Under-16 Connacht Shield Quarter-Final

By Patrick Hennelly

1/3/08

Ballinrobe Town 2

Manor Rangers 1

AT The Green on Saturday afternoon Ballinrobe Town booked their place into the last four of the Connaught Shield, following a deserving victory against Leitrim’s Manor Rangers.

Ballinrobe certainly had to work hard for this success, and Michael O’Malley’s charges fell behind as early as the sixth minute. A corner-kick from Ciaran Brick bounced favourably for the poaching James Murray and from close-range, the midfielder managed to bundle the ball to the back of the net.

The above goal, whilst being a sucker-punch for the hosts, seemed to kick the red and white into life and the south Mayo side regained their composure and upped the tempo slightly.

On 20 minutes, following some tidy build-up play, Pierce Sweeney won possession and his strike from outside the area forced Ryan Burke into action, as the custodian made a tidy save.

Rangers were certainly dangerous from set-pieces and a free-kick from Brick teed-up Aaron Hickey, but the latter’s close-range header on 23 minutes, flashed narrowly over the crossbar.

Ballinrobe pressed for an equaliser and they nearly achieved that on 34 minutes. Patrick Ward received possession and his cross released the marauding Martin Burke, but the latter’s crisp strike was brilliantly hooked off the line by an alert Rangers defender.

Soon after, parity was restored by the red and white. Ballinrobe were awarded a free-kick from a difficult angle just outside the box, but Sweeney’s exquisite strike rustled the top corner of Burke’s net, much to the delight of the home bench.

Six minutes into the second period, the hosts nearly pinched the lead goal, but after turning on a sixpence, Burke’s daisy-cutter fizzed narrowly wide.

Rangers’ best chance of a goal during the second period arrived on 49 minutes. A dangerous corner-kick from Brick, found Hickey but his header sailed narrowly over Colin Hughes’ crossbar.

Ballinrobe were certainly ruing their luck on 54 minutes, when after Burke fumbling Sweeney’s stinging drive, the ball broke for David Morrin but the winger’s close-range strike amazingly crashed against the crossbar and the chance went a begging.

Rangers were then reduced to 10 players on 62 minutes, as Dermot Harkin received his second yellow followed by a red card from Referee Jimmy Blake, for a rash challenge.

With Ballinrobe having the numerical advantage, it was really only a matter of time before the visitors defence were going to be breached for the second time of this clash, and that duly occurred four minutes from full-time. The strike-force of Burke and Sweeney combined, with the latter’s effort rolling slowly over the goal-line, despite the best efforts of the scrambling Burke.

Ballinrobe can now look forward to a semi-final and they will be doing their level best to reach the Provincial decider.  

Ballinrobe Town: C. Hughes, N. Coen, T. Walsh, K. Clesham, D. Walsh, P. Ward, D. Morrin, E. Colton, M. Burke, P. Sweeney, J. Burke.

Manor Rangers: R. Burke, E. Sweeney, G. McSharry, J. McLoughlin, A. Hickey, J. Murray, D. Harkin, G. Kelly, C. Brick, D. McVeigh, P. P. O’Hara.

Sub: J. Dillon for Sweeney.

Referee: J. Blake (Mayo).