Ten-man Celtic take spoils

WHEN PUSH COMES TO SHOVE Ballina Town’s Jamie Cawley challenges Castlebar Celtic’s Paul Walsh for the ball during their Mayo Super League clash last Saturday. Pic: John Corless

Ballina Town   1
D McKee 85

Castlebar Celtic   2
N Douglas 59, O Groarke 91

John Corless
Belleek

DESPITE playing the final half hour with ten men, Castlebar Celtic impressively overcame Ballina Town on a cold Saturday evening in Belleek Park to confirm their status as title contenders, even with only three rounds of the Super League played.
“It was a roller-coaster of a game,” Celtic goalkeeper Stefan Hester told The Mayo News. “We knew coming here the last few games that we had the better of them, but we felt that today they would be up for it, and we would have to have that extra bit of an edge and work-rate, if we were to get anything. Thankfully we had, but it was a battle against a great side.”
This was an exciting contest between two of the top sides in the county, played at a frantic pace with plenty of robust challenges.  
Celtic, aided by a stiff breeze, dominated most of the first half but created very little.
As the half progressed, Town got into the game and David McCracken forced a fine save from Hester on 26 minutes – the nearest either side came to breaking the first half-deadlock.  
The wind died down in the second half and the game opened up.
Fourteen minutes after the restart, Neil Douglas fired a powerful shot from the right, past Emmet Peyton, to put Celtic in front. The deserved goal confirmed the visitors’ superiority.
A minute later, Celtic midfielder, Joe Slevin, received a second yellow card for a foul and was already on his way to the dugout by the time referee Kevin Cox (who had an excellent game) waved the obligatory red.
Down to ten, Celtic reshaped instantly, recalling an attacker in favour of holding the midfield, and Oran Groarke, in particular, was excellent as Ballina pressed.
When Dylan McKee equalised with five minutes remaining, it looked like Town had snatched a draw. But Groarke, who has matured enormously in the past year, pushed up in stoppage time to finish Luke Kelly’s pass and snatch the three points for the visitors.
“It was a tough battle,” man of the match, Celtic’s Mark Cunningham, told The Mayo News. “We’re delighted with the win. The first-half breeze helped us a lot – we played down the wings, but Town were very hard to break down.
“When we were reduced to ten men, I didn’t think we’d win it, but Oran Groarke had a terrific game and his finish at the end, was unbelievable. I was delighted for him. And Stefan Hester’s saves kept us in the game. It was a cracking game.”
“We are very pleased,” Celtic manager Stevie Gavin told The Mayo News.
“That’s the fourth time we have come here now and won, so obviously, we are happy about that. I thought the win was deserved on the balance of play and the balance of chances. We would have taken 1-1 when we were down to ten men, and seen the game out, but obviously, to win it is great. You come to Ballina and you aren’t going to run away with it. We were made work for it. I was delighted how we kept possession when we were down to ten.”
With manager Alan Henry suspended over the incorrect uploading of the opening day team-sheet, Hugh Cunningham, Ballina Town’s video analysist, was in charge of the team.
“I thought we could have come away with a point,” Cunningham said.
“We were unlucky in the end. We didn’t adapt quick enough when they went down to ten men. We didn’t take full advantage of that. But Celtic are a very good team and they made it difficult for us all evening.”

BALLINA TOWN
E Peyton, D McCracken, A Shally, C Maughan, C Moore, D McKee, O Tighe,  D Duane, B Lavelle, R Cretaro, J Cawley.
Subs used: S Melvin, T Rowe.

CASTLEBAR CELTIC
S Hester, M Cunningham, I O’Reilly, B Walsh, M Howley, J Slevin, O Groarke, B Murphy, D Edwards, N Douglas, P Walsh.
Subs used: J Hunt, L Kelly, F Mahon, C Nevin.

Referee: K Cox