McCormack the hero of Ballinasloe Town’s Connacht Cup triumph

Ballinasloe Town 3

West United 2

(After extra time)

WITH a contribution that will last long in the memory, 21-year-old Eoin McCormack left his class all over Sunday’s Connacht Junior Cup Final at Eamonn Deacy Park as Ballinasloe Town came from behind to snatch the title for the fourth time.

The young striker notched a hat-trick of rare quality as his superb skill and overall contribution marked him out as an easy candidate for Man of the Match.

The outcome saw Ballinasloe emerge as merited winners, but they certainly put their large travelling support through the wringer in order to get over the line.

While West United might have provided some of the late drama with a last minute equaliser to send the contest to extra time, it was not an occasion they will have fond memories of, as they failed to match some of the performances that got them to the big day itself.

Sure, the City side started well, but after taking an early lead courtesy of a Geoffrey Power penalty, they lost their way as Ballinasloe took over and for the remainder of the half, the winners were by far the better side and were rewarded with a McCormack brace as they led by 2-1 at the break.

Maybe the Roscommon League side didn’t play with the same authority on the resumption, but they still had loads of opportunities to put the game to bed.

In typical West fashion they never threw in the towel, as they bombarded the Ballinasloe goal in the closing stages and just like in their semi final success over Boyle Celtic, they were rewarded with a late equaliser, courtesy of a John Egan tap in.

Extra time again saw McCormack take centre stage once more, when he ghosted in behind the home rearguard and gracefully side-footed home a Gary Egan free kick from half way to clinch the trophy for Henry Loughnane’s side.

Each team was familiar with the extra time routine as both required it when advancing from their semi finals. Ballinasloe rewarded the hero of that win, Liam Lynch, with a start on this occasion, while West went with the same eleven that saw off Boyle Celtic.

In front of a big crowd and under the warm sunshine, both sides had early chances to settle the nerves, West’s Shane Keogh was badly wide at the far post on just three minutes after getting on the end of a deep Sean Keogh cross, before McCormack headed a Cormac Clogher delivery off target at the other end.

Full report in this week’s Connacht Tribune