Mayo Super League

By Patrick Hennelly

Bangor/Hibs 3 Ballinrobe Town 5

MARTIN MCDONALD’S Ballinrobe Town recorded their first league win of the season and registered their first points of the new campaign, at Ballybeg, on Thursday evening.

In what was a thrilling contest, Ballinrobe deserved their win, but Bangor/Hibs can be proud of their efforts on the day as well, as they contributed to what could well have been one of the games of the season in the Super League.

Ballinrobe began the game brightly and J. P. O’Gorman and Brian Conroy were rueful of the fact that they failed to find the back of the net during the early exchanges.

Bangor were determined to make home advantage count and on 19 minutes they broke the deadlock. A corner-kick set-piece delivery from Tom Meenaghan resulted in the ball breaking kindly for the unmarked Brian McHale and his cushioned header nestled in the back of Kevin Connolly’s net.

Less than a minute later though, parity was restored, as the strike partnership of J. P. O’Gorman and Pierce Sweeney impressively combined, with the latter collecting possession and then applying an exquisite finish to the back of the Bangor net.

Ballinrobe were not content to sit-back and the Red and White pinched the lead a mere two minutes later. A long-range throw-in from Sweeney, caused confusion in the home defence and the breaking ball fell kindly for the sniping Bart Grimes and from just outside the area he unleashed a sublime strike which rustled the back of Jason Healy’s net.

In what was a real rollercoaster and quite entertaining period of the game, Bangor levelled matters on 23 minutes from the penalty spot, courtesy of McHale, as he punished Connolly’s foul inside the area on the rampaging Michael Doherty, with the veteran custodian picking up a yellow card in the process.

Connolly though, atoned for his misdemeanor on 28 minutes, as it was his long punted kick-out which released Shane Ryan and the latter got the better of couple of Bangor defenders before applying a tidy finish to the back of the net.

Those in attendance were certainly receiving value for money and the goal-scoring spree continued on 38 minutes, as the host’s levelled matters for the second time in this epic joust. Tom Meenaghan showed great tenacity in winning possession and his cross found the poaching Michael Doocey and his inch perfect header flew past the beaten Connolly, much to the dismay of the Red and White net-minder.

Just before the sounding of the half-time whistle from Referee Liam McEntee, the South Mayo men filched the lead. The industrious duo of O’Gorman and Sweeney were certainly posing problems for a weary Bangor defence and after combining once again, Sweeney raced goalwards and applied an audacious chip past the advancing Healy and the leather nestled nicely in the back of the net.

Seventeen minutes inside the second period, Ballinrobe could and perhaps should have netted their fifth goal of the evening. Padraig Feerick, who covered quite a lot of ground in this league clash, teed-up Ryan, however a combination of Bangor’s Healy and Gary Sweeney, thwarted the Kilmaine natives goalbound effort, much to the dismay of the away bench.

As the half wore on, Bangor went in search of the leveller and that could well have been obtained, but after being teed-up by Mikey Sweeney, McHale saw his goalbound effort turned behind by the alert Connolly.

The Robesiders went in search of the all-important insurance strike and they achieved that objective on 71 minutes. This time, it was Sweeney who teed-up the scampering O’Gorman and after receiving possession, he raced inside the area and finished with aplomb past the advancing Healy.

During the remainder of the game, Ballinrobe were able to contain any attacking forays that Bangor launched and the Robesiders defended resolutely, as Martin McDonald’s troops recorded their first league win of the season.  

Bangor/Hibs: J. Healy, G. Sweeney, W. Doherty, C. Murphy, J. J. Markwick, M. Doocey, B. McHale, T. Meenaghan, J. McManamon, M. Sweeney, M. Doherty.

Subs: K. Holmes for Meenaghan, K. Young for Doocey, E. Murphy for McManamon.

Ballinrobe Town: K. Connolly, P. Delaney, B. Grimes, D. McDonnell, D. Walsh, B. Conroy, P. Feerick, P. Sweeney, J. P. O’Gorman, S. Ryan, K. Keane.

Subs: M. Walsh for Delaney, J. Fitzpatrick for Feerick, J. Burke for O’Gorman.

Referee: L. McEntee.