Mayo Super League

By Patrick Hennelly

Ballinrobe Town 1

Castlebar Celtic 4

CASTLEBAR CELTIC bounced back from their recent FAI Junior Cup heartbreak at The Green on Saturday evening, with a second half display which played an integral part in the hoops claiming the spoils.

The craft and guile of the Castlebar front pairing of Gerry Burke and Joey Maloney, caused the Ballinrobe defence problems and if the aforementioned strikers maintain an injury-free season, then Celtic will no doubt not be too far off challenging for the title.

Castlebar began the game with purpose and one minute into proceedings a free-kick from Joey Maloney, was easily dealt with by Damien Fitzpatrick.

Ballinrobe did not heed the early warning signs and on nine minutes the visitors broke the deadlock. The instigator of the goal was Maloney, his clinical pass releasing James Minogue, who skipped inside the area and unleashed a sublime strike which rustled the back of the net.

To their credit, Ballinrobe battled gamely during the opening half and once again their work-rate and commitment when chasing for possession was admirable, and they also caused Celtic problems whilst in possession.

The home supporters had something to cheer about on 20 minutes, as the red and white plundered the equaliser. An excellently taken corner-kick from Shane Ryan caused panic in the visitor’s 18 yard box and Shane O’Malley was in the right place at the right time to meet the ball with a deft header, which crashed against the back of Mick Wallace’s net.

At the other end, a Maloney corner-kick on 28 minutes found the unmarked Sean McHale and his close-range header flashed narrowly wide, much to the relief of the home faithful.

Ballinrobe then upped the game a notch and Celtic were struggling with the increase of the tempo. 

A long ball from Shane Donnellan on 29 minutes, found the industrious Ryan and the Kilmaine native smartly cut inside the box and went for goal, but his fizzing drive was somehow tipped over the crossbar by the alert Wallace.

Teams in the Super League know only too well of Castlebar’s dangerous set-piece manoeuvres and a free-kick from Maloney on 34 minutes found Minogue, whose header clipped the upright before the danger was cleared by the home defence.

Shortly after, Pawel Kurleto could well have pinched the lead for his team-mates but his strike from outside the area screamed inches wide.

The second half came to life on 63 minutes. The scampering Gerry Burke was brought down just inside the Ballinrobe 18 yard box by the retreating James McTigue and Referee Michael McCay, had no option but to point to the spot. However, Sean McHale’s resultant spot-kick struck the upright and the rebounding leather was hooked away by a mightily relived home defence.

However, Ballinrobe’s reprieve was short-lived as on 68 minutes, the hoops pinched the lead. Half-time substitute Danny Fallon, impressively won possession and he teed-up Gary Price and the latter applied a smart finish to the back of the net.

Celtic’s third goal arrived four minutes later and it was certainly a moment of class by Burke. Castlebar were awarded a free-kick just outside the Ballinrobe area. Burke stepped up and curled a spectacular effort into the top-corner of Fitzpatrick’s net, to claim a remarkable strike.

The above goal was a real sucker-punch for Ballinrobe and the red and white never fully recovered from it.

As the game was petering out to its inevitable conclusion, Celtic probably unfairly glossed the score-line even further. A quickly taken 45 yard free-kick from Andy Neary, found its way to the back of Damien Fitzpatrick’s net, much to the dismay of the custodian.

In the end, Ballinrobe will rue the fact that they conceded two second goals in the space of five minutes, which effectively was the turning point of the game.

 

Ballinrobe Town: Damien Fitzpatrick, Shane Donnellan, Maurice Walsh, Dave McDonnell, Shane O’Malley, Damien Walsh, Pawel Kurleto, James McTigue, Nicky Moran, Shane Ryan, Kevin Keane.

Subs: Conor Maloney for McTigue (70), Padraig Feerick for Donnellan (81), John Fitzpatrick for Keane (89).

Castlebar Celtic: Mick Wallace, Niall Walsh, James Minogue, Simon Kelly, Andy Neary, Pat Fitzgerald, Shane Smith, Sean McHale, Gary Price, Gerry Burke, Joey Maloney.

Subs: Danny Fallon for Fitzgerald (half-time), Fintan McHale for Burke (77), Neill McNicholas for Wallace (82).

Referee: Michael McCay.