Only 180 minutes separate Ballina Town and the Super League title, Brendan Kenny’s side have been battling it out for the title with Westport United from the off this season and now with only two games to go their destiny is firmly in their hands. The maths is simple, win their last two games and they are champions, nothing Westport can do about it. But with the title on the line they are bound to be feeling almighty pressure over the course of the next two rounds.
Their penultimate game sees Manulla make the trip to Belleek Park on Sunday at 2.30pm, in what will not be an easy game for Kenny’s side. Manulla themselves have had a good season and currently lie fourth in the table having won nine of their 16 games so far and won’t be giving anything easy to Ballina, who will be hoping the likes of Michael Duffy and Tom O’Connor will continue the good form they have shown over the season.
Westport United though won’t be giving up the ghost yet and will try to push Ballina hard for the title as they eye up a long run in the FAI Junior Cup and the Connacht Cup over the winter. Padraig Burn’s side this weekend should pick up the points at home to Snugboro United side who have had an up and down season with some good victories mixed in with some poor displays and seen their manager vacate his post just a few weeks ago. Westport warmed up for the final push in the league with a comfortable 7-2 win over the Ballyvary Blue Bombers in the FAI Junior Cup last weekend in a game where they rested Dessie O’Malley, Gerry McLoughlin, David Cameron, and Gerry McLoughlin, but still proved far too strong for the Bombers.
The other games in the Super League this weekend sees Kilmore who face an almost impossible task to beat the drop, travel to Quigley Park to face a Ballyheane side who have only pride left to play for in the league, so the north Mayo men could pull out a win that will more than likely be ultimately in vain but just about keep them alive in the final round of games. Iorras Aontaithe who were the only side to keep in check with the two league leaders for most of the season will make the trip to Castlebar to take on Fahy Rovers who have acquitted themselves very well in their first season back in the top flight. Iorras will be looking to take things easy as they prepare for a crack at Connacht and FAI Junior Cup glory over the winter. The Barony men made it all the way to the semi-final last season in the FAI Junior Cup and will be chomping at the bit for another crack at it this year. The final game of the weekend sees two sides who have seriously struggled this year come face to face. For Castlebar Celtic it was always going to be a big ask for them to be as competitive as possible with the club entering teams into the League of Ireland A League and u20s League, leaving the Celtic B team make the step up to Super League football. They’ll travel to Green Road this Sunday to face a Straide and Foxford United side who last year beat all before and after them winning the Premier Division, Divisional Cup and the Chadwicks Cup as they stormed to promotion.
But with the league season winding down, there is no rest for clubs in Mayo with action in various outside county competitions lined up from here till the last Sunday before Christmas.
