Honours even as Ballina Town snatch draw through Ballyheane own goal

Mayo Super League Round 2

Ballyheane 1

D Purcell ‘63

Ballina Town 1

J Tuffy ’90 (own goal)

Oisín McGovern in Ballyheane

A first Mayo Super League win of the season still eludes Ballyheane and Ballina Town after a last-minute own goal saw ‘Town snatch a point away from home.

Ballyheane had been by far the better team, with Mayo star Ben Edeh terrorising the opposition defence all afternoon.

When Dan Purcell put them in front on 63 minutes it looked like they would have enough to get past a somewhat off-the-pace visiting side.

However, despite creating several chances, Ashley Stevenson’s men failed to land the clincher.

Ballyheane played the better football in a scoreless first half while Ballina Town persisted with long balls up to Benny Lavelle.

With little help for Lavelle, ‘Town struggled to make inroads while Ben Edeh, Nathan Reilly Doyle and Dan Purcell shone for the hosts.

When Reilly Doyle played in Purcell to finish Ballyheane’s only goal it looked like the 2022 Mayo Super League champions had done enough until misfortune visited at the very end.

What began as a cross from Oisín Tighe ended up the ball ricocheting off Jack Tuffy and into the Ballyheane net, which handed Ballina Town an unlikely draw.

Ballina Town and Ballyheane sit fourth and sixth respectively in the Mayo Super League table following today’s result.

There will be a full match report plus reaction from Ballyheane manager Ashley Stevenson and Ballina Town striker Benny Lavelle in Tuesday’s print edition of The Mayo News.