By the time this paper hits the shelf on Friday morning, Westport United will have had the chance to extend their lead at the top of the Elverys Sports Super League to 17 points after they faced Moy Villa in Attymass last night. The day that they are confirmed as champions looks to be edging ever closer. Last weekend in the Super League Fahy Rovers picked up their second win in the league with a surprise 2-1 win over Ballina Town in Moneen. That win by the side who are bottom in the table all but killed off any slim chance that Ballina had of catching Westport United in the top. Fahy left it late, when Tommy Gill struck twice in the final few minutes of the game, the first four minutes from time and the second three minutes into injury time.
That win put Fahy Rovers within a point of second bottom Iorras Aontaithe, but with the men from Carnenash having two games in hand, it will still be a struggle for Fahy to try to overtake the north Mayo men and try to catch one of the sides outside the relegation zone. On Sunday they will make the short trip in to Celtic Park to take on Castlebar Celtic, while Iorras Aontaithe will be away to Ballyheane. Iorras were also in action last night against Castlebar Celtic, and a win there could have pulled them within three points of Moy Villa, while a Celtic win would have put them a point clear of second placed Ballina Town and still have two games in hand on the defending champions.
The real action in a title race is still in the Welcome Inn Hotel Premier B, where five teams at the top are separated by four points. Not one of Ballyglass, Conn Rangers, Swinford, Westport United B, or Claremorris, who come with a good charge over recent weeks, can afford to slip up over the coming weeks.
The trio Ballyglass, Conn Rangers, and Swinford are locked together on 25 points at the top of the table. Westport United B are in fourth place two points behind, while Claremorris are two points further back in fifth place. But after last night’s round of catch up games, Westport United could find themselves top of the table before the weekend if they saw off second bottom Snugboro United, while Claremorris could move to within a point of the trio of Ballyglass, Conn Rangers, and Swinford if they saw off Castlebar Celtic B last night.
The weekend’s round of fixtures sees Ballyglass host Killala and Conn Rangers travel to Castlebar Celtic B on Saturday evening, while on Sunday Urlar United host Partry Athletic, Westport United B will entertain Claremorris and Snugboro United will travel to Swinford. The Premier A is definitely the place to be keeping an eye on over the next two months. There is a preview of the Tuohy Cup final on page 39 of this week’s issue.
Rowe flies the flag for Ireland
Castlebar Celtic star Sarah Rowe is currently in Norway as part of the Republic of Ireland women’s u19 team who are competing the UEFA Women’s u19 Championship. Rowe played the full 90 minutes in Ireland’s 1-0 win over Spain on Tuesday night in Oslo where her cross was hooked clear into the path of Claire Shine who scored the winning goal. Ireland play their second game today at 6pm when they face England in Mjondalen and will wrap up the group stage on Monday when they take on Sweden in Jessheim.
