A brace of wins in three day’s from last Thursday to Sunday along with table toppers Ballina Town suffering their first loss in the league this season, saw Westport United move to within two points of the table toppers last weekend. Westport United kicked off their weekend double header with a 4-1 win over Iorras Aontaithe at home, thanks to first half goals from Philip Keegan and Dave Hoban along with late, late strikes from JP O’Gorman and Vinny O’Malley in the final five minutes. Strangely, it was the same opponents who did Westport United a big favour last Sunday afternoon when they turned over the leaders, by the odd goal in five in Carnenash and leave only a brace of points between Ballina Town and Westport United going into this weekend’s round of games.
Iorras took the lead early on from a Anthony Mills goal, before Ballina Town levelled the game before the 20th minute. Both sides each hit the back of the net once more before the break, but the decisive goal came from the boot of Gary Boylan who slotted home a penalty 20 minutes from time to blow the title race wide open again.
This weekend Westport United will host bottom of the table Claremorris and will be confident of picking up their fifth win of the campaign against the struggling south Mayo side. Last weekend Claremorris were on the end of a 6-0 whipping at the hands of Castlebar Celtic in Celtic Park last Sunday. Nigel Naughton hit a hat-trick for the Hoops’ with Jordan Loftus bagging a brace and Gerry Hunt knocking in the other goal in a big victory for the Hoops’ who were coming off the back of a defeat to Westport United the previous round.
This Saturday evening, Celtic will make the short hop out to Carramore to face off against Manulla who held Ballyheane to a 1-1 draw last weekend, a game where both sides bagged their goals from the penalty spot inside the opening 35 minutes. Declan Tonra put Manulla into the lead, with Terry Maughan levelling it up to ensure that his side are now the only undefeated team in the league this season. Ballyheane will host Iorras Aontaithe in Quigley Park on Sunday looking for a win that will keep them in touch with the top two, while a win for Iorras will see them leap-frog Ballyheane in the table.
Kiltimagh/Knock and Ballyheane B meet in Tonra Cup final
The second weekend of a run of cup finals in Milebush Park will see, Kilitmagh/Knock United get to grips with Ballyheane B in the Castlebar venue at 3pm. Both teams operate out of the Welcome Inn Hotel League One, with Kilitmagh/Knock United currently in second place in the table on 19 points, seven points ahead of Sunday’s opponents who lie in fifth place after nine games.
The teams have met twice before in the league this season, with Killtimagh/Knock United winning their round two meeting 4-1 in Ballyheane and their return meeting with Ballyheane B by the same scoreline in last weekends round of league fixtures. Having put eight past their opponents already this season, the east Mayo men will go into Sunday’s final as favourites to lift the Tonra Cup in Castlebar.
