There are not many superlatives left to describe how good Westport United have been this season in league and cup competitions in Mayo. A second treble in three years of the Elverys Sports Super League, FCS Cup and Connacht Gold Cup was achieved last Sunday, with a 3-0 win over Ballyheane in the Connacht Gold Cup Final, and with that they went through the entire domestic season, league and cup unbeaten. The only minor blemish on their record was a draw at home to Straide and Foxford United in July. But last weekend it was jut about taking care of business and they did that with ruthless efficiency and killing the game off early thanks to goals from Dave Cameron and Pat Fitzgerald inside the opening 20 minutes, with Philip Keegan rounding off the win before the hour mark.
Most of the these Westport United players have been here and done it all before in the past, with the likes of Danny Scahill, Joe Lawless, Dave Cameron, Martin Geraghty and David Hoban weighed down with medals from victories in Mayo and further afield at this stage. But the hunger they have to keep on winning is something that can only be admired and going through the whole domestic season without a loss is something that will be remembered well into the future by the supporters of the red and black striped men.
The attention for them will now move to the Connacht Junior Cup and FAI Junior Cup over the winter months. The FAI Junior Cup is the big one that Westport really craves getting their hands back on and they’ve been handed a potentially very testing bridge to cross in the fourth round. Westport still have to face Claremorris in the third round of the competition, but should get over the Premier A side without to much bother. Victory in that game will set up a very tasty clash away to Ballinasloe Town. The Roscommon and District League team, are like Westport, one of the most dominant sides in local soccer in their own league. They stopped Westport’s drive for a second Connacht Cup on the bounce in 2013 when they saw them off in the final in Lecarrow and went on to pick up their own second Connacht Cup victory in a row earlier this year when they beat Castlebar Celtic 4-2 on penalties in Milebush. Both sides had also met in the 2012 Connacht Cup semi-final with Westport edging that one and in the 2011 FAI Junior Cup, Ballinasloe Town emerged victorious. Without tempting fate to much, with Westport still having to get over Claremorris, it really should be something the savour if Westport United and Ballinasloe get to tangle again in the near future.
Glorious end for Glenhest
Glenshest Rovers caused something of a shock last Sunday, when they saw off Ballina Town 3-0 to claim the Connacht Gold Shield. It’s been some year for Glenhest, they gained promotion to the Premier A division at the end of the league and now have some silverware to adorn their mantelpiece for the season. For Ballina Town it’s been a transition year, after claiming the league title in 2013, they never managed to get going this year as they’d have liked and Sunday will be a result they’ll want to forget pretty soon. Going down to 10 men in the first half didn’t help their cause, but Glenhest did what they had to and two goals from Paddy Mulchrone and one from Declan McManamon delivered the win.
Masters League kicks off
The ever popular Westaro Masters League kicks off next Wednesday, evening in Milebush Park. The league will run on Wednesday nights from thought until February, with the cup taking place after the conclusion of the league.
Monthly awards
Conn Rangers picked up the September Mayo League team of the month award after they claimed the Premier A title. Westport United management duo, James Fahy and Kieran Mulchrone picked up the manager of the month award. The player of the month awards went to Westport United’s, Joe Lawless in the Super League, Conn Rangers’ Simon Helly in the Premier A, Liam Groarke from Kiltimagh/Knock United picked up the Premier B award, with Paul Basquill from Manulla B winning the League One section and Lorcan Sammon from Fahy Rovers B the League Two award. The young player of the month award went to Michael Guilfoyle from Straide and Foxford United.
