Ballina Town see off Westport United with solid Super League display

Mayo Super League

Ballina Town 3

Cawley 27 (penalty), Gorman 50, McKee 55 (penalty)

Westport United 1

Dan O’Malley 71

In Beleek

This was a real Super League match. The teams went at it from the kick-off and played at a high intensity throughout. Westport started very well and really went for Ballina but couldn’t make the breakthrough. The lively Kevin Kitterick was unlucky, Caoimhin O’Toole had a chip go outside the post and Dan O’Malley had two shots saved by Town ’keeper Emmet Peyton.

Ballina gradually got to the pace of the game and had a couple of attacks before referee, John Mulroe, pointed to the spot when Joe Lawless fouled Tiernan Tighe. Jamie Cawley dispatched the penalty kick and ’Town were in front.

Cawley went on a dazzling run soon after, but there was nobody to tap in his low cross. Stephen Melvin had a good cross too, that just needed a touch. Westport had a few close ones before Aaron Cannon went over, to unheard screams from the Westport faithful, for a penalty at the other end. The home side took their slender lead to the dressing room.

Ballina were on fire straight after the restart and five minutes in, Raff Cretaro sent a superb reverse pass to Danny Gorman who fired expertly past Gary Cunningham. Dylan McKee sent a penalty home five minutes later, after Noah Massey handled. The young defender would have been off, only for the ’keeper was on the goal line and it was one of those tight calls based around denial of a goal-scoring opportunity or not.

Dan O’Malley pulled one back for Westport with twenty minutes remaining, but they couldn’t add to it and Ballina took the points to move into second place on the table.

A full report, reaction and images will be featured in Tuesday’s Mayo News Sport.