SOCCER LOTTO

Pawel Kurleto & J.P O'Gorman were named on the Premier Division Team of the Year for 2007. All at the club would like to congradulate Pawel & J.P on their awards.

Welcome Inn Hotel------Team of the Year 2007

Premier Division

Michael Gibbons

Westport Utd. ‘B’

Colin Cameron Johnny Jordan Mark Basquill John Hennelly

Westport Utd. ‘B’ Straide & Foxford Utd. Manulla ‘B’ Manulla ‘B’

Michael Docherty Gary Goggins Alan McDonnell Paul Karluto

Bangor Hibs. Fahy Rovers Straide & Foxford Utd. Ballinrobe Town

J.P. O’Gorman Brian McHale

Ballinrobe Town Bangor Hibs.

Ballinrobe Town return to the Super League.

Nov 11th 2007

Mayo Premier Division

By Patrick Hennelly

Ballinrobe Town 1 Swinford 0

BALLINROBE TOWN are back in the Super League following a splendid and sometimes tense victory against Swinford, who survive in the Premier Division for the 2008 season, after other results went their way.

Ballinrobe are certainly deserving of their promotion to the higher echelons of the Mayo game, as they were in the hunt for promotion from the start of the 2007 campaign and have recorded some memorable and vital victories along the way.

With the pitch at The Green being in pristine condition, an entertaining game of football unfolded as the rollercoaster that is the last day of the 2007 season in the Premier Division, was played out.

Swinford needed a win to guarantee their own safety and avoid the relegation worries and they threatened early on. However, Nigel Sweeney’s early strike was brilliantly tipped away to safety by the alert Damien Fitzpatrick.

The industrious J. P. O’Gorman, who worked hard throughout Sunday’s joust, saw his strike inside the area on eight minutes, deflect off a Swinford defender and go behind for what proved to be a harmless corner-kick.

On 13 minutes, the hosts had claims for a penalty being waved away by Referee Pat Foley, after a suspected handball inside the area by a Swinford defender.

To their credit, Ballinrobe continued to up the tempo and their captain John Fitzpatrick (who gave a committed display on Sunday) saw his powerful strike on 16 minutes well saved by the alert Shane Holleran.

Swinford were dangerous on the counter-attack on Sunday and they could well have pinched the lead on 22 minutes. But Trevor McDonnell’s goalbound header was brilliantly tipped over the crossbar by the Ballinrobe custodian, Damien Fitzpatrick.

Following the respective half-time pep-talks, the ‘Robe’ were determined during the early exchanges of the second period to try and muster a goal.

The red and black’s Shane Donnellan tried his luck during the opening minute of the second period, but his effort was easily dealt with by the unperturbed Holleran.

Swinford appeared to be bereft of worthwhile attacking ploys during the second half and Ballinrobe created another decent opportunity on 50 minutes. A tidy ball from Enda Reilly, teed-up O’Gorman but his angled strike was expertly turned away to safety by Holleran.

Shortly after, Swinford’s McDonnell received possession 35 yards from goal and his audacious chipped effort sailed narrowly off target, much to the relief of the back-pedalling Damien Fitzpatrick.

Ballinrobe knew that victory would guarantee their place in the Super League and the hosts upped the tempo for the remainder of the game and went in search of the vital win.

On 70 minutes, James McTigue delivered a pin-point delivery into the area for the lurking Dave McDonnell, however the latter’s tame header never tested the resolve of Holleran.

Four minutes later, Ballinrobe almost netted the goal which they were searching for. Following some tidy build-up play, O’Gorman received possession just outside the area and after cutting inside he was denied a certain goal on two occasions, thanks to a combination of Holleran and the alert Peter Quinn.

However, on 80 minutes Ballinrobe gleaned the all-important lead goal. Ballinrobe’s busy midfielder Pawel Kurleto, played a delightful through ball into the path of the sniping O’Gorman and the latter raced inside the area and finished with aplomb to the back of the net, much to the delight of the home supporters.

On 86 minutes, Ballinrobe almost acquired the insurance strike, but after O’Gorman’s cross towards the Swinford area was poorly cleared, McDonnell saw his sizzling snapshot fizz inches wide.

In the end, Ballinrobe deserved their victory and they can now make plans for the Super League.

The players to impress for Ballinrobe on the day were, Damien Fitzpatrick, Maurice Walsh, John Fitzpatrick, Dave McDonnell and J. P. O’Gorman.

Whilst for Swinford, Shane Holleran, Peter Quinn, Keith Regan, David Brennan and Trevor McDonnell, all impressed.

Ballinrobe Town: D. Fitzpatrick, M. Walsh, B. Grimes, S. O’Malley, J. Fitzpatrick, D. McDonnell, P. Kurleto, J. McTigue, J. P. O’Gorman, E. Reilly, S. Donnellan.

Subs: G. Fitzpatrick for Donnellan, D. Walsh for Kurleto, P. McDonald for Reilly.

Swinford: S. Holleran, S. Price, P. Quinn, M. Gallagher, S. McDonagh, R. Quinn, K. Regan, N. Sweeney, D. Brennan, T. McDonnell, F. O’Malley.

Sub: G. Brennan for Price.

Referee: P. Foley.

Welcome Inn Hotel Premier Division 2007

Final Standings:

	Played	Won	Drawn	Lost	For	Against	G.D.	Points
Westport Utd. ‘B’	18	11	3	4	48	24	24	36
Bangor Hibs.	18	10	3	5	49	34	15	33
Ballinrobe Town	18	9	5	4	29	27	2	32
Fahy Rovers	18	8	5	5	40	29	11	29
Manulla ‘B’	18	8	2	8	36	31	5	26
Straide & Foxford Utd	18	8	2	8	31	37	-6	26
Castlebar Celtic ‘B’	18	6	6	6	41	33	8	24
Swinford	18	5	2	11	27	40	-13	17
Ballyglass	18	4	4	10	23	34	-11	16
Achill Rovers	18	3	4	11	19	54	-35	13

Champions-----Westport Utd.’B’

Promoted------Bangor Hibs., Ballinrobe Town

Relegated------Achill Rovers, Ballyglass

Welcome Inn Hotel Premier Division—Round 18

Sunday 11th November 2007

Ballinrobe Town Venue: The Green	v	Swinford	2.00pm	P. Foley
Ballyglass	v	Manulla ‘B’	2.00pm	M. Walsh
Castlebar Celtic ‘B’	v	Achill Rovers	2.00pm	L. McEntee
Straide & Foxford Utd.	v	Bangor Hibs.	2.00pm	J. Cawley
Westport Utd. ‘B’	v	Fahy Rovers	2.00pm	D. McGrath

	Played	Won	Drawn	Lost	For	Against	G.D.	Points
Westport Utd. ‘B’	17	11	2	4	47	23	24	35
Bangor Hibs.	17	10	3	4	45	29	16	33
Ballinrobe Town	17	8	5	4	28	27	1	29
Fahy Rovers	17	8	4	5	39	28	11	28
Manulla ‘B’	17	7	2	8	34	30	4	23
Straide & Foxford Utd	17	7	2	8	26	33	-7	23
Castlebar Celtic ‘B’	17	5	6	6	31	32	-1	21
Swinford	17	5	2	10	27	39	-12	17
Ballyglass	17	4	4	9	22	32	-10	16
Achill Rovers	17	3	4	10	18	44	-26	13

Welcome Inn Hotel Premier Division

Promoted------Bangor Hibs.

Relegated------Achill Rovers

Sunday 21st October 2007

Umbro Connacht Cup Round Two

By Patrick Hennelly

Corofin United 2 Ballinrobe Town 1

BALLINROBE TOWN were knocked out of the Connacht Cup on Sunday afternoon as they suffered defeat at the hands of Corofin United.

When looking back on this game, Ballinrobe will wonder if they had played to the best of their ability then perhaps an extended cup run could have been secured.

However, a sluggish performance from the South Mayo men was punished as Corofin took full opportunity of home advantage.

Ballinrobe settled into the game early on, and on 15 minutes they pinched the lead. A defence splitting ball from David McDonnell, released Shane Donnellan and the latter finished with aplomb to the back of the net.

However, a lack of concentration from the visitors allowed United to restore parity on 20 minutes.

Corofin then gleaned the lead on 30 minutes, as they made full use of a free-kick from outside the box.

Ballinrobe struggled to create clear-cut chances during the second period; however Martin McDonald’s troops could have levelled matters on 75 minutes. A tidy cross from Derek Heneghan, found the busy Pat McDonald and his deft pass released J. P. O’Gorman, but the latter was denied a goal thanks to a smart save from the Corofin custodian.

Ballinrobe upped the tempo during the final minutes of this game, but it was too little too late and Corofin hung on to ensure victory and progression to the next round.

Despite being on the wrong end of a slender defeat, there were some positives from the Ballinrobe performance, most notably the diligent work of the back-four as they broke up some dangerous Corofin attacking forays. Also, the Ballinrobe net-minder Damien Fitzpatrick, made some tidy saves during the game.

The players to impress for Ballinrobe on the day were, Damien Fitzpatrick, Derek Heneghan, John Fitzpatrick and Maurice Walsh.

Ballinrobe Town: Damien Fitzpatrick, Pat Delaney, Derek Heneghan, John Fitzpatrick, Enda Reilly, Maurice Walsh, David McDonnell, Gary Fitzpatrick, Shane O’Malley, J. P. O’Gorman, Shane Donnellan.

Sub: Pat McDonald for G. Fitzpatrick (inj, 51).

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Sunday 7th October 2007

Umbro Connacht Cup Round One

By Patrick Hennelly

Ballinrobe Town 3 - Killala 0

BALLINROBE TOWN finally got back to winning ways at a sun-drenched ‘Green’ on Sunday afternoon, as Martin McDonald’s troops recorded a comfortable success at the expense of