Twists and turns at both ends of Mayo Super League table

Ballyheane come from two goals down to win against Manulla as Kiltimagh/Knock United keep the pressure on with a win over Glenhest Rovers while Straide & Foxford United earn a big three points at the other end of the table.

Elverys Sports Super League

Kiltimagh/Knock United went level on points overnight with Ballyheane at the top of the Super League after a narrow 1-0 win over ten man Glenhest Rovers in CMS Park on Saturday evening.

Even though Glenhest were reduced to ten men after only eleven minutes they put in an excellent display as the home side struggled to break down a stubborn defence even with a man extra for nearly eighty minutes.

Kiltimagh/Knock were awarded a penalty for keeper’s Eoin Mullarkey’s last ditch challenge that saw him see red but Jack O’Connor’s low effort to the right was brilliantly saved by stand in keeper Owen Hoare who was excellent after going in goal.

The crucial goal arrived six minutes later when O’Connor beat Hoare with a chipped effort from just inside the area. Kiltimagh/Knock had chances to add to their tally but the Glenhest defence was not to be breached again as James Costello’s side did just enough to move them level with Ballyheane for a few hours at least.

In the early kick-off on Sunday morning Westport United and Ballina Town played out a scoreless at United Park as both sides dropped further behind the teams above them in the table.

Ben Edeh struck a late winner as Ballyheane maintained their three point lead at the top of the table with a 3-2 win over Manulla but it was a game they could easily have dropped points in as they were two goals down after only fifteen minutes.

Lorcan Conroy gave the home side the lead on twelve minutes as he intercepted a goal kick to score the opener and then Aiden Dunleavy added a second three minutes later to leave Ballyheane with a mountain to climb. Ballyheane then showed why they are the league champions and they were level by half-time as Dara Ludden got their first of the day on thirty-five minutes with a brilliant freekick and Sean Kilcoyne’s half volley levelled the scores five minutes later.

After the flurry of goals in the first half we had to wait until the final few minutes to find a winner and it was a goal worth waiting for as Ben Edeh thunderous strike found the roof of the net after he turned the Maulla left back inside the area to earn another valuable three points for Ashley Stevenson’s side.

At the other end of the table Straide & Foxford United got their first win in seven games with a 3-1 win over relegation rivals Ballyhaunis Town at Green Road. Kienan Smyth hit a brace for Aiden Flatley’s side with Cian McHale also getting on the scoresheet for the north Mayo side.

CastleCourt Hotel Premier Division

The game of the night took place in James McEvaddy Park as Killala finally got a win in the Premier Division as they came out on the right side of an eleven goal thriller against Swinford even though only two of those goals came in the first half.

Rory Gallagher and Kevin Butler both scored twice for Killala with the other two goals coming from Michael Corrigan and Kyle McLoughlin while Conor Devaney stuck a hat-trick for Swinford and James Devaney and Jack Murphy also found the target for Chris McHale-Roe’s side.

Ballyglass eased their relegation worries as they picked up a valuable three points with a 1-0 win over Westport United B at Michael Keaveney Park. Liam Hughes scored the winning goal as Ballyglass put a huge dent in Westport’s title hopes.

Crossmolina moved to the top of the table in the early morning kick off in the Premier Division as Shane Hennigan scored twice to earn them a 2-0 win over Kiltimagh/Knock United B. The two goals came either side of the break with the opener coming in the final minute of the first half when Hennigan pounced on an error in the Kiltimagh/Knock defence as they failed to clear a corner from the left.

His second came five minutes into the second half as his low shot found the bottom right hand corner of the net from just outside the area after Shane McKinley laid the ball off to him after a good move down the left wing.

Moy Villa had the chance to move five points clear of Conn Rangers when the two sides met in Attymass on Sunday afternoon but it was Brendan McDonagh’s side that left disappointed after conceding a second equaliser with just eight minutes to go as the game finished 2-2.

Rangers took the lead through Sean Holmes excellent drive from distance but Villa were level through an equally good long range strike from Tommy Forde before the break.

Rangers went back in front after only a minute of the second half as Evan Reape towering header found the net but in the end both sides had to be happy with a point when John Durkan headed in another equaliser in the final minutes.

Killeen Sports Ground League One

Ballinrobe Town kept up their unbeaten start to League One with a 2-1 win away against Conn Rangers B but they left Mount Falcon knowing they could have dropped two points as Rangers came close to grabbing a point after going two goals down in the first half. Ballinrobe looked to be odds on for the three points as they went two goals up in the first half through Danny O’Toole and Shane Ryan but Ryan Merchant’s header before half-time reduced the deficit as Rangers got back into the game. Rangers thought they had equalised through Mark McMahon but his effort came back off the post and after James Colfar received a red card for Ballinrobe, the home side through caution to the win and they came very close to a last ditch equaliser but Sean O’Shaughnessy made an outstanding save to deny Aaron Faughnan when it looked like he was about to earn a point for his side.

Kilmore kept in touch with Ballinrobe at the top of the table as an excellent second half performance say them run out 9-1 winners against Westport United C.

Kilmore struggled against a strong wind in the first half and the sides went in level at the break after Ryan Ruddy’s opener was cancelled out by a Cillian McGing goal five minutes before the break. Ruddy’s goal arrived on twenty seven minutes when a terrific move out from the back sent him through on goal and the striker made no mistake as he fired it past the onrushing keeper.

Kian Gallagher made two or three good saves to keep Westport out during the half but he was finally beaten when a mix up in the defence led to McGing levelling the scores when he got on the end of a header from midfield to guide the ball past Gallagher.

Kilmore came out a different side in the second half and went in front after only two minutes when Owen McHale’s cross was turned into his own net by a defender before Justin Healy got a quick fire brace to end the game as a contest before the hour mark. James Kelly then made it five before substitute Jamie Flannery added a sixth as his cross from the right wing was taken by the wind and found its way into the top left hand corner of the net. Justin Healy then completed his hat trick with ten minutes to go before he added a fourth with the goal of the game from twenty five yards. Mark Gilbert completed the scoring with the final attack of the game as Kilmore got back to winning ways after dropping five points in their last two games.

Achill Rovers kept up their pursuit of the top two with a 3-0 win over Hollister at Fr. O’Brien Park on Sunday morning. Goals from Brandon McGing, Sean McNamara and Sean Callaghan were more than enough for the islanders to stay within three points of the promotion spots and set up a huge clash with Kilmore in two weeks time when they can go level on points with the Erris men.

McDonnell Construction League Two

Castlebar Celtic B held an overnight lead in League Two as three second half goals were enough to see them take all three points against Crossmolina B. The sides went in level at the break but Celtic broke the deadlock inside the first few minutes of the second half when Liam King broke free of the defence to fire the ball low past the Crossmolina keeper and into the bottom left hand corner of the net.

They were two goals up on the hour mark when Matthew Lydon slotted home a spot kick and the crucial third goal arrived eight minutes from the end when Jack Mahon scored from just inside the area with a low shot that beat the keeper at his near post.

It remains tight at the top of the table as Ballyheane B kept in touch with the three sides above them after a 3-0 win over Killala B. Goals from Kieran McGreavy, Robert Callaghan and Eddie Kimpwene were enough to see them past the North Mayo side at the Court House.

Partry Athletic made light work of an under strength Conn Rangers C side on Sunday afternoon as they ran out 5-1 winners with four of them coming inside the opening forty five minutes.

Partry opened the scoring after twenty minutes when John Byrne finished superbly after getting on the end of a through ball from Ciaran Hennelly and it was soon two as JP Sweeney got on the scoresheet after he got on the end of a right wing cross from Fianach MacGhabann. Mac Ghabann then added a third as his volley from sixteen yards found the back of the net before Sweeney got his second of the day with an excellent finish from inside the area after he got on the end of a ball from Andrew Kennedy.

Rangers did pull a goal back midway through the second half as Shane Newcombe struck from long range but it was Partry who completed the scoring as MacGhabann got his second of the day with ten minutes remaining.

- Report provided by the Mayo Football League.

*Full match reports from Kiltimagh/Knock Utd v Glenhest Rovers, Westport Utd v Ballina Town and Manulla v Ballyheane in tomorrow's print edition.