This weekend sees a break from the action in the Connacht Junior League after eight hectic rounds of action. In the top division, Westport remain as the main men from Mayo, currently sitting in fourth place in the table behind the Galway trio of Connemara, Monivea, and Corinthians, and they will be well buoyed by the last second draw they got against league leaders Connemara in Monastery Field. The Bulls trailed by 14 points at the turn around. Westport did narrow the gap back to three points midway through the second half, but Connemara scored a break-away converted try to push their lead out to 24-10, but with a few minutes left Mike Cronin touched down for Westport, with Séan Tobin converting the try and then kicking a late, late, penalty to grab a draw for Danny O’Toole and JP Walshe’s charges. Next up for the Bulls is sixth place Ballinasloe in Carrowholly on Sunday week. When the team met in round two in September, Ballinasloe emerged two point winners against Westport condemning the Bulls to their second defeat of the season, but they have been on a steady upward trajectory since then, with their only blip a loss to Corinthians a fortnight ago.
The other Mayo side in the top division, Ballina, went down by nine points on the road to previously mentioned Ballinasloe last weekend. That was the north Mayo men’s second defeat on the trot after being beaten 28-12 by Connemara in the previous round, and their fifth loss of the season in the league. Ballina lost out on a score of 12-3 in east Galway, with the hosts kicking four penalties to Ballina’s single response from Kevin McCarron’s boot. Next up for Ballina is a home tie against second placed Monivea on Sunday week in Heffernan Park. In the side’s previous meeting, Monivea ran out 34-13 winners in September.
Castlebar pick up sixth win
In Division 1B, Castlebar are the leading Mayo side in the hunt for promotion back to Division 1A. Peter Bracken’s men picked up their sixth win from eight games last weekend when they had two points to spare over Tuam in Cloondeash. Matthew Staunton, Aaron Wootton, and Ronan Conway touched down for a try each with Steven Rogan kicking two conversions. Next up for Castlebar on Sunday week is a trip to Headford to face a bottom of the table Corrib. The men from the borderline picked up their only win of the season so far when they got out of Castlebar with a 27-23 win in the middle of September, and the men from the county town will be gunning for revenge next week.
Ballyhaunis go into the break with a 50/50 record, the east Mayo men fell to their fourth defeat of the season last weekend when Creggs had seven points to spare over them in a 20-13 win in Ballyhaunis. Gary Patterson kicked two penalties and converted his own try for Ballyhaunis as he recorded all their points. The next outing for Ballyhaunis is a short trip away to Tuam on Sunday week, when the teams meet in round two Ballyhaunis ran through the north Galway side with ease, running out 48-7 winners, more of the same will do on November 23.
Ballinrobe slumped to their fifth defeat of the season last weekend, second placed Loughrea ran out 27-3 winners at The Green in Ballinrobe. The next game for the south Mayo men will be a visit to Creggs, in their previous meeting this season Ballinrobe ran out 19-13 winners in round two.
