Manulla claim the spoils in keenly contested Mayo Super League encounter

Manulla 2

Ballinrobe Town 1

Manulla edged a keenly contested Super League encounter at a chilly Carramore on Thursday night thanks to second half goals from their substitute’s Sean Corcoran and James Bolster.

The opening exchanges were cagey, however, Ballinrobe snatched the lead after seven minutes when Liam Kilcullen’s audacious back-heel flew into the top corner of the net.

Manulla managed to conjure up an opportunity on 26 minutes, with Patrick McLoughlin seeing his volley fly inches over Connal Doran’s crossbar.

Gillan Jennings then almost fashioned a second for the south Mayo side, but his effort flew off target.

Despite their best efforts, Manulla failed to muster a first half equaliser and the blue and white trailed 1-0 at the interval.

One minute into the new half, Manulla were awarded a spot-kick after Ballinrobe’s Liam O’Toole inadvertently handed the ball inside the 18-yard box. Manulla substitute Sean Corcoran, who was introduced before the start of the second period, was coolness personified from the penalty kick, despite the best efforts of Connal Doran in the Ballinrobe goal.

The Robesiders could well have regained the lead on 62 minutes, when a probing free kick from the impressive Iarla Killeen found Niko Petrovic, but the latter flicked his effort narrowly wide.

Both sides were full of endeavour, however, Manulla netted a fortuitous winning goal on 83 minutes when James Bolster’s in-swinging corner-kick ended up in the back of the net.

A doughty Ballinrobe regrouped and they tried to salvage something from the game, nevertheless, the hosts held on to collect the spoils.