Ballina Town beat Westport United

Mountney magic does the trick


Ballina Town 2
Duffy 42, Mountney 92

Westport Utd 1
D Cameron 22

Daniel Carey
Ballina

IF John Mountney’s injury-time winner in last Saturday’s top-of-the-table clash at Belleek Park ends up being the decisive goal in the 2010 season, then the title will have been decided by a stunning strike.
The Ballina Town midfielder put in an excellent display, but it was his long-range effort – from perhaps 35 yards – that has been the talk of soccer circles in the county since. It was a cracking shot, and just about trumped Michael Duffy’s first-half goal as the best this reporter has seen in the Super League this year.
Westport United will feel they were entitled to a draw. They certainly had much the better of the first half, and when Dave Cameron opened the scoring after 22 minutes, it was no less than they deserved. The winger tucked home the rebound after Mark McNally’s shot came off the post, and marked a first quarter which the visitors had dominated.
David Horkan had seen his powerful downward header well saved by Kieran O’Malley, while McNally’s effort was cleared off the line by Tom O’Connor. At the other end, Ross Kenny went close with a free kick, but it wasn’t until they went behind that Ballina started coming into the game.
John Mountney was the engine of their opportunities, delivering a ball into the box which saw David Horkan’s header shave a Westport post and go out for a corner. Later, Mountney’s 30-yard free kick came off the inside the other post, but Martin Geraghty and Philip Keegan both went close for Westport. Philip Devers played a one-two with Michael Duffy before being stopped in his tracks by Joe Lawless, but Brendan Kenny’s side got the equaliser before half time.
Michael Duffy finished sweetly after a great move that involved Brendan Lavelle, Philip Devers and Tom O’Connor, and it was still 1-1 at the break, despite a slew of yellow cards in the closing stages of the first half.
If the first quarter had been Westport’s, the third was emphatically Ballina’s. Devers was just wide with a powerful hit from outside the box. O’Connor’s cross from the right found Ross Kenny, whose header was saved by Niall Gallagher. The former Ballina goalkeeper then tipped over Duffy’s lob, while Dwayne Helly’s chip from the left went unfinished.
Twenty minutes in, Gerry McLoughlin broke through on the right for Westport’s first chance of the second half, but Kieran O’Malley was out quickly to save. Ballina countered, and Duffy slipped the ball through for Devers, who shot over.
A goal at either end looked like winning it, but most people in the large crowd were by now expecting a draw. In the 86th minute, Westport’s Danny Scahill whipped in a free from the right and McNally got a touch on the ball, but it went wide. Almost two additional minutes had elapsed when Mountney fastened onto a United header and let fly.
“It was a great strike,” said Brendan Kenny afterwards. “He’s been doing that, in fairness, John Mountney, he’s a class player. It didn’t surprise me. Once he hit it, it was going to go in … It was a great advertisement for the Mayo League, and it’s a shame there had to be a loser.”
Barry Kilgannon agreed it was “a great strike” but his response to the goal by his old club was understandably very different. “Heartbreaking, absolutely heartbreaking,” was his take. “It was a great performance, and to lose it with the last kick of the game is heartbreaking.”
Westport had sought to play the game last Thursday because a number of players were due to travel to Edinburgh for a stag party. The Mayo League turned down that request, and in the event, many of those due to travel stayed behind, having paid for flights and accommodation – “They put the supporters and the club before themselves”, said Westport chairman Frank Gillivan.

Ballina Town
K O’Malley, D Helly, B Giblin, D Tansey, M McCarron, T O’Connor, J Mountney, R Kenny, B Lavelle, P Devers, M Duffy.

Westport United
N Gallagher, K Joyce, J Lawless, M Geraghty, C Cameron, D Scahill, D Horkan, D Cameron, G McLoughlin, P Keegan, M McNally.
Subs used: V O’Malley for Keegan (63); T McGing for McLoughlin (79).

Referee: A Nevin