Ballyheane will make their return to action in the Elverys Super League on Sunday and will face into a 100 mile plus round trip to Carenash to take on a Iorras Aontaithe side who were well turned over on the opening day by Manulla in Carramore. The side from Quigley Park were one of the Super League’s permanent fixtures for years, before they finally slipped out of the division a couple of years ago, but they regrouped last year and aided by a good winter in provincial competition where they won the Connacht Shield they kept their foot down and won the Premier A title by the narrowest of margins. On Sunday, Ballyheane will be hoping their experienced players like Peter Burke, John Kelly, Theron Coghill, David Sheridan, along with Terry and Chris Maughan will supply the solid foundation they are looking for to start the season well. As teams have found out at the bottom and the top of this eight team Super League in the past, you can be out of contention for either the title or safety before you are even up to full speed.
The other team who missed last weekends opening round of league games was Westport United who had more important things on their mind as they booked their place in the Connacht Junior Cup final with a 1-0 win over Mervue thanks to a Kevin Joyce extra time penalty in the Sportspark. Westport will be heading to Roscommon to defend their title against Ballinasloe Town in the middle of next month. But before that, they will get the defence of their Super League title under way on Sunday at noon when they head to Concannon Park to take on Claremorris. It will be the south Mayo outfit’s second home game on the bounce and after going down 1-0 to a Snugboro United outfit who were promoted last year thanks to a late Ronan McTigue goal. Claremorris will be hungry to get something out of this game, but with Westport United in such good form it is hard to see that happening. Another side desperately looking to get a win on Sunday is Castlebar Celtic who were beaten 3-1 last Saturday away to Ballina Town. Declan Kilkelly’s men were seen as possibly the only serious title contenders to take on Westport United this year, and they will have to get back on the winning track as soon as possible. They will host Manulla in a local derby at noon on Sunday, and after Manulla put three past Iorras last time out Damien Ansbro’s men will be in confident of taking a strip off their urban neighbours. The last game of the day in the Super League is the meeting of Snugboro United and Ballina Town in Conway Park. The home side will be full of confidence thanks to their win over Claremorris last Saturday evening, but Ballina Town will offer a much stiffer challenge, especially after they came from behind to beat Celtic last week.
All Mayo final in Connacht Shield decider
Sunday afternoon in Milebush Park at 3pm there will be a east v west Mayo clash in the Connacht Shield final when Partry Athletic and Urlar United come face to face. Both sides are operating in the third tier of Mayo football in the Premier B division and will being going all guns to pick up this bit of silverware. While Partry did not play in last weekend’s opening round of Mayo League games, Urlar went down to Swinford on a score of 6-0.
Celtic youths make it back to the big time
A hat-trick from Liam Flattley sent the Castlebar Celtic u18 side into the final of this year’s FAI Youth Cup final in a weeks time. Flattley’s three goals haul was enough to see his side come out on the right side of a 3-2 game against Castlebridge Celtic in Fermoy last Saturday. Celtic will now head back down south, this time to Cork to take on Castleview from Cork in the final on Saturday May 4.
