Ballyheane are the Elverys Sports Super League Champions for the first time as they picked up the three points they needed with a 2-1 win over Manulla in Carramore on Sunday morning.
Ashley Stevenson’s side are having a season to remember as they continued their unbeaten run to secure the title, thanks to goals from Dara Ludden and Ben Edeh.
It was an historic day for the club as they finally got over the line to lift the Tom Kelly Cup after coming so close in their last league outing against Ballina Town.
They had to wait until late in the first half to take the lead as the goal arrived in the forty fourth minute, when Dara Ludden’s right wing corner found the back of the net at the near post, despite the best efforts of a Manulla defender who could only help the ball past Matty Flanagan.
Ballyheane controlled the second half and went further ahead with twelve minutes remaining when Ben Edeh got his thirteenth league goal of the season. Liam Irwin was the orchestrator of the goal as his through-ball fell to Nathan Reilly Doyle, who just beat Matty Flanagan to the ball and poked it into the path of Edeh, who had the simplest of tasks as he finished the ball into the empty net to the delight of the large Ballyheane support, who now began to realise they were about to become champions.
Manulla, though, made it an interesting final few minutes, as Sean Sweeney scored what turned out to be a consolation goal with a neat finish from the edge of the area.
Minutes later and Ballyheane were celebrating as Kevin Cox blew the final whistle to the jumps of joy from the players, management and supporters and they clinched a deserved league title win. In the other game in the Super League, Westport United had a 3-2 win over Claremorris to move level on points with Paul Burke’s side in third place in the table
B's get over C's in novel cup final pairing
Westport United B won the Calor Gas Premier Cup on Sunday with a 5-1 win over Westport United C at Solar 21 Park. The result may be a bit harsh on Westport C but there can be no arguing that Westport B were the better side on the day.
They took the lead inside the opening three minutes when Dylan Duane scored direct from a corner as the ball just crossed the line, despite the best efforts of Niall O’Malley in the Westport C goal.
Their lead didn’t last too long as David Hoban levelled matters five minutes later when he reacted quickest to fire the ball past Micheal Gibbons from eight yards out.
The exciting start to the game continued when Westport B went back in front from the penalty spot four minutes later when Dylan Duane fired home from twelve yards, after he was taken down just inside the area. It stayed like this until half-time but Westport B extended their lead after just two minutes of the second period when Ted Horan got the final touch to a free kick from Colin McDonnell.
Westport B always looked in control and extended their lead on seventy-two minutes when substitute Mark McNally finished calmly at the near post. Another substitute, Aaron O’Toole, completed the scoring with a strike on full-time as Westport B picked up their second cup of the season after winning the Tuohy Cup earlier in the season.
Iorras survive in battle to beat the drop
All the attention was on the bottom half of the division in this game as Ballina Town B and Iorras Aontaithe tried to avoid the second relegation spot after the final round of games in the division took place on Sunday afternoon.
Iorras Aontaithe went into the day two points clear of Ballina Town and knew a win would see them remain in the division next season. This they managed to achieve with a 2-1 win over Conn Rangers in Mount Falcon as Dylan Walker’s second half strike proved crucial for the men from the barony.
Iorras held the lead at the break thanks to a goal from Ivan Barrett but Rangers hit back early in the second half through Owen McNamara, only for Walker to strike the winner on the hour mark.
That goal meant Ballina Town B will be playing League One football next season despite winning their final game of the season with a 2-0 victory of Killala.
Goals from Jamie Langdon and PJ Gilmartin were enough to earn the points for Ballina in this North Mayo derby but ultimately, it wasn’t enough to keep them in the division as they finished the season two points adrift of the teams above them.
Crossmolina take League One title
While most eyes were on Carramore to watch Ballyheane lift the Super League title last Sunday, the game of the day took place at Solar 21 Park where Crossmolina won the League One title with a 4-3 win over Moy Villa in an end-to-end game that had everything in it.
Crossmolina started the game the better side and took the lead inside three minutes when Fiachra Walsh's through-ball set Kevin Campbell free and the midfielder kept his composure to do-around Patrick Keane in the Moy Villa goal before finding the back of the net off the left-hand post.
Moy Villa thought they had equalised ten minutes later when John Durkan found the net, only for the striker to be flagged offside and within two minutes, they found themselves further behind when Niall Coggins got his first of the day as he scored with a superb chip from the right-hand side of the penalty area as his shot flew over the head of Patrick Keane and into the top left corner.
Moy Villa dominated the remainder of the half but had only one goal to show for it when Adam Gordon headed into his own net from a Ciaran Gaughan corner on twenty-two minutes. Andrew Ruane had their best chance to equalise near the break but his effort was well saved by Sean Gallagher in the Crossmolina goal when it really looked like it was easier to score.
Moy Villa started the second half as they finished the first but it was Crossmolina who scored next when they were awarded a penalty after Adam Gordon was fouled in the box by Paul O’Boyle. Coggins stepped up to take the spot kick but his effort was saved by Patrick Keane, not once, but also the rebound, before Ian Gordon followed in to bundle the ball over the line. Moy Villa hit back almost immediately when Ciaran Gaughan got on the end of a cross from John Judge to poke the ball home at the far post to leave the bare minimum between the sides once again.
Villa had the chance to level matters with eighteen minutes remaining when they were also awarded a spot kick but Luke Ruane’s effort was saved by his former teammate, Sean Gallagher, in the Crossmolina goal. Villa kept pushing for the equaliser and it looked like there would need to be extra time to separate the sides when Tony Loftus equalised from another Ciaran Gaughan corner when he headed the ball home at the near post, with five minutes remaining.
Loftus turned from hero to villain within a minute as he was sent off after bringing down Johnny Murtagh inside the area just a minute later, to hand Crossmolina the chance to go back in front. This time it was substitute Conal Carolan that stepped up to take the spot-kick and he made no mistake as he sent Keane the wrong way - to win the title for Michael Canavan’s side.
