Manulla halt Town title surge

Manulla halt Town title surge

Manulla              4
Campbell 34, Vahey 54,
C Jennings 65, 86 pen

Ballina Town    2
M Duffy 24, Gorman 61

Michael Duffy

MANULLA threw the race for the Super League wide open on Saturday evening when two second half goals from midfielder Cormac Jennings inflicted a first defeat of the season on league leaders Ballina Town.
News of the defeat will have gone down particularly well down Westport way as their victory over Glenhest means they are now just three points behind Michael McNicholas’ charges.
Manulla deserved their victory in what was an entertaining game played in Saturday evening sunshine. The winners were far from full strength, fielding a number of B team players, but they were most definitely up for the game after their recent defeat on penalties to the same opposition in the Westaro Cup.
The game produced countless chances for both sides but Manulla proved the more clinical, although manager Jimmy Walsh will no doubt give much of the credit for the win to goalkeeper James Jennings, who pulled off a series of top class saves, particularly in an open and attacking first half.
Ballina were very much on top in the opening twenty minutes with Jennings pulling off three tremendous saves on 5, 14 and 21 minutes. The first chance was from a Philip Devers header, which looked destined for the top corner until Jennings touched it around the post.
The same player again made Jennings go full stretch on 14 minutes after a great shot on the turn and the ‘keeper also denied Michael Duffy on 21 minutes after the big striker made space for himself on the edge of the box with some great skill, only to see his curling effort again tipped around the post.
However, the Ballina onslaught finally yielded a goal on 24 minutes and unfortunately the goalkeeper was somewhat at fault after all his good early work. His poor kick-out only reached half way and after Cormac Jennings failed to control the ball, Pat Duffy intervened and slid a perfectly weighted ball into the path of his brother Michael who took his time before neatly side-footing the ball past an advancing Jennings.
The goal, if anything, actually acted as a catalyst for Manulla and a change in momentum saw them enjoy the territorial advantage for the remainder of the opening half. A good move on 32 minutes saw impressive winger Cillian McGlade combine with Roger Clarke, who slipped a lovely pass inside the Ballina cover to the ever dangerous striker Eoghan Vahey, whose shot from a narrow angle was well saved by Niall Gallagher.
However, two minutes later, a similar move saw Manulla draw level. McGlade again started the move, slipping a neat pass up the line to Vahey. He weighted a perfect ball into the path of striker partner Dessie Campbell, who cooly lifted the ball over the advancing Gallagher. Gallagher kept the score level at the break when blocking a Roger Clarke toe-poke right on half-time.
Early second half chances fell to Eugene Gorman and Vahey but it was the latter who put his side in front on 54 minutes when he rose highest to loop a James Cunningham corner into the top corner of the net.
However, once behind Ballina upped the ante and they were back level within seven minutes.
Fergus Quinn powered in a 30 yard drive which Jennings could only parry into the path of Devers, who squared the ball to Duffy. However, Devers’ pass had too much weight on it and it seemed the chance had gone only for Duffy to take a deft touch and lay the ball back to Eugene Gorman, who drilled his shot low past Jennings.
The frantic nature of the second half continued and on 65 minutes Manulla were back in front. After a Colin McDonnell free-kick was cleared, Ballina’s defence rushed out but Steve Fadden played a clever ball down the wing that an onside Roger Clarke latched on to. He kept his cool before playing a low ball into the box, which Campbell failed to connect with. However, Cormac Jennings timed his run into the box to perfection and lashed the loose ball past Gallagher.
Back in the lead, Manulla manager, Jimmy Walsh, dangerously decided to shut up shop, bringing Jonathan Griffin on to plough a lone furrow up front, and deploying Vahey as a third centre half, with Campbell dropping back into midfield.
Ballina owned the ball and their best chance of an equaliser fell to sub Declan O’Connor in the 83rd minute. After a corner was cleared, Quinn curled in a peach of cross which O’Connor met with a firm header which cleared the crossbar when it looked easier to score.
Three minutes later, Jennings sealed the three points from the penalty spot. Manulla were now playing on the break and as Des Campbell broke into the box, he was upended by Tom O’Connor. Jennings sent Gallagher the wrong way from the resultant penalty.
The win keeps Manulla in third while Ballina now face a serious test of the championship credentials in the coming weeks, with a huge game against Westport on August 18.