Crossmolina 3-1 Ballina Town

Crossmolina overcame their nemesis of this season at the third attempt with a 3-1 victory against Ballina Town on Saturday evening. After losing the initial league encounter this season and then being knocked out of the Cup by the Ballina side, it was third time lucky for Crossmolina in this battle of promotion contenders. On their day Ballina are the best passing side in the division but they were a little below par in this game with some dogged tackling by Crossmolina interrupting their passing sequences. Despite having the extra man in midfield due to their 5-3-2 formation Ballina still failed to control that area of the field, mainly due to the omnipresence of Crossmolina's Steven Canavan. He put in a colossal display to lead his team to a deserved victory. They got off to an ideal start when their domination of the game was rewarded with a goal in the 10th minute. John Duggan took advantage of a Town defender's hesitation in the Ballina box and won the ball with a determined tackle. He then chipped the ball to the far post where Derek Greham acrobatically volleyed in the opening goal. Unfortunately, this good work would be undone 6 minutes later when a defensive meltdown from a Ballina free kick contributed to a fluke equalising goal. The free was lofted in from midfield by Declan O'Connor and despite a mass of bodies being congregated in the area the ball managed to bounce bizarrely, untouched, into the Crossmolina goal. The home team refused to be downhearted though and they continued to trade blows with Ballina as both teams attacked almost alternately in an open and exciting first half. The best scoring chance fell to Crossmolina defender John Hegarty from a corner kick but he nodded the ball wide from 6 yards out at the back post. Eoin Syron and Greham shot speculatively from long distance but defence reigned supreme for the remainder of the half and the score was 1-1 at the interval. Ballina nearly scored immediately after the restart but Hegarty snuffed out the threat with a timely tackle in his own box. The home team wasted a great scoring chance in the 53rd minute after a good move down the left culminated in a cross into the Ballina area. Steven Canavan teed it up nicely for Duggan but, from 10 yards out, he shot straight at the goalkeeper who parried the ball away to safety. The breakthrough was not far away however as Crossmolina scored in the 65th minute to take a 2-1 lead. A midfield free kick was lobbed into the crowded Ballina area and Hegarty rose highest to plant a header into the top corner of the goal. This time there would be no lapse in concentration as Crossmolina defended their lead fiercely. The pace of Jason Canavan up front provided his team with an outlet whenever Crossmolina were under pressure as he hustled relentlessly for every ball. The game was finished as a contest in the 75th minute when Greham scored a fluke goal for Crossmolina which was as important as it was unintentional. He collected the ball on the right side of the Ballina penalty box and realising that he had no opening to shoot he floated a cross to the far post which somehow found it's way into the net over a helpless Ballina netminder. It was his fifth goal in five games and he is now enjoying his most prolific spell of the season. After all the misery that Ballina have caused them this season Crossmolina weren't about to apologise. Town went through a brief 5 minute purple patch straight from the tip off but they could not find the goal they so desperately needed and the game finished 3-1, a result which will worsen the congestion in the top half of the table as 6 teams realistically vie for promotion to the Super League.

Crossmolina - J O'Hora, J McGuinness, M Canavan, J Hegarty, K Canavan, J Duggan, S Canavan, E Syron, P Flaherty, J Canavan, D Greham

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