victory at the end of August.
Sunday’s decider proved just as competitive.
Ballina almost struck first when Mark Leonard’s header beat Murphy but was cleared off the line. Instead, it was Celtic who went ahead after only four minutes. Matthew Daly found himself wide of goal with little apparently on but produced an excellent finish to give Celtic the early advantage.
Ballina responded positively. Eoin Golden tested Murphy with an effort made more difficult by Ronan McElevey, while Thady Hoban poked a shot through following a corner, but the Celtic goalkeeper saved.
Ballina landed the equaliser after 13 minutes. Hoban played an excellent ball through the Celtic defence and Jai Wilson finished to make it 1-1.
Celtic responded with Seán Kilcawley delivering a fine cross for Hope, whose spectacular reverse volley was kept out by Calum Durcan.
Town were increasingly dangerous at the other end. Leonard supplied Boland, who had two attempts before forcing a corner. Golden delivered from the resulting set-piece after 19 minutes, and Boland met it to put Ballina 2-1 ahead. Leonard then got through again, but his tame effort was gathered by Murphy as Town looked to extend their advantage.
Celtic began to exert pressure and almost profited from a mistake by Durcan when Daly robbed the goalkeeper. Daly reversed the ball to Adam Burton, but Durcan recovered superbly to make the save.
Christy Maughan fired wide after 34 minutes for Ballina, and missed again following a corner, while Burton threatened twice at the opposite end, shooting wide before Durcan turned another effort behind.
Ballina's third came four minutes before the interval. Wilson's initial attempt was blocked, but Leonard reacted to the loose ball and finished to give Town a deserved 3-1 lead. Hope forced another save from Durcan before half time, but Ballina went into the break in a commanding position.
Things changed, however, after the restart. Celtic began to dominate possession and forced Ballina deeper. Leonard had an early free kick saved, but most of the traffic was moving towards the Ballina goal.
Burton produced a powerful effort after 51 minutes which Durcan turned behind, although Maughan briefly relieved the pressure at the other end by forcing a corner.
Celtic continued to attack. Kilcawley, Ruairi Mulroy and Daly combined well after 58 minutes, only for Durcan to intervene again. The Ballina goalkeeper was becoming increasingly important as Celtic attacked relentlessly. Two successive corners were dealt with by Szymon Romel at the near post, while Burton continued to influence proceedings from midfield.
Burton sent Hope through, but the Celtic attacker fired wide and Hope then put another effort over.
Daly had a chance directly in front of goal after 66 minutes but could not get enough on his finish. And Patrick Kennedy tested Durcan from a long-range free kick and the Ballina goalkeeper again responded well. Durcan then denied Daly as Celtic's pressure continued.
Ballina were tiring and finding it increasingly difficult to retain possession, and Celtic finally reduced the deficit after 73 minutes when Hope headed home to make it 3-2. From there, Town came under sustained pressure. They did produce one dangerous counterattack when the lively Leonard threatened but on a good day for goalkeepers, Murphy denied him.
With seven minutes remaining, Celtic drew level in spectacular fashion. Hope unleashed a superb strike from a long way out on the wing, and which flew into the net to make it 3-3.
Ballina had put enormous effort into their first-half performance and were visibly tiring, but they held on through the closing minutes to force extra time.
Celtic again carried the greater threat during the first ten-minute period. Three corners arrived in quick succession after 94 minutes and Daly came particularly close, only for his effort to be cleared off the line. Hope then combined with Burton and Mulroy, but the move became over-complicated and Ballina survived.
Town still carried a threat of their own. Wilson met a free kick with a header, but Murphy made the save. Ballina enjoyed a better spell during the second period of extra time. Substitute Rian McLoughlin had a shot blocked before Wilson supplied Leonard, whose attempt was smothered but neither side could find the fourth goal and penalties were required to decide it.
McElevey converted Celtic’s first before Murphy saved Kevin Rafter’s effort to give Celtic the immediate advantage. Hope made it 2-0 and Murphy then saved again, this time from Wilson.
Daly converted Celtic’s third to leave Ballina needing to score to remain in contention. Óisin Heffernan kept their hopes alive with a confident finish, but Burton had the opportunity to settle it with Celtic’s fourth kick. He sent the ball to Durcan’s left and into the net, completing a 4-1 shoot-out victory.
It was a difficult conclusion for Ballina after they had led 3-1 at half time and pushed Celtic all the way through 110 minutes. Durcan was outstanding during Celtic’s second-half onslaught, while Town’s attacking play before the break had repeatedly troubled the Castlebar defence.
Paddy Hope, whose two second-half goals transformed the contest, was named player of the match.
Castlebar Celtic: Noah Murphy, Artur Narciso (Ethan Mannion 46), Joao Pereira Nenes (Noah Kirby 46), Éanna O’Boyle, Ronan McElevey, Oskar Radzio (Patrick Kennedy 34), Paddy Hope, Adam Burton, Seán Kilcawley (Israel Olanrewaju 71), Ruairi Mulroy, Matthew Daly.
Ballina Town: Calum Durcan, Conor Casey, Szymon Romel, Robert Young, Ronan Lynch (Oscar Moore 46), Jai Wilson, Thady Hoban (Nathan Coldrick 46), Eoin Golden (Kevin Rafter 60), Darryl Boland (Óisin Heffernan 66), Mark Leonard, Christy Maughan (Rian McLoughlin 71) REF: Damien McGrath
