United defeat stubborn Ballinrobe to extend league lead
Ballinrobe Town's Gary Mellett Connolly tries to squeeze past Westport United dup Evan Durkan, left, and Caoimhin O’Toole. Picture: John Corless
Westport got the better of a stubborn Ballinrobe side in the Saturday evening sunshine to extend their lead at the top of the Super League, albeit having played three games more than second placed Castlebar Celtic.
Dylan O’Malley met Kevin Kitterick’s perfectly weighted cross in the twenty-first minute to claim the game’s only goal. They might have got a few more; they had most of the possession and played some outstanding football, but were frustrated by a solid defensive performance, notably by goalkeeper Seán Shaughnessy and centre-back Aaron McDonnell.
Ballinrobe are learning what top-flight football is all about. Last season they would have lost this game by a wider margin. They narrowed their pitch at The Green by three metres for the occasion and there was a generous crop of grass on the surface. They set up defensively with most of their players behind the ball for most of the match, hoping to nick something on the break. Their pitch is bumpy and was very solid due to the dry weather, and they seemed happy to take their one-nil defeat, knowing that their season would not be defined by results against the top two teams.
Westport adapted to the conditions quickly. Their players are so good technically; their instant control on receipt of the ball and the intelligence they show when beating opponents are a joy to watch, unless you are an opponent chasing their shadows on the park. Their passing is sublime, and they look like they can run all day. Sean Shaughnessy launched most Ballinrobe attacks with his massive kick-outs.
Westport went for it from the off. Seán Heaney sent one wide in the opening minutes. Cillian McGlade crossed for O’Malley, but he headed over. O’Malley came close a few minutes later and would have done better were it not for the close attention of Aaron McDonnell. O’Malley knocked one down to McGlade but he blasted wide, while O’Malley and Jack Dawson came close before they eventually made the breakthrough.
Seán Vahey found the side netting in Ballinrobe’s first attack after half an hour and Stanislas Emond powered goalwards but shot wide as the home side had a good spell just before the break. Henry Hughes passed to Oisin Connolly, but Gary Cunningham saw it out for a corner.
After the restart, Seán Hughes sent a snapshot wide for Ballinrobe, and thirty minutes passed before their next effort which came from Oisin Connolly. Cillian White and Harrison Quinn were very solid at the heart of the Westport defence. O’Malley, Heaney, Caoimhín O’Toole, Kitterick and player of the match Evan Durkan all came close to adding to Westport’s goal tally, but couldn’t find the goals that came so easy to them in recent weeks.
Late on substitute Noah Massey, took out Ballinrobe’s Jonathan Daly but Connolly sent the free kick over. Massey is learning his trade. He left it too late, and in the process gave Ballinrobe a chance. If you have to take a player out and concede a yellow, do it at the halfway line.
Both managers have improved their sides this season. Chris McGauley has taught Ballinrobe how to manage a game. He has a strong team and has a realistic view of the games his side can, and need to win. Anthony O’Neill has got Westport scoring more and seems to have fixed the defensive frailty they showed at set pieces, in recent seasons. He has two fine centre backs in Harrison Quinn and Cillian White, and brilliant ball players all over the park with competition for places coming from players of equal quality.
It was difficult to pick the player of the match, but Evan Durkan shaded it. It was worth the trip to Ballinrobe to see him alone. Oisin Connolly gave a tremendous box to box performance for Ballinrobe playing in the traditional six, eight and ten roles as necessary. McDonnell was excellent for the hosts. He is undoubtedly one of the best centre backs in Mayo.
“I think we managed the game well when we went tin front and when we weren’t in possession,” Evan Durkan told the . “The main thing today was to come away with three points, and we’re happy to do that. The pitch was a bit difficult but we’re not going to have a top-class pitch to play on every week, and I think we are learning to play on whatever pitch is there. One of the things that’s helping us grind out results, is not conceding stupid goals, which really let us down in the past.” Westport boss, Anthony O’Neill, was happy too, to come away with the three points.
“We’ve obviously been winning games by good margins in recent weeks,” he said, “but we knew today was going to be difficult. The surface meant it wasn’t easy to get our passing game going, so we played a little differently today. We played more of a diagonal passing game, getting the ball to our wingers quickly; getting our full backs higher and getting more crosses into the box. It worked well for us.
“We had three or four good chances from crosses in the first half and thankfully Dylan O’Malley got on the end of one of them to put us one-nil up at half-time. I said to the lads at half-time to keep doing the same things because we had control of the game. We managed the game well on a difficult pitch. We’re happy with the clean sheet too.” Ballinrobe boss Chris McGauley, was full of praise for the Westport side.
“We knew we’d have to stick to our game plan because they are such a good side,” he said. “For 99% of the game we did stick to it. We were trying to hit them on the break. We came out tonight to play as best as we could and to protect ourselves, because they are such a high-scoring side. They will destroy you if you let them.”
