Castlebar Celtic undone in shoot-out

Celtic undone in shoot-out


Final
Castlebar Celtic 0
Ballinasloe Town 0
(AET, Ballinasloe Town won 4-2 on penalties)

Daniel Carey
Castlebar

REAL Madrid’s dream of a tenth European Cup remains alive, but Castlebar Celtic’s ambitions of achieving ‘La Décima’ in the Connacht Cup are on hold for another 12 months at least. Their tally of nine provincial titles includes two back-to-back efforts, but last Sunday, they were undone by the holders in a penalty shoot-out.
Almost two years to the day since a final between teams from Mayo and Galway was decided 4-2 on penalties in favour of the visitors after 110 scoreless minutes, Ballinasloe Town followed Westport United’s lead. As in 2012, it coincided with Manchester City clinching the league title, and as in Terryland Park two years ago, the rain bucketed down in Milebush Park. By the end, Castlebar Celtic were as miserable as the conditions. The margin was wafer-thin, but the trophy left the county town, retained by the holders for the eighth time.
Having beaten Ballyheane on penalties in round five, Ballinasloe proved kings of the shoot-out again on Sunday. Manager Enda Concannon said eight players volunteered to take kicks, and all four who had to step forward converted. Celtic were two from two as Jason Hunt put the goalkeeper the wrong way and Ronan O’Boyle drilled the ball up the middle, but both Gerry Hunt and Stephen Walsh fired over. And so, Ballinasloe full-back David Cullen did exactly what team-mates Peter Keighery, Gary Egan and Mark Duffy had already done – scored from the spot.
Celtic certainly had the edge in terms of chances created, though they weren’t overly plentiful on a day when defences dominated. The nominal hosts were on the back foot in a cagey first half, however. Stevie Ryan, Castlebar’s outstanding player, made a sliding interception to prevent Darragh Concannon’s pass from reaching Mark Duffy. Ballinasloe’s Peter Keighery, equally superb, sent a free header wide after being picked out by Concannon, but the captain then redeemed himself by denying Ronan O’Boyle after the Celtic striker pounced on a rare mistake by Gary Egan.
The otherwise impressive Town full-back drew a good save from Steven Cafferkey, while a ball over the top from Celtic’s hard-working midfielder Ioseph O’Reilly was just too far for O’Boyle, operating as a lone front man in the first half.
It was scoreless after 45 minutes, and after no further chances in the third quarter, we then had three in as many minutes. Celtic’s Andy Neary, redeployed at left back after the introduction of the busy Jason Hunt, made a good tackle to stop Mark Duffy from finding Shane Duffy out on the right. Then Gerard O’Boyle’s corner caused consternation in the Ballinasloe box. The ball broke to Gerry Hunt, and Stephen Walsh had two attempts blocked as the Roscommon and District League representatives survived. Ninety seconds later, Darragh Concannon – lost to injury soon after – got through inside the box for a one-on-one situation, but fired across goal and wide from the right hand side.
Stevie Gavin’s side finished normal time the stronger. Ronan O’Boyle saw his shot deflected out for a corner after linking with Ioseph O’Reilly, and later had a shot blocked by man of the match Des Hope. In between, Gerry Hunt went close from a corner, while Jason Hunt fired over from the right in the final minute of normal time.
Opportunities were few and far between during the additional period, but Celtic had two. Gerry Hunt slipped the ball into fellow sub Eamon Crean, who was denied by that man Hope, while Ronan O’Boyle got his free kick up and over the wall only to see the ball tipped over by Ballinasloe goalkeeper Aidan Fallon (a garda formerly based in Castlebar). Shannonside FM commentator Willie Hegarty said Ballinasloe were by now ‘like a boxer whose jaw is beginning to get a bit sore’, but there was no knockout punch from Celtic.

CASTLEBAR CELTIC
S Cafferkey, S Walsh, O Cunningham, S Ryan, D Flynn, B McLoughlin, I O’Reilly, G O’Boyle, R O’Boyle, A Neary, D Duffy.
Subs used: J Hunt for O Cunningham (h-t); G Hunt for D Duffy (51 mins); E Crean for B McLoughlin (90 mins, inj).

BALLINASLOE TOWN
A Fallon, G Egan, D Cullen, D Hope, P Keighery, S Treacy, S Duffy, K Kenny, M Duffy, D Concannon, O Keighery.
Subs used: J Villarceaux for D Concannon (82 mins, inj); H Loughnane for O Keighery (90 mins).

Referee: P Kilcoyne (Sligo)