SFC GROUP 2
Castlebar 2-9
Ballinrobe 1-7
Willie McHugh
Ballinrobe
FOREARMED is forewarned. Castlebar Mitchels came to Flanagan Park on Sunday last mindful of Ballinrobe’s emphatic victory over Crossmolina in the previous round. They pitched their game plan to prevent an encore. Once they drew the poison from the hosts’ early sting, they set about stamping their authority on this encounter.
A heavy shower after throw-in made conditions difficult, but the elements cannot be charged with total responsibility for the poor fare. Both sides indulged in a woeful short-passing, one-step-forward-and-three-steps-back game.
This was ‘Stations of the Cross’ football with too many stoppages and nothing by way of fluency. The referee’s over-use of the whistle didn’t help the flow either. A shepherd issuing instructions to a Border Collie on work experience wouldn’t have done as much whistling.
Alan Murphy started as he finished in Nephin country by landing a free, and he doubled his tally from play, applying the finish to a Ray McGreal pass.
Castlebar were struggling to find a rhythm, but a Kevin Filan free helped before Ray O’Malley finished a great upfield run to level matters. The screw was turning and, after another Filan free, Ronan O’Boyle posted a dainty one. Through the boot of Filan and a long-ranger from Richie Feeney, the gap was opening.
Just before the interval they put the game beyond Ballinrobe’s reach. Danny Kirby got on the end of a long delivery to do the prep work, leaving the simple task of finishing to the net to Ronan O’Boyle.
Mitchels then went for the jugular. Ballinrobe goalkeeper Kenneth O’Malley punched from the danger area, but the ever-alert Adrian Roache and Barry Moran recycled, leaving Danny Kirby to apply the gloss finish. Two quick-fire goals meant the visitors’ recovery was complete. They retired at the break on the cushion of a nine-point lead.
Ballinrobe set about making a match of it again on the restart. Alan Murphy pointed two frees following fouls on the beavering James Quinn. They got a glorious opportunity to get their tongs back in the fire of the contest when a David Killeen delivery found Murphy unattended in the Castlebar hearth, but his goal-bound shot was always rising and the chance was quenched.
Castlebar substitute Neil Douglas finally opened his side’s second-half account immediately on his introduction. Tom King marked his arrival with another.
Ballinrobe then got the briefest look through the window of opportunity when James Quinn soloed in from the left and put his ciotóg delivery beyond Ciaran Naughton in the Castlebar goal.
But it was too little too late. Barry Moran and Richie Feeney were ruling midfield and Castlebar were calling the tune in every position. Tom King crowned his calling to the fray with another point putting the issue beyond all doubt.
Norman O’Brien must now prepare the ’Robe men for the unenviable task of going to Bangor in the hope of getting their championship aspirations back in the groove. But Castlebar continue their unbeaten run and Pat Holmes and his charges are looking more and more like men on a mission with every outing. They have all the shapes of a team with unfinished business. There's something stirring in the long grass.
Castlebar Mitchels
C Naughton; E O’Reilly, A Feeney, D Newcombe; R O’Malley (0-1), G McDonagh, A Roache; B Moran, R Feeney (0-1); D Kirby (1-0), S Hopkins, F Durkan; S Keane, K Filan (0-2, 2f), R O’Boyle (1-2).
Subs used: N Douglas (0-1) for Filan; T King (0-2) for O’Boyle; S Ryder for Hopkins.
Ballinrobe
K O’Malley; R Keane, D McDonnell, P Reilly; C Keane, S Grimes, R McGreal; D Vaughan, D Killeen; P Staunton, R Macken, M Keane; J Quinn (1-0), A Murphy (0-7, 5f), M Walkin.
Subs used: J O’Malley for Walkin; D O’Connor for Reilly; M Walkin for Staunton; P Finnerty for M Keane.
Referee: C Collins (Lacken)
